How To Skin A Raccoon For A Hat

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From Davy Crockett's famous coonskin cap to the incorrectly named "sealskin" caps of the British Regal Fusiliers, raccoon fur is useful, fashionable, and iconic. One of the near common and sought-afterward furs in the fur trade, information technology's no overstatement to think that raccoon pelts are an integral part of the history of America. Raccoons were even the mascot of the Whig party in the 19th century. If you want to learn this classic skill, you tin learn to case the fur properly, scrape it, and stretch it to save the pelt.

1
Remove the pelt start by casing. When y'all've acquired game the principal 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 dorsum feet and working forward, pulling it off in one big piece. This is the best way to proceed. It'south not usually recommend that you lot attempt to remove the organs commencement, which can ruin the valuable pelt.
- Open-skinng is typically only used on beavers and a few other animals. This involves removing the organs get-go, via a vertical slit upward the torso of the creature, and then removing the pelt and the tail at one time. This isn't recommended for raccoons.
2
Clean the raccoon thoroughly. Raccoons have a reputation for acquiring a lot of dirt, since they're scavenging creatures, which means you'll need to take a bit of time to clean them before getting started. Hang the carcass from a skinning gambrel by the feet, hooked through the tendon just behind the ankles to make clean them.^[1]
- If the raccoons appear to be fairly clean, run a hairbrush through the fur in the direction of the tail, finish, to get out any debris, twigs, and clay that might be difficult to see. If the raccoon seems clean, it's ok to start skinning.
- If you've got a muddy raccoon, hose it down until the water runs clear, hang them past a front foot and hose them down until they run articulate water, then permit dry thoroughly before starting. If at all possible, information technology'south best to avoid this, because the stiff bristles of the raccoon fur tin go a lot more than pliable and (to some people) less desirable if y'all rinse it.
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3
Cut from the within of one back foot to the next in a directly line. To get started, make a cut through the pelt betwixt the legs of the animal, from the inside of one ankle to the next. Call back of it like the inseam on a pair of jeans, connecting your cut from one talocrural joint to the next in a "V" shape.^[two]
- "Cuff" the incision by running your knife around both "ankles" of the raccoon, loosening the skin. This will allow y'all to start pulling the skin down clearly.
4
Cut around the anus. Cut about an inch or so in bore around the anus, starting at the base of the tail, where information technology connects to the body. Obviously, it's usually all-time to wear gloves at all times when yous're skinning raccoons.
- Exist very careful at this point not to cut too securely and cut into the meat. The concluding thing you lot want to do is puncture the intestines right around the anus, which can taint the fur and the meat, if yous want to use information technology.
five
Cut down the length of the tail. Run your knife all the way downward the length of the tail in a straight line. To keep the pelt every bit neat as possible, it'south important to utilise caution and be very exacting in your cut. Become slowly and pull the tail taut while you lot run it direct from the base of operations to the tip.
- For some raccoons, depending on the size, it may be difficult to become all the style down to the tip of the tail. It's common to go about halfway, then employ a tail-stripper to concur the fur in place while y'all pull the tail upwardly and out of the fur.
- To use a tail-stripper, you'll probably accept to work the fur down the hind legs and around the hips to betrayal the base of the tail more than hands to get information technology started. Tail-stripers are mutual tools that are used in skinning foxes, raccoons, and other animals, and are available at almost outdoors outfitters.
6
Pull the skin downwardly toward the shoulders. If y'all've ever skinned a rabbit, the pulling the skin down a raccoon is similar, just a little 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 yous demand to use your knife to help the skinning process, call back to always cut backside the skin and into the membrane, not into the skin itself. Don't go reckless and start scraping away with your knife. Go slowly and utilize pressure to pull the pare, and allow the knife ease any difficult parts, disconnecting whatever stubborn membrane from the mankind.
- On male raccoons, you'll have to cut the genitals away from the carcass using your knife. It'll stay attached to the fur, and y'all can remove it afterward during the fleshing and stretching process.
7
Go slowly around the forearms. When you get to the forearms, it'south usually recommended that you put the knife away. It'southward a fatty area, and gets somewhat difficult to distinguish meat from fur, so it'south a improve thought to utilize your fingers and go slowly, avoiding the knife and accidental cuts through the pelt.^[4]
- Pull the fur loose around and over the shoulders, downwardly to about the elbow. You can make another cuff cut at that point and separate the fur from the arms. It should now only be attached around the neck.
8

Cut around the ears and eyes. Betrayal the face up of the raccoon and apply your pocketknife to cut around the eyes and the ears. Render your attention to the skin side, and keep pulling the pelt downwards and free of the mankind, working information technology upwards the cervix and to the jaw. At this point, you'll probably need to use the pocketknife to run forth the superlative jawline on both sides, to separate the pelt from the rima oris. Keep pulling until the pelt comes almost entirely free.^[v]
ix

