Reynard Wandered Into My Yard

[gitano]

Jamie - Thanks for the offer of the foam, but my 'sculpting' skills are limited to say the least. Given the forms one can get from one of these places:

http://www.vandykestaxidermy.com

http://www.mckenziesp.com/

and http://www.taxidermy.com/

I wouldn't even try to make my own. Getting the skin just tanned is $75. That's what is going to happen for the time being. I'll either shop around to find a reasonable price, or try it myself.

Thanks again for the offer.

Paul

[recoil junky]

Excellent job of skinning Paul. Made my hands hurt like 4377 just looking at the pictures.

I haven't skunned nuthin' fer quite a spell, ceptin elk and an occasional deer. Of all the fur bearing critters I ever took care of, plews (beaver) was the hardest to make "sale-able".  

Coyotes, foxes, bobcats, mink, mushrats and 'coons were all simple when compared to plews.

RJ

[davidlt89]

Very interesting! I have no clue how to skin like that. I can get the hide off of my animals, bout where it ends!!!!! I must say, I am very interested in seeing the skeleton once the meat is off and you have reassembled it. that I know I could do, but had never even thought of it before!!!! like I don't have enough to do, thanks for planting that seed Paul!:greentongue:

[22hornet]

Great post Paul. Very well done.

Keep it coming. I really want to know how your fox turns out.

[gitano]

Beaver is a pain, RJ.

I've got a little story to tell about the first beaver skins I decided to tan my ownself.

So... I had the skins from these 5 beavers I had just skinned, and was planning to tan them. For those that don't know, beaver have a substantial layer of subcutaeous fat that you CAN NOT get off until you get the skin off of the beaver. It's a real pain. Even when you've scraped all the fat off the hide, there's still a 'ton' of it in the skin itself. If you don't degrease the skin, the tan WILL NOT 'take'. Tanning supply houses offer degreasing chemicals, but they're pretty spendy, and getting them through the mail can be challenging. An alternative is to soak the skins in "white gas" (Coleman fuel). THAT was easy to get.

So I went and bought a 5-gal can of Coleman "white gas", put about half of it in each of two 5-gal buckets, and put the beaver skins in to soak for a while. Now part of what I have left out of the story is that this is all taking place in North Pole, Alaska in February, and it's colder than a well-diggers... cold parts. () What THAT means is that I have decided to do all of this "inside". Like in my basement. I waited 'til my wife had gone to bed so as not to "disturb her".

After a 'while' I checked the skins. It was too greasy in the buckets so I took them out and washed them in soapy water in my deepsink. Nope. Not done yet. Back in the buckets. I did that twice more. The fourth time, as I was bent over the deepsink rinsing the soap out of them, I caught myself spending a little too much time enjoying the little 'swirlies' going down the drain. I was higher than a kite! Just about the time I realized this, my wife comes storming down the stairs pretty much like "What the 4377 are you doing!" All I can say is it was a good thing I was so stoned because I was so goofy it was so funny that she couldn't be too ticked off.

She had been awakened from sleep TWO FLOORS ABOVE by the fumes in the house! I was right next to them, and I couldn't even tell! Anyway, we had to open all the doors and windows to air the house out (and we didn't dare turn on a light in the mean time)! AND IT WAS THE MIDDLE OF WINTER IN INTERIOR ALASKA! I used up a lot of marital "currency" on that one, but all in all she was a pretty good sport about it. After all, she knew what she was getting into from the get-go.

I'm looking around for some cheaper taxidermists. I'll keep ya posted on whatever happens.

Paul

[RatherBHuntin]

Now that's a funny story Paul, glad it didnt end with you lighting a cigarrette.
 
Any chance of you posting a picture of the skin, flesh side up and fur side up?

[gitano]

Any chance of you posting a picture of the skin, flesh side up and fur side up?

Not now, as it's in the taxidermist's freezer. I intend to retrieve it from him on Monday, but even then, I don't know. It likely will be frozen, and I'm not likely to thaw it out for pictures. If it's just salted, I could spread it out and resalt it.

Paul

[recoil junky]

I was so goofy it was so funny that she couldn't be too ticked off. Paul

ROFLMAO

RJ

[gitano]

Here ya go RBH.





Were you looking for something in particular? I can assure you there isn't even one hole. I'd be happy to give close-ups if you'd like. If there is some information you'd like from the images, let me know.

Paul

[Hornet 6]

Nicely done Paul, I have to say that you did a brilliant job of the skinning.
About all I can manage is to get the meat out of the animal without to much wastage.
Looking forward to the rest of the process with interest.

Neil.

[gitano]

Hooray! You finally made it. What an ordeal!

Thanks, Neil. Looking forward to your contributions here at THL.

Paul

[Hornet 6]

Hi Paul, see I told you I was persistant :laugh:

Neil.

[gitano]

I'm glad you were! I'm not sure I would have been.

Paul

[JaDub]

"marital currency"               ..........in ever dwindling supply.  
 
  JaDub

[gitano]

"marital currency"               ..........in ever dwindling supply.  
 
  JaDub

Yeah, it seems so much easier to make withdrawals than deposits.

Paul