While I realize that it will vary somewhat on the type of mount the taxidermist wants to do, is there a "generally" prefered way to skin animals to market the hides? Dorsal, cased, ventral? Responses will be appreciated.
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Andy,
Ventral for beaver (then stapled to board), then pretty much everything else cased, yotes, rats, fox, coon etc. You'll need stretchers to dry them out, or roll them up and freeze them if you're going to sell them green...
Small mammals (furbearers) for taxidermy purposes are generally skinned with a dorsal cut along the spine and then peeled out. Many taxidermists prefer to buy the animal "in the round" and skin it themselves. If you are skinning the hides for commercial sale, then it depends on the animal and the location. Canines, cats, marten, fisher and sometimes otter are cased and dried with fur out and without feet. Rats, nutria possum, mink and coon and a few others are dryed with the fur in - no feet. Some trappers will specialize in taxidermy quality and will make sure to also turn the ears and lips as well. Good luck
I don't know when the last time I ever cut a hide dorsal cut. I HATE SEWING and when I can ventral or case cut a squirrel, a rabbit, a fox, whatever, I do it. It's so much easier to cut the form and glue it back together than to try and align a seam atop the show side of an animal. Some people are good enough to get away with it, but I ain't one of them.