skinning wild game

[EricTheBarbarian]

I have a question about skinning coons and I figured that someone on here probably knows more than i do. When I have the hide skinned off of the animal I have been having difficulty deboning the tail. I use a pair of channel locks to hold the tail bone while I peel the hide off but can never get the bone all of the way out.Ive been leaving the rest of the bone in the tail and just tanning it like that. Does anyone know of an easy way to get the bone out of the tail? Also, will the hide last if all of the bone is not removed from the tail? I appreciate the help.

 

[MCgunner]

I know in the "North American School of Taxidermy" correspondence courses I did as a kid, you used borax on such bones and flesh you couldn't get out. Be better, of course, to totally remove any fleshy parts and that is tedious work. You might try a dissecting knife/razor knife like you get in a biology class dissecting kit. I always used to have those things around what with all the biology classes I had to take.

 

[dtalley]

Get the hide started at the base of the tail, use two sticks in one hand. One stick on each side of the tail and pull the sticks towards the end of the tail keeping them tight against the bone. I have used small tree limbs about 1/2 inch in diameter, but have found that dowels that are sanded with extra fine grit sandpaper and real smooth work best.