Help! I'am almost done skinning and fleshing a large Groundhog. The tail is giving me horrible trouble. I have tried to remove the tail bone with the method for squirrel tails. This isn't working, I can't get the skin rolled down farther than half way. I have also tried pushing a sharp scalpal up into the tail and cutting around the bone--No Luck. I need some suggestions, please. I don't want to split the tail if I don't have too, but this is the only thing I can think of trying next. Thanks in advance.
Lesley
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Why not split the tail? Its not the longest tail in the world for sure. Time spent trying all these otherways, and you could be finished and have it sewn up. With all the pulling and stripping methods you have tried, you may have weakened the tail enough where it may just pull off unles you split it . Just a thought!
For future reference: Look in your supply catalogs for a tail puller tool, they work great fast and easy, once the bone is out, split the tail with a sharp knife or scalpal. Hi Tom!
You probably won't be able to do the tail on a ground hog the same way you do a squirrel,you'll have to split the tail and skin out that means sewing up later?
MUST be split to be removed.
That post from Bunkhouse Boy.. it was short.. to the point.. related to the topic... WOW! Looks like all you taxidemrists out there will be getting requests for pigs with wings to be mounted soon ;)
DRIVE LARGE NAILS IN A2BY4 SPACED JUST ENOUGH TO GET THE
BASE OF THE TAIL BONE IN AFTER SKINNING AS FAR AS YOU CAN
LET THE TAIL SKIN BUNCH UP BEHIMD THE NAILS GRAB THE TAIL BONE WI
WITH PLIARS AND PULL THE BONE SHOULD STRIP OUT CLEANLY I HAVE
USED THIS METHOD ON SQUIRRELS BOBCATS FOXES COUGARS YOU WILL
NEED TO CLINCH THE 2BY4 TO A TABLE EDGE WITH A COUPLE OF C
CLAMPS
DRIVE TWO LARGE NAILS IN A 2BY 4 CLAMP TO A TABLE EDGE SPACE
THE NAILS JUST FAR ENOUGH APART TO SQUEEZE THE BASE OF THE
TAIL BONE BETWEEN THEM WITH THE SKIN ON THE BACK SIDE GRASP
THE BASE OF THE TAIL BONE WITH PLIARS AND PULL THE BONE SHOULD
STRIP OUT CLEANLY I HAVE USED THIS METHOD ON ANIMALS FROM CHIPMUNKS
TO COUGARS WITH GOOD RESULTS PROIR TO DOING THIS SKIN THE
TAIL AS FAR AS YOU CAN WITH AKNIFE WITHOUT SPLITTING IT
If the 'hog was killed recently, it will be fattened up for winter, and that includes extra fat on the tail. Split it, remove the bone, and be sure to de-grease it!
Have fun with it!