I'm fleshing a fox for the first time right now. Having a bit of a problem. It seems like there is a thin red membraine overing the hide. Is that supposed to come off? I've taken some of it off, underneath is raw skin, I can see the hair folicales in some places once the membraine comes off. The membraine seems much thicker on the face too, it seems very hard to get off there.

help! The fox is sitting on the fleshing beam waiting....

NO the membrane should stay on. There is usually very little fleshing to do on a fox. Just under the front legs and any other real obvious fat should come off, otherwise they are pretty much done.

some times you will have to take the membrane off for really fatty fox. i have had 2 or 3 this season that had 1/4 inch of fat under the membrane and it was like scrapin a coon. but alot easyer one swipe and your done for teh most part. leave teh head alone unless alot of meat is there and it will dry.

Are y'all talking reds or grays?

reds here

this is a red, but will have greys to do to.

I'm guessing that with the severity of the weather we have been having, your fox don't have alot of fat on them. All of the fox I have done so far this year required very little fleshing. Most of it can be done with a dull skinning knife and your thumb.

wish all mine were like that

Thanks for the help! This was an early caught fox, still a little blue. Very little fat, really none at all. I hope I didn't screw-up by removing some of the membraine.

I have an adjustable fox board. I put him up on that. I pulled the fox gently down and then expanded the board so it is snug. The hips and back legs still seem to be loose, just kind of hanging there. what should I do there? Do I pull the extra skin around to the front and pin it? How many pins?

Also what about the tail? It is split, does that need to be pinned open?

tug your back legs down and pin them.

Split the tail and pin it open. Borax will help it dry.

On the same side as the tail?

what do you use to pin it open? I tried push pins. They were too short, the tail's too bushy, they wouldn't make it through to the board.

Opposite of the tail and use 5/8 pushpins. You should have no trouble.
http://www.furharvesters.com/pelthandling.htm
Check out the pelt handling file and the ear cartilage file.
Cheers Jim

Guys, thanks for the help. I turned it just a short while ago and put it back on the strecher, fur side out. It looks really good. Having never put-up fox, I was amazed how thin the skin is.

How long do I need to keep it on the board fur side out? I've got more to do and I only have one strecher.

Leave mine on for two to four days depending on outside temps. Freeze what you have until other is dried or buy more stretchers. Good job on your first fox.

I use a staple gun instead of pins. I staple the tail open, only when fur is in. Then borax and leave hang when fur out.