1) I want to tan a few coyote pelts. Nothing Special. Just skin, flesh, and tan. What do i do with the ear cartilage? Do I just leave it in?
2) I want to learn how to skin a complete coyote and leave the claws, lips, eyeslashes etc. in place. Is there a video out there to teach this?
Thanks
David
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You leave the cartilage in, just turn the ears all the way before tanning. If you are just tanning it to have the hide, you might not have to turn the ears. But I have seen coyotes come back from a tan with the hair slipped on the ears from not being turned. It is really easy to turn a 'yote ear, so I would say do it if you have time.
Again, if you are not using the hide for taxidermy, you might not have to turn the eyes, lips, ears etc and they will probably come out ok. Otherwise, you just turn the lips and eyes etc like any other animal. GOOD LUCK!
I hear this term a lot. What does Turning meaning? Do you mean turnin inside out? If so this must be very difficult with ears of any sort?
Thanks
David
Turning means to turn the ears inside out. It also means to open up the lips. Basically to turn the lips it is like you are butterflying a steak. You want the lip to lie flat. Turning the ears brings the cartilage to the outside of the ear, and gets air to the other side of the ear so it can dry. The inside ear skin always sticks to the cartilage, and the outside skin (backs of the ear) is easily separated from the cartilage. It is kind of a pain to turn some deer ears like mule deer, they make tongs called ear turners that you squeeze which pulls the outside skin free from the cartilage. Problem is if you squeeze too hard it will blow out the back, tearing the skin. You don't need turners for animals like coyotes though. You basically start at the ear but and using a knife you carefully separate the hide from the cartilage. And you bend the ear forward while cutting and the ear will start to turn inside out. I am sure I am not explaining this very well, you really need to have someone show you how.
Check this link out. I think it holds things that may be very helpful to you. Enjoy! http://www.McKenziesp.com/training.asp