skinning help

[T-Bar]

OK guys,

My problem is I never catch enough beaver in a year to actually get "good" at it. I have caught 2 this year now the first one wasn't pretty and then today after work I skinned my second one.

First of all is there an easier way to hang them up while you do it or is it best to just do it on a flat surface?...like the tailgate of my truck today.

Second I always have problems on the back near the tail...is it easier to go from the head down or from the tail up?

Any other little tips or tricks would be appreciated...hopefully I catch enough this spring to get a better handle on it.

[RdFx]

Put bvr on flat table or in a skinning trough if you are going to skin whole bvr in trough... all trough is two pieces of wood nailed in a v shape with a flat board on bottom to create steadiness.  or you can put a v trough  on a cross buck type situation used for sawing wood.   On the  flat table   first ring feet at joints and  twist off or use a  limb lopping shears to cut off.  Then  make a cut from  base of tail up to chin.... then you can skin beaver out clean or rough in trough.   If you  want hang to skin   first skin bvr  down  back past rear feet  and then hang bvr up by tail and then skin as usual  using knife and pulling down till bvr hide is off..  Hope this helps some.. Good luck  trapping and have fun putting your fur up.   

[Bogmaster]

 I try never to skin a beaver, the day I catch it.If you lay it on its back in a cool place,the blood will coagulate in the head---thus no bloody mess.
 I never hang them, and I never trough them.I use the loppers on feet and tail--I find the tail gets in my way.
 I make a mid line cut from the tail area to the chin,making sure I do not cut to deeply and split my castors.
 I then start skinning along one side,I do not stop half way---I keep going all the the way across the back--when I finally start on the other side,I am already 3/4 done.
  While I start with the beaver on its back,I don't keep it there.As soon as I can,I place it on its side.I let the weight of the beaver keep constant pressure,on the pelt(it wants to roll over--but I am holding the edge I have already skinned)This makes for a much faster and easier job.
 The best advice I can give--develope your own system--what ever works well for you is best.
 Just remember--the first thousand or two are the hardest---after that,  its a piece of cake.
 I would rather skin a beaver ,than any other animal--and that includes muskrats.
 Tom
 

[andytrapper]

I agree with Tom, I will never try to skin a beaver when it's fresh, leave it for at lest for the day, i did my on 3rd day and their is hardly any blood 


Andy

[T-Bar]

I figured its more or less up for interpretation and not an exact science. I just always have problems skinning around the tail area and backbone. I guess the skin is just a little tighter in those areas or something. Hopefully I'll have alot more practice this spring.

Like you said the first 2,000 are tough so I should be good at it around age 65 considering this was only my 10th beaver!

Thanks guys!

[coyotero]

Tom and RDFX  do you guys clean skin beaver?

[Bogmaster]

 I don't clean skin.When I am going hard on my northern beaver line,I have my hands full.Clean skinning is not an option.Rough skinning works for me.
 I am lucky,places I trap in the north ,have 3 or 4 freezers.When those get filled,I go to individual land owners,and ask them to freeze a few pelts,till I leave.
 Tom

[RdFx]

Same here as with Boggy, when  trapping hard , dont have time to clean skin. Rough skin lay flat in freezer and keep setting and checking traps.   WHen  season is slower or over i  flesh bvr out   on a beam or over my knee.  Over my knee is like clean skinning and  you start around outside of pelt and clean skin toward center , gradually turning hide untill your into ctr of bvr hide . When  the mass of fat  is to big i just  cut chunk off and keep fleshing.   THe weight of the fat  hanging down helps you clean skin the beaver as it is keeping skin taught where you are using the knife.  THere are many differant ways to do bvr and  look at them all and try them and then use the ones you like and work best for you.. Good luck and keep those knives SHARP.