How To Remove A Raccoon Tail

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From Davy Crockett's famous coonskin cap to the incorrectly named "sealskin" caps of the British Royal Fusiliers, raccoon fur is useful, stylish, and iconic. One of the most mutual and sought-afterward furs in the fur merchandise, it's no overstatement to think that raccoon pelts are an integral function of the history of America. Raccoons were even the mascot of the Whig party in the 19th century. If you desire to larn this classic skill, you tin can learn to case the fur properly, scrape it, and stretch it to salve the pelt.

1. one

   Remove the pelt first by casing. When you lot've acquired game the primary goal of which is the pelt, there are two basic methods of proceeding. Casing refers to removing the pelt from the carcass, starting around the back feet and working frontward, pulling it off in one big piece. This is the best mode to go on. It'due south non usually recommend that you attempt to remove the organs kickoff, which tin can ruin the valuable pelt.

   • Open up-skinng is typically only used on beavers and a few other animals. This involves removing the organs kickoff, via a vertical slit up the torso of the animal, then removing the pelt and the tail at once. This isn't recommended for raccoons.

2. 2

   Make clean the raccoon thoroughly. Raccoons have a reputation for acquiring a lot of clay, since they're scavenging creatures, which means you'll need to take a bit of time to make clean them before getting started. Hang the carcass from a skinning gambrel by the feet, hooked through the tendon just backside the ankles to clean them.^[i]

   • If the raccoons appear to exist fairly clean, run a hairbrush through the fur in the direction of the tail, end, to go out any debris, twigs, and dirt that might be difficult to run into. If the raccoon seems clean, it'due south ok to start skinning.
   • If you've got a muddied raccoon, hose information technology down until the h2o runs articulate, hang them by a front foot and hose them downwards until they run clear water, then let dry thoroughly before starting. If at all possible, it'southward best to avoid this, because the stiff beard of the raccoon fur can become a lot more pliable and (to some people) less desirable if you rinse it.

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3. 3

   Cut from the within of i back pes to the side by side in a straight line. To get started, make a cutting through the pelt between the legs of the brute, from the inside of 1 ankle to the next. Think of it like the inseam on a pair of jeans, connecting your cut from ane ankle to the next in a "V" shape.^[ii]

   • "Cuff" the incision by running your knife around both "ankles" of the raccoon, loosening the skin. This volition permit yous to start pulling the skin downwards clearly.

4. 4

   Cutting around the anus. Cutting about an inch or then in bore around the anus, starting at the base of the tail, where it connects to the body. Apparently, it's usually best to article of clothing gloves at all times when y'all're skinning raccoons.

   • Be very careful at this signal non to cutting likewise deeply and cut into the meat. The last thing y'all desire to do is puncture the intestines correct around the anus, which can taint the fur and the meat, if you desire to use it.

5. 5

   Cut downwards the length of the tail. Run your knife all the way downwardly the length of the tail in a straight line. To keep the pelt every bit neat as possible, it'south of import to utilise caution and be very exacting in your cut. Become slowly and pull the tail taut while you run information technology straight from the base to the tip.

   • For some raccoons, depending on the size, it may be hard to become all the manner down to the tip of the tail. It's mutual to go near halfway, and so employ a tail-stripper to hold the fur in place while you pull the tail upwardly and out of the fur.
   • To use a tail-stripper, you'll probably have to work the fur downwardly the hind legs and around the hips to expose the base of operations of the tail more easily to go it started. Tail-stripers are mutual tools that are used in skinning foxes, raccoons, and other animals, and are available at virtually outdoors outfitters.

6. 6

   Pull the skin down toward the shoulders. If yous've ever skinned a rabbit, the pulling the peel downwards a raccoon is similar, but a piddling more tenacious. You'll basically just start pulling the fur downward, toward the head, as if you were stripping off a jumpsuit. Keep pulling until you get to the shoulders.^[3]

   • If you need to employ your knife to assistance the skinning procedure, call back to e'er cut backside the skin and into the membrane, not into the skin itself. Don't get reckless and start scraping away with your knife. Go slowly and use pressure to pull the pare, and let the knife ease any difficult parts, disconnecting any stubborn membrane from the flesh.
   • On male raccoons, you'll take to cutting the genitals abroad from the carcass using your pocketknife. It'll stay attached to the fur, and y'all can remove it later during the fleshing and stretching process.

