What do you guys do when you get tears on the belly of female coon from there nipples. Do you just stretch them up or do you sew the tear up? Some input from Buyers on this subject would be appreciated.

Typically the way I flesh mine are small as I watch that area closely. I also dry on wood forms so I typically just pin the smaller holes closed by overlapping the hide over the hole. When I put a hole in very near the bottom on a lower nipple I sometimes cut them out by making the window a bit larger also.


Bryce

Try to pin the large holes, but the holes shouldn't decrease the value. The buyer is buying the back not the belly.

Rule of thumb when buying coon on belly damage. If the damage is between the front legs, it does not hurt anything. If it is outside of the front legs, then the pelt can be damaged.
as far as using only the back on a coon, that is not quite correct. The fine silver guard hair that grows on the flanks of the coon is a very valuable piece of fur on a coon. You can lay a coon on it's back and look at the belly of the coon and see where the good fur line runs at.

i had one yesterday that had a 4" tear inside the right front leg that ran head to toe and Groeny didnt even bat an eye. all i did was tack it closed on my board but it was still very obvious, = $17

Low nipple tears can sometimes be incased or become part of the viewing window............its amazing how sometimes the knife with an audible pop go over the nipple and other times it tears before you know what happened............it does make you remember to go slowly or spend some time when in the nipple area.......I know set myself up for comments.

Cletis, I for one like to spend a little extra time over the nipple region. LOL