# When to flesh a coyote hide



## JustYakin

Ive been reading and trying to research as much information as possible but i'm still not 100% clear. So please bare with me as this will be my first...

So I shoot a coyote....I will then need to skin it out of course, but how long do I have to flesh it out if I run out of time after skinning them. Do I freeze the hide until i can get around to it, or does it need to be fleshed fairly soon(same or next day) after it has been skinned?

I think i read where I need to take the hide to a laundromat and wash it with borax. Is this prior to fleshing or after it has been fleshed?

After it has been washed and fleshed, you put it on a stretcher with fur on inside and let it dry? Approximately how long does it take to dry?

After all that, are you done? What all can you do with the fur? I would like to make a hat maybe out of one, Christmas stocking or just hang some on the wall.... who knows....one day. I think it has to be tanned though for those things. Way down here in Texas, I don't think there is much money in selling the fur but not to sure on all that yet?

Anyways, hope im somewhat close and if not I know you pros will get me lined out. I hope to be going out tonight and maybe next few nights so i'm trying to grab enough info that I wont waste any hides.

Also is this about the same as a bobcat or fox or are they different?

Have a great day!!


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## azpredatorhunter

I will send you a pm.


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## clayhen

Good question for us newbies, I would like to know the answer to all that to. Thanks for asking


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## JustYakin

I will be looking for the pm....Thanks!!

Clay...i thought so too, i almost didnt ask because i couldnt find any information and thought maybe there is a reason noone has asked. Hopefully it will help us out!!


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## youngdon

I've asked azpredator to post it on the forum. I see no benefit or need to keep it from all members.


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## azpredatorhunter

JustYakin, a little birdie just told me I should tell you how to care, clean and prep your fur. First thing you need to do is advoid damage, wild animals are dirty, to get top dollar or a nice pelt you can put on your wall you need to advoid damaging your fur: don't put a wet coyote on cold metal! ie: the bed/tailgate of your truck, wet fur will stick/freeze to cold metal and you will pull out the fur/gaurd-hairs and damage your pelt. Most animals will have mud, burrs, dirt, matted hair and blood on them, you need to clean them before they are skinned. A fur brush/comb is a great tool to remove burrs,dirt, and other foreign materials,then if possible you can wash the animal in water, do not use warm water! You can use a small amount of baby shampoo if you like, just wash it like you would a dog, make sure you run your fingers through the fur and remove any burrs etc, then rinse in clean water, then your fur is clean, squeeze out as much water as you can, use an old towel or two to get it as dry as possible. Hang your animal up by one leg to dry completely. If you can't do this, you can wash the pelt after you skin it. It is not necessary to wash every pelt, it's nicer to work with a clean pelt! If you want, you can wash the pelt in water, dry it and then skin it, then wash with shampoo after it's fleshed, it's up to you. Do Not take a dirty, smelly, stinky coyote to a laundry mat! They will have your pelt up on the wall.lol Ok do you get the first part of fur handling? On to the next....


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## azpredatorhunter

I am using a cell phone to do this so, It will take some time....


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## azpredatorhunter

Do you guys get the first part? If you have a question, well I can always go back. This is hard to do with small keys, but if you guys need help I will try...


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## JustYakin

So...no laundry mat...got it....lol....take your time! Im here all day long!!


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## Ruger

I agree with azpredator, I remove burrs, dirt and mud from my furs, then I skin and flesh. Then I do put my furs in a washing machine with borax soap, but i have a washing machine just for that purpose. Very important like azpredator said, make sure you use COLD water. I haven't tried baby shampoo, I might have to give that a try.


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## azpredatorhunter

JustYakin said:


> So...no laundry mat...got it....lol....take your time! Im here all day long!!


 +1 Ruger.. justYakin, don't use you own washer, you will smell like a coyote! Ok how long do I have to flesh it"?


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## JustYakin

azpredator said:


> +1 Ruger.. justYakin, don't use you own washer, you will smell like a coyote! Ok how long do I have to flesh it"?


I'm not sure if your asking me or that is the beggining of your next post.....i've got everything so far but as to how long im not sure....unless y'all are saying to flesh it right after you skin it. I got the washing down!


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## azpredatorhunter

If I need to, I will go back to" Skinning" " How long do you have" ?, I never have skinned a animal and then put it in the freezer. Someone my be able to tell you but I don't think that would be the best idea, after you skin a animal, you should flesh it. Fleshing is probably the hardest part to learn, and it is one of the most important parts of fur handling, all animals have some fat or meat that stays on the pelt after the skinning process. You must remove all of the fat and meat! I don't like the word MUST so I will only use it if I must! lol. If you don't remove the fat etc, the pelt will not dry properly and it will rot, decompose and the hair will start to fall out! The the fleshing process is difficult and not that easy, you will learn by experience, some animals are easy ie: Mink and some can be difficult ie: Raccoon, Raccoon have alot of fat and a saddle, it's a membrane on the neck, not the best animal to start with, good thing you are after coyote! So I wouldn't freeze it, just skin and flesh it at the same time. If it's cold out you can wait untill the next morning to start on it, but it is harder with a stiff animal... some animals will spoil in a few hours in warm weather "Muskrats" are one of them, if it's cold out it will give you more time, but if it's below 32* they may freeze, again skin it, flesh it and put it on a stretcher...


