What is the prefered method of skinning for small mammals? I'm just getting into doing foxes, bobcats,etc. Most will be life sized mounts, others will be pedestals.
Ken,
Lots of guys and gals have their own personal favorite method, and I certainly don't speak for anyone other than myself on this issue. In most cases, I prefer to skin a furbearer with a dorsal incision, with an incision begining right between the shoulder blades down the centerline of the back, to the base of the tail. I will make short relief cuts, to properly skin and salt the feet with long legged mammals, and I split my tails to the tip in most instances along the underside. Otters and beavers are an exception, and I prefer to work on them cased. Having said that, if a customer is certain on the position, and I know a ventral or cased incision will conceal easier, that's the road I take. But generally, I do what I can to limit the stitches. I prefer no sewing on deer shoulder mounts.
Ken how do you do a deer shoulder mount with NO sewing I would like to learn this process.
i would too.
Sorry to have mislead you, I only ment that I prefer no sewing on my shoulder mounts. They still need to be sewn, so I promise the little woman anything I have to in order to get her to do it for me. She only does it though, because I use nice clean professionally tanned capes. Now if I were using those yucky raw dry preserved skins..
;)