Separate the pelt from the nose cartilage. At this point, there should be a strong signal of cartilage that connects the nose to the skin. You're almost done. Just use your pocketknife to cut through it and the pelt should come free in one big piece. Don't pull to hard to try to split the pelt, considering y'all risk ripping it and damaging the skin. Cut through the cartilage and you'll be done.
ten
Inspect the meat for signs of disease. Raccoons are sometimes eaten, though some sources estimate that as many every bit twoscore% of raccoons in Northward America suffer from intestinal parasites like roundworms, which can make you sick. Raccoons are besides scavengers, meaning that they're exposed to a number of diseases and infections. Examine the skin and the flesh of the brute closely for spots, discoloration, or whatsoever other signs of infection. If it looks suspect, discard it.
- If you 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 strong and some say unpleasant season, brining raccoon for a long catamenia of time and cooking it properly is considered by some to be a delicacy. If y'all're after more just the fur, yous can learn to gear up the meat in the post-obit department.
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1
Become a scraper and a stretching lath. Flesh-scrapers and stretching boards are about as primitive a tool as you can become, but it'due south still the most effective way for getting the flesh, cartilage, and fatty bits off of the pelt so that information technology can dry out thoroughly.
- A flesh scraper is basically what it sounds like: a brusque and abrupt blade that's used to scrape the flesh away. In a pinch, you could use a big kitchen pocketknife that'southward somewhat tedious, only it might exist a petty more than hard than with a scraper. Hog scrapers, single and double-handed scrapers are all mutual.
- Metal and wooden boards are both usually used for the chore. If you lot use a wooden stretching board, you lot'll also demand staples or push button-pins to secure the pelt when yous're ready to stretch it for drying.
- Wooden stretching boards can double as "fleshing boards," providing a nice surface to scrape the pelt on. If you have a metal stretcher, yous'll just need to employ a demote, table, or other flat surface on which to scrape the pelt.
2

Allow the pelt dry some until the fat tin can harden. Information technology'due south usually recommended to permit the fur alone to firm up the fat some in a absurd environment (about 55 degrees F, or xiii C). This volition help to make the scraping job a lot easier. You can flatten out the pelt onto the board, fur side down, to let it dry out for several hours before yous get started scraping. When you beginning, the whole process of scraping itself shouldn't take more than than 15 or 30 minutes.
3
Start scraping the fat abroad from the tail. Using firm pressure, carefully scrape the fatty and connective tissue away from the skin using the scraper. There's not much of a secret or a science to information technology–you're basically just scraping. Be gentle to avoid tearing through the skin, but be firm enough and even enough to get everything off.
- The tail is commonly the most challenging part, so near trappers will start at that place, spending the most time making sure that every bit of fat is evenly scraped away.
4
Remove the rest of the fat. After removing the fatty from the tail, scrape straight up the middle of the pelt, in a stripe. Go all the fashion up until you've scraped everything off a narrow strip up the middle of the pelt, and the head of the pelt. Then get back and scrape outward, extending evenly to the sides. This will assistance start the stretching process and flatten out the pelt.^[half-dozen]
- Continue using even pressure and slowly scraping off all the fatty and other bits every bit you work. It shouldn't take that long, but be thorough. If you miss anything, yous risk ruining the pelt with rot.
5
Stretch the pelt onto the stretching board. Metal stretches are usually one-peice mechanisms that permit y'all to secure the pelt easily without additional tools. With a wooden stretching board, you'll typically need to use button-pins or staples to stretch out the pelt.^[vii]
- Stretch the pelt tightly, so it flattens out and looks clean, but not so stretched that information technology thins out the skin and makes it look weak. It'll as well compress some while it stretches, then you lot want to make sure 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 look right.
6

Allow the pelt hang in a cool nighttime place. 55 to sixty degrees F (13 to 15 degrees C) is the perfect drying environment for a pelt. Make sure information technology's complimentary from sunlight and temperature fluctuations. Depending on the climate, pelts should hang for anywhere between a mean solar day and a week. Yous'll know information technology'southward done when the peel is firm and taut, with a plastic-like touch.

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Add together New Question

Question

If I freeze it for afterwards, exercise I demand to add salt?

No, the freezing temperature will preserve it. Make certain to put it in a plastic bag.
Question

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

At that place are none, simply there is a gland in the front end leg. You lot do not demand to worry nearly it if yous are not eating the meat.
Question

I got cut using a pocketknife I used to cut a coon. Tin I get rabies?

Yeah, if the knife was not sterilized between the skinning and when y'all were cut.
Question

Do I cut the arms off or do I exit them inside to stretch it when skinning a raccoon?

Leave the arms of the fur on information technology when stretching. Make sure they do not fold, otherwise it volition rot.
Question

Is this the best way to skin the raccoon and sell the fur, or are at that place meliorate ways?

This is the all-time way to skin a coon to sell, though there are other means. You can skin the coon in a diagonal line (from nose to tail), but the hide will then exist less valuable.
Question

Do I demand a tail stripper?

You do non need 1, but information technology is probably easier to skin the coon's tail if yous apply a tail stripper. You can simply use a knife, but it will be a scrap harder to skin that way.
Question

How exercise I make a chapeau out of the skin?

It is quite complicated. Bring it to a taxidermy shop. Don't try to exercise it on your own. Get someone's help first, and make sure information technology is sanitary before wearing it.
Question

With what exercise I encompass up the inside of the hat?

Tandy Leather used to offer a couple of good fur lid patterns, and I believe they still do. I used their classic pillbox pattern for my coonskin cap. They suggested using a soft, thin leather such as suede as a liner, if desired, which I did; it has served well for probably over thirty years. I have a new coonskin that I plan to make a cap from, and this one I will probably get out unlined. Correctly tanned, the skin inside becomes leather anyway. A lining of any kind only adds to the insulating quality, so I'd recommend skipping information technology unless you lot live in a cold clime.

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There will exist small yellow sack that is attached to liver. Practise Non cut information technology open up. Information technology holds all of the toxins that have been filtered. If you do it will ruin the meat.
Coons also accept a aroma gland in their armpits on their front legs. they look like a lima bean. information technology is noticeable though if you cook it with those still in there make certain to remove them without puncturing it.

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Article Summary X

To pare a raccoon, start by hanging it by the feet, running a hairbrush through the fur to remove debris, and hosing it down until the water runs clear. Adjacent, cut from the inside of one back pes to the next in a direct line, and gage the ankles past cutting 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 at present pull the skin down toward the shoulders and slowly over the forearms. When you attain the face, cut around the ears and eyes to continue pulling the pelt down. To learn how to flesh and stretch the pelt, keep reading!

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