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## azpredatorhunter

Ruger said:


> I agree with azpredator, I remove burrs, dirt and mud from my furs, then I skin and flesh. Then I do put my furs in a washing machine with borax soap, but i have a washing machine just for that purpose. Very important like azpredator said, make sure you use COLD water. I haven't tried baby shampoo, I might have to give that a try.


Ruger, don't use to much of that baby shampoo in your washer! Didn't you watch the Brady Bunch lol. I use it in a tub...


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## JustYakin

Thats simple enough...as far as what to do...lol. Now fleshing it will take some time to get but shouldn't take long.

How long do they normally take to dry out? Couple days or weeks?

Are bobcats done the same way?


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## azpredatorhunter

JustYakin said:


> I'm not sure if your asking me or that is the beggining of your next post.....i've got everything so far but as to how long im not sure....unless y'all are saying to flesh it right after you skin it. I got the washing down!


That's ok. The reason you clean the fur, is so when you are fleshing, you don't hit a burr or a peice of hard mud and cut a hole in the hide...


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## JustYakin

ahhhh....that makes perfect sense!!


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## azpredatorhunter

Fleshing will be the hard part, it will take you years to master. Practice makes perfect! Don't get discouraged you will cut many holes, and you will be a master @ sewing holes before the fleshing.


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## azpredatorhunter

Bobcat is the same thing, you want to get good at fleshing first, Bobcats are worth more money than Coyote...I will keep going...


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## clayhen

Thanks


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## azpredatorhunter

Ok, Stretching pelts, most old-timers use solid wooden stretching boards to stretch and dry their pelts. You can make your own boards or buy them. Now days trappers use adjustable wood stretchers for Coyote, Bobcat and Fox. They also use wire stretchers for Muskrat, Raccoon etc. I like the old wooden stretchers, they have some + and -'s over wire, you can use what you like, that is up to you. For Coyote I would use a wood stretcher because you have a place to pin the tail open, make sure the pelt and tail are straight, you can also pin small holes to close them, don't forget to pin the ears and use a half of a plastic clothes hanger to keep the legs open. I have heard form other guys you must sew up holes, well I will sew up holes in Bobcats and large holes in a fox or coyote but you can pin up small holes on a wooden stretcher, not so much on a adjustable or a wire one. Again it's up to you, it's a industry standard to close up any hole. Rember well handled furs are more valuable! One thing about adjustable stretchers is they make it simple to get the right size, or you need different size boards for stretchimg they also make it easy to remove the dry pelt. Most trappers put the pelt on the stretcher fur side in. Let it dry a little bit then turn it fur side out, on coyote, mink, bobcat and fox. Muskrat is left fur in. Don't let them dry out to the point you can't turn them fur side out! Drying time varies, it depends on temp and humidity, you can use fans but never direct heat! The ideal temp is like 50-60. If it is to moist you fur can rot! It can dry in a few days to a week I hope this helps. Any thing else?


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## azpredatorhunter

clayhen said:


> Thanks


You are welcome...


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## JustYakin

Ummm i think thats about it! It looks like i need some tools...any specific place i need to order the wooden stretchers from or any single place everyone gets their supplies from? Thanks again for your time!! Hopefully in the next few days i will be able to use this information.


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## azpredatorhunter

Give me a min. And I will give you some web sites. It is way easier to buy than to make them! I will let you know what tool's you need...


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## azpredatorhunter

The oldlady is on me, I need to get somethings done, I will post later tonight...


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## JustYakin

Haha...i understand completely!! Thanks again bud!!


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## sneakygroundbuzzard

Man that is some good info for us noobies


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## El Gato Loco

My one suggestion would be to do it while it's still warm.

I've had to thaw and skin frozen critters and it's no fun. I've also let bobcats sit too long in what I thought were ideal conditions (less than 50 degrees and on their backs on a concrete floor) and still had fur slippage.

Either skin and flesh them immediately, or freeze them immediately and plan for some harder work later.


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## coyotejon

I freeze all of my raccoons after skinning and before fleshing. Makes it easier when all of the fat has "set", it is much easier to shave the back fat off than a warm raccoon. I have a lot of buddies that trap and I have never heard heard of them having problems fleshing anything if they froze it after skinning for a while. I am not a cat trapper so keep in mind I know nothing about their fur.