7. vii

   Go slowly effectually the forearms. When you lot get to the forearms, it's commonly recommended that you put the knife away. It's a fatty expanse, and gets somewhat difficult to distinguish meat from fur, then it'southward a better idea to use your fingers and get slowly, avoiding the knife and accidental cuts through the pelt.^[4]

   • Pull the fur loose effectually and over the shoulders, down to about the elbow. Y'all can make another cuff cut at that point and separate the fur from the artillery. It should now just be attached around the neck.

8. 8

   Cut around the ears and eyes. Expose the face of the raccoon and utilise your pocketknife to cut around the eyes and the ears. Return your attention to the skin side, and keep pulling the pelt down and free of the flesh, working information technology up the cervix and to the jaw. At this signal, you'll probably demand to apply the pocketknife to run along the top jawline on both sides, to separate the pelt from the rima oris. Go along pulling until the pelt comes virtually entirely free.^[five]

9. 9

   Separate the pelt from the nose cartilage. At this signal, there should be a strong point of cartilage that connects the olfactory organ to the skin. You're nearly done. Just utilize your knife to cut through it and the pelt should come free in i big piece. Don't pull to hard to try to split the pelt, because you adventure ripping it and dissentious the skin. Cut through the cartilage and you'll be done.

10. 10

    Inspect the meat for signs of affliction. Raccoons are sometimes eaten, though some sources judge that every bit many as twoscore% of raccoons in North America endure from abdominal parasites like roundworms, which can brand y'all sick. Raccoons are also scavengers, significant that they're exposed to a number of diseases and infections. Examine the skin and the mankind of the animal closely for spots, discoloration, or whatsoever other signs of infection. If information technology looks doubtable, discard it.

    • If y'all want to try raccoon and determine that the meat is clean, gut the carcass as you would a rabbit. While less popular than certain other wild game because of the stiff and some say unpleasant flavor, brining raccoon for a long menstruum of time and cooking it properly is considered by some to be a delicacy. If yous're later on more than than just the fur, you can acquire to prepare the meat in the following section.

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1. 1

   Go a scraper and a stretching board. Mankind-scrapers and stretching boards are most as primitive a tool as you can get, but information technology'south still the most effective style for getting the flesh, cartilage, and fatty bits off of the pelt so that it can dry out thoroughly.

   • A flesh scraper is basically what it sounds like: a short and sharp blade that'due south used to scrape the flesh away. In a pinch, you could use a big kitchen knife that's somewhat deadening, but it might be a little more hard than with a scraper. Sus scrofa scrapers, single and double-handed scrapers are all mutual.
   • Metal and wooden boards are both commonly used for the chore. If y'all use a wooden stretching board, you'll likewise demand staples or push-pins to secure the pelt when you're ready to stretch it for drying.
   • Wooden stretching boards can double equally "fleshing boards," providing a nice surface to scrape the pelt on. If yous have a metallic stretcher, yous'll just need to use a bench, table, or other flat surface on which to scrape the pelt.

2. 2

   Allow the pelt dry some until the fat tin can harden. Information technology's usually recommended to let the fur alone to house up the fat some in a cool surroundings (virtually 55 degrees F, or xiii C). This will help to brand the scraping job a lot easier. You can flatten out the pelt onto the board, fur side downwards, to let information technology dry for several hours before you go started scraping. When y'all first, the whole process of scraping itself shouldn't take more than 15 or xxx minutes.

3. 3

   Commencement scraping the fat away from the tail. Using firm pressure level, advisedly scrape the fatty and connective tissue abroad from the skin using the scraper. There's not much of a secret or a science to it–you're basically just scraping. Be gentle to avoid fierce through the skin, just exist business firm enough and even enough to get everything off.

   • The tail is usually the most challenging part, and then nigh trappers volition commencement at that place, spending the most fourth dimension making sure that every bit of fat is evenly scraped away.

