Planning on doing my first lifesize deer. It is a November killed button buck. It will be in the bedded position with legs folded. What are my best skinning options? I figure I will have to make a cut in the back of the head to get the skull out. Should I just continue that dorsal cut all the way down to the tail or am I asking for problems hiding the seam? What about the legs? Any experience in doing a deer like this is appreciated.
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First and foremost: a dorsal cut is not your friend if you don't have a magic needle and thread. Cut the form instead. I use a ventral incision from the brisket to the pelvis but never up to the anus. Then I cut the legs from the hoof to the knee joints on each let. It takes time, but you CAN get the hide off. Once the rear end is cleared, hang the carcass and peel the skin down to the neck/skull aperture. With a scalpel, you can sever the head right at that joint. To remove the skull, SOME button bucks will just invert while others make take a small relief incision. When you're mounting remember, you've cut the hide as much as you intend and now you have to cut the form (i.e. the legs that are folded under) out. Look at some of Roger Martin's fawn forms to see how the legs fold together in a bedded mount and cut your form accordingly.
When you cut the form don't cut the legs strait off. If you do that you could bondo them back on crooked. Cut the form in a zig zag so the two pieces lock together in a way for lack of a better word. I believe George is the one who told me to do this in the first place. I don't want to take credit for George's knowlege!
Good Luck
Joe V.
No idea is original. I probably stole it from someone else, but right now I can't find my car keys so I know I don't remember where I got the idea.