Picked up a roadkill red fox. too pretty to let it rot on the roadside.
any suggestions to a beginner or how to skin out this rascal?
I have skinned deer and other animals for butchering but I assume that a furbearer deserves special treatment and a different technique.
please advise via e mail address. thanks.!
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Skinning always depends on your choice of pose for mounting, and nothing is ever carved in stone. A rug would be cut ventrally (belly) from leg to leg, up the belly and a couple inches below the neck. If mounting lifesize, the best way is to cut a dorsal (back) incision skinning down the paws without making any cuts in the legs. When you are ready to mount an animal after skinning this way, it will save you a tremendous amount of time. It is quite time consuming to skin this way, and sometimes very difficult, but you will get the best results. If you have trouble getting the feet out, make incisions in the back of the legs to help you along until you can practice on enough of them to not have to cut the back of the leg...or don't worry about and always cut the back of the leg, it only creates a bit more sewing. If you are selling the hide, most buyers prefer a case incision from back leg to back leg and peel the rest of the skin down in one piece.