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Bobcat Ears - Removing Cartilage Now Or After Tan? I Am Having Difficulties

Discussion in 'Lifesize Mammals' started by buffalobill20, Aug 6, 2021.

  1. Aug 6, 2021 #1
    buffalobill20

    buffalobill20 Member

    39
    11
    Hello! I have been skinning a bobcat. What happened was the ears always seem to get me frustrated. I have never done a bocatbbefore but i have done tree rats and other animals.
    The ears always seem most difficult for me.

    so i am very anxious because the skin is fleshed and turned completely except the ears (well partially turned).

    i have already torn the ears up. I will have to repair later. So I am at the part where you turn the ears up to the tip, but I have not peeled the cartilage away from the skin. I did it partially but i just kept getting tears.


    What would you recommend? I am thinking of using sandpaper to sand away the cartilage rather than peeling it. The force just causes it to tear.

    I heard it might be better to remove after tanning simce the skin toughens, but I feel the tanning solution would not penetrate the ears if the cartilage is not removed first.
     
  3. Aug 6, 2021 #2
    ARUsher

    ARUsher Well-Known Member

    452
    974
    Boerne, Texas
    I personally don't remove the cartilage from the ears on small mammals. I use thin ear liners, use epoxy as adhesive and card them up. If you have torn them up, use pieces of skin shavings from fleshing and some super glue to repair your holes. If you do remove cartilage, I find it easier to remove after tanning. Just my two cents.
     
    byrdman and Keith like this.

  5. Aug 7, 2021 #3
    byrdman

    byrdman Well-Known Member

    8,888
    4,127
    leave the cartilage in….I have even mounted marten fisher and up to fox by not even turning ears, just inject and card….have a fox here going on 35 years no problems
     
    15pt likes this.
  6. Aug 7, 2021 #4
    joeym

    joeym Old Murphey

    14,232
    9,578
    Chunky, Mississippi
    Patch the torn areas on the inside with duct tape held down with super glue and bondo the ears after the repairs are made. I bondo small mammal ears all the time, and don't remove the cartilage.
     
  7. Aug 21, 2021 #5
    ice

    ice Active Member

    678
    58
    Alaska
    Turn the raw ear inside out, almost to the tip. Process and tan the hide. Complete opening to very tip. Gently peel cartilage now.
     
  8. Nov 5, 2021 #6
    Trappertod

    Trappertod Member

    39
    41
    Four Oaks, NC
    Does this include coyote ears, I made a mess of mine as well. LOL! My first game head of a yote might look like "lucky". I tried to remove the cartilage and oh boy was it a time.
     
  9. Nov 5, 2021 #7
    joeym

    joeym Old Murphey

    14,232
    9,578
    Chunky, Mississippi
    I
    I routinely bondo coyote ears without removing the cartilage
     
    msestak likes this.
  10. Mar 14, 2023 #8
    BigWheel

    BigWheel New Member

    6
    1
    06457
    Same
     
  11. Mar 14, 2023 #9
    Richs Taxidermy

    Richs Taxidermy Well-Known Member

    680
    346
    Northern Illinois
    What do you inject them with
     
    adrenaline_rush_taxidermy and msestak like this.