4. iv

   Remove the rest of the fat. Afterward removing the fat from the tail, scrape directly up the middle of the pelt, in a stripe. Go all the mode upwardly until you've scraped everything off a narrow strip up the heart of the pelt, and the caput of the pelt. Then go back and scrape outward, extending evenly to the sides. This volition help beginning the stretching process and flatten out the pelt.^[6]

   • Go on using fifty-fifty pressure and slowly scraping off all the fat and other bits every bit y'all piece of work. It shouldn't accept that long, only be thorough. If y'all miss anything, you adventure ruining the pelt with rot.

5. 5

   Stretch the pelt onto the stretching lath. Metallic stretches are ordinarily one-peice mechanisms that allow you to secure the pelt easily without boosted tools. With a wooden stretching board, you'll typically demand to use push-pins or staples to stretch out the pelt.^[7]

   • Stretch the pelt tightly, so it flattens out and looks make clean, but not then stretched that information technology thins out the peel and makes it look weak. It'll also compress some while it stretches, so you desire to make certain it'll be able to comfortably.
   • The pelt should be starfish-stretched out, all the limbs and the tail taut and extended. Don't let the arms hang loosely, or the pelt won't await right.

6. 6

   Allow the pelt hang in a cool nighttime place. 55 to 60 degrees F (13 to 15 degrees C) is the perfect drying environment for a pelt. Make sure information technology's free from sunlight and temperature fluctuations. Depending on the climate, pelts should hang for anywhere betwixt a twenty-four hour period and a week. Yous'll know information technology'southward done when the skin is firm and taut, with a plastic-similar touch.

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Add together New Question

• Question

  If I freeze information technology for subsequently, do I need to add salt?

  

  No, the freezing temperature volition preserve it. Make sure to put information technology in a plastic bag.

• Question

  How many musk bags are on a raccoon, and exactly where are they?

  

  There are none, simply at that place is a gland in the front leg. You do not need to worry about information technology if you lot are not eating the meat.

• Question

  I got cut using a knife I used to cut a coon. Can I go rabies?

  

  Aye, if the knife was not sterilized between the skinning and when you were cut.

• Question

  Do I cut the arms off or do I leave them inside to stretch information technology when skinning a raccoon?

  

  Leave the arms of the fur on it when stretching. Make certain they do not fold, otherwise it will rot.

• Question

  Is this the best way to pare the raccoon and sell the fur, or are there better ways?

  

  This is the best way to pare a coon to sell, though in that location are other ways. Yous can skin the coon in a diagonal line (from olfactory organ to tail), but the hide will then exist less valuable.

• Question

  Practice I need a tail stripper?

  

  Y'all do not need one, but it is probably easier to skin the coon's tail if y'all employ a tail stripper. You can merely use a knife, but it will exist a fleck harder to skin that way.

• Question

  How exercise I make a hat out of the skin?

  

  It is quite complicated. Bring it to a taxidermy shop. Don't effort to do information technology on your own. Get someone's help commencement, and brand certain it is sanitary before wearing it.

• Question

  With what do I cover upward the within of the chapeau?

  

  Tandy Leather used to offer a couple of good fur chapeau patterns, and I believe they still practice. I used their classic pillbox pattern for my coonskin cap. They suggested using a soft, sparse leather such equally suede as a liner, if desired, which I did; it has served well for probably over xxx years. I accept a new coonskin that I plan to make a cap from, and this one I will probably leave unlined. Correctly tanned, the pare inside becomes leather anyway. A lining of any kind only adds to the insulating quality, and so I'd recommend skipping it unless yous alive in a cold clime.

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• At that place will be small yellow sack that is fastened to liver. Practise Non cut it open. It holds all of the toxins that have been filtered. If y'all do it will ruin the meat.

• Coons also have a scent gland in their armpits on their front legs. they wait like a lima bean. it is noticeable though if y'all cook information technology with those still in at that place make sure to remove them without puncturing it.

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Article Summary X

To skin a raccoon, start past hanging it by the feet, running a hairbrush through the fur to remove debris, and hosing it down until the h2o runs clear. Adjacent, cut from the inside of 1 back foot to the next in a straight line, and cuff the ankles by cut the fur around them. Then, cutting an inch in diameter around the anus and run the knife down the length of the tail. You can now pull the skin down toward the shoulders and slowly over the forearms. When you lot accomplish the confront, cut around the ears and eyes to go along pulling the pelt down. To learn how to flesh and stretch the pelt, go on reading!

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Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Skin-a-Raccoon

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