I wanted to get started skinning small game to use as fly tying material. I just barely know where to begin. I don't need the skins tanned just dried with borax or salt. I figure out most of that from the coyote post. But here are my questions.
I don't know how to skin game and keep the skin looking nice. I want to get the skin off the face of some animals (mostly rabbits) I figure that will be the hardest part. Are there books or websites with pictures that can teach me how to do this.
I need to get a good skinning knife. I'm pretty good at sharpening knives so I think I'll be able to manage. I was looking at a Case medium stockman will that do or is their another pocket type knife that would be better for skinning mostly rabbits and squirrels.
Any help with links to pages on preserving hides would be helpful too. I don't just want ugly fur I really want to maximize the usable fur on the hides as it is all important to me. Belly and back fur.
My most important question is about the knife. All the other things I can figure out by trial and (lots of) error.
Thanks,
JP
Return to Beginners Category Menu
Skinning a small mammal out is not a very difficult thing and with some practice I'm sure you will do just fine. Since you plan on using the fur for fly tying you can skin your animals with a belly incision. Basically you are going to start at some point under the chin, if not for taxidermy purposes you may find it easier to split the chin from the front of the jaw/lip, then make a straight incision the entire length of the body and around one side of the vent(anus) and on down to the end of the tail. Next starting at the pad of each foot, skin down the back of the leg till you reach the belly incision. On the fron legs I skin to the elbow and then change the direction of the knife to cut straight across the chest. You probably don't have use for the feet, so make a cut around the circumferance of the ankle in order to leave the feet attached to the carcass. from here it is a matter of peeling or cutting the hide off, depending on the species. If you can get away with peeling the skin (on animals such as rabitts) be careful, as it will rip easily. Once you get the hide skinned to the neck, simply work down the face. Feel for the ear butts where they enter the skull and cut the ears off here. You may have to cut through some muscle at this part. Continue skinning the head by working in a circle around it. On some animals you may be able to use a lot of tension to assist in removing the hide from the skull. When you get to the eyes stick your finger under the hide and feel where the eyelid is, cut just behind the lid, so as not to cut the eyelids off (this probably isn't necessary for fly tying) skin down to the nose and cut the nose off. Flesh all the meat and fat off and salt with plenty of salt(stock salt or canning/pickling salt) repeat salting. Make sure the hide is in a position to allow liquid to drain off and not pool up.There you have it.
Good luck, Juli
Jeff, On the knife-- it just needs to be easily sharpened. That stockman is fine if you want a folder but a great inexpensive blade for skinning is, believe it or not, the Rapella fish filet knife (small size). Buy it almost everywhere fishing equipment is sold. Very easy to get very sharp. I use a small folding diamond steel and I skin deer heads with mine.The more you use this knife the better it gets- starts out with a 4" blade but gets real good after you have sharpened away 1/2" or so. A scalpel (spelling?) is probably best for those tough little squirrels and while I'm on the subject Camillus makes a dandy little utility knife with rubber coated handle a short sheep's foot blade (Very sturdy) and a leather sheath for about $11 - $15. A super little guy for slicing cardboard, prying box staples, or a hundred other things. Also makes a very decent capeing knife if you grind down the back of the blade a little. Enjoy! Aaron H.
http://taxidermy.cjb.net/
I killed a bobcat and after an hour of skinning, and a throbbing back, i finally reached the face. It was a 35lb cat so i really wanted the skin although I was quickly fatigued. The whole body was skinned and instead of carefully cutting and what not I angrily pulled off its face. Luckily the skin was fresh enough to leave a perfect face skin. I put the skull in an ant bed to remove all the brains, tissue, etc. Any better(quicker) ways of doing this? I plan on putting the skull back into the face once the skull is clean. Thanks, Chad M