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## coyotejon

I just reread the beginning of this thread and see it looks like you are just targeting coyotes so sorry about the raccoon info!


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## hassell

Very good write up AZ, Well Done.

Those non serrated kitchen knives ( old style ) is what I used alot, still have my fleshing draw knife but never used it, solid cedar boards for marten, weasels etc., split board for lynx and wolves. In the north country I had to deal with a lot of frozen animals - if you come across an animal frozen in the trap, plan on taking it with you intact as any attempt to remove it from the trap will result in fur being pulled out, I always carried an assortment of extra traps so as to change them out if frozen. After bringing in the frozen animal to be thawed and skinned-- when the leg joints can be pulled to straighten then it is ready to skin, if left to completely thaw then you'll have a better chance for spoilage.


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## JustYakin

Great info...thanks AZ and everyone else!! Keep the tips coming!!


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## Ledge

Thanks for the great thread!


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## 35bore

Very good info to have on hand...


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## azpredatorhunter

JustYakin said:


> Ummm i think thats about it! It looks like i need some tools...any specific place i need to order the wooden stretchers from or any single place everyone gets their supplies from? Thanks again for your time!! Hopefully in the next few days i will be able to use this information.


No, you can go online and find a place to order stretchers. I buy most of my supplies from F&T, Fur Harvester's Trading Post.. www.fntpost.com


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## azpredatorhunter

If you are only hunting Coyote, you may want to make a few stretching boards, if you buy them, I think you have to order at least a 1/2 dozen. You need to buy or make a fleshing beam, you will need to get a good skinning knife, fleshing knife, tail stripper, rubber apron and a box of push pins. Some guys can flesh a Coyote with a skinning knife. F&T has a bunch of books and dvd's on fur handling, " practical fur handling " is a good dvd. Look on line and you will get a better idea.


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## azpredatorhunter

Thanx hassell...


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## clayhen

Thanks AZ


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## Spearodafish

Great info AZP...subscribed...


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## azpredatorhunter

Did you get a chance to check out F&T. ? If you are only shooting them, you don't need a bunch of stretchers, now if you were trapping that's different... prairiewolf has a thread on making a fleshing board, just search this site, you will find what you need. I made one for under $5....


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## azpredatorhunter

Here is my skinning knives from F&T.


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## azpredatorhunter

And a inexpensive fleshing knife.


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## JustYakin

I have not had a chance to look at the f&t site yet. I am at a gander mountain here close to home that has the fleshing tools and few other small items i will need. Thanks again for all of the good information.


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## azpredatorhunter

JustYakin said:


> I have not had a chance to look at the f&t site yet. I am at a gander mountain here close to home that has the fleshing tools and few other small items i will need. Thanks again for all of the good information.


You bet! Get your stuff ready, for them Coyote...


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## clayhen

Thanks again AZ for all your info. You cleared up alot of things for this newbie. I look forward to using this newfound knowledge


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## Daugherty3400

I have frozen hides a lot. If you case skin it put it fur out and roll it up and place it in a bag and freeze. You have to thaw it all the way out before you start fleshing. With fleshing the nightmare there is when you flesh to far down and the hair "slips" you will notice that the hair follicle will be visible on the skin side when you have gone to far. Don't do that lol. Then I wash using blue dawn. It cuts some of the grease and grime. Then I stretch and groom( brush the burrs and mud out ) always brush with the grain. Not against the natural lay of the hair. With brain tanning can't vouch for anything else but I don't let it dry all the way stiff. Just dry to the touch and still pliable then apply brain solution and finish the tanning processes from there. I can explain that too but will spare a lot of room on here by stopping there. This is just what works for me. Salting the hide with Non Iodized salt would help dry out the fat and meat and makes fleshing Easier and also will "set" the fur. Never ever salt a hide you want to sell to the fur buyer.They don't like that lol for my personal use it works for me I could get into that more also. Just another point of view on the subject. I think all the advise given on this thread is good advise any of these way will work for you. One last thought on freezing I would make sure when I thaw it out I can finish it then. I wouldn't freeze it again.


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## azpredatorhunter

Yes you can skin them and freeze them, if you have the room, I allways skin and flesh them asap. You can run into problems washing them after you skin them (hair-sliping), I would wash them first, let dry and then skin, flesh and stretch them, if you are going to sell them...Dawn will remove the natural oils from the fur, baby shampo is better...


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## azpredatorhunter

I wouldn't wash them anyway, unless they rolled in something...rinse in cold water if you must...


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## prairiewolf

I wash my pelts but I only use very cold water and havent had any slipage yet.


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## 220swift

I put the skinned animals in a garbage bag shake in some flea powder and leave them for a couple hours...


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