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Beaver fleshing.. (Update Pics!) #1616524
11/25/09 09:13 PM
11/25/09 09:13 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 698
Central Minnesota
G
gunther274 Offline OP
trapper
gunther274  Offline OP
trapper
G

Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 698
Central Minnesota
I know that having them slightly frozen makes life much easier, my question is how much do i let them thaw before i have a go at them? And also what is the best way to go about them, start in the middle and work to the edge?

So I had a Go at it.
It went ok at best, I am having a lot of trouble above the shoulders.

Bottom half


Top half


Help? I cant get that crap off above the front legs!

Last edited by gunther274; 11/25/09 11:17 PM.
Re: Beaver fleshing.. [Re: gunther274] #1616536
11/25/09 09:17 PM
11/25/09 09:17 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 411
Downeast, ME
3
3Bridger Offline
trapper
3Bridger  Offline
trapper
3

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 411
Downeast, ME
I usually start a little higher up the neck than between the front feet and work back and off to the sides, then run the back feet over the nose of the board, then the front feet, then forward over the head.

I think a good board setup and a decent fleshing knife make all the difference.

Re: Beaver fleshing.. [Re: 3Bridger] #1616554
11/25/09 09:22 PM
11/25/09 09:22 PM
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 161
georgetown,KY
coontrap Offline
trapper
coontrap  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 161
georgetown,KY
same as above


Coontrap
Re: Beaver fleshing.. [Re: coontrap] #1616565
11/25/09 09:26 PM
11/25/09 09:26 PM
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 534
NC & NY
P
psc203 Offline
trapper
psc203  Offline
trapper
P

Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 534
NC & NY
i prefer to have the pelt fully thawed when fleshing, the fresher the better even. slicing off meat and grizzle is easier when its soft than when its frozen hard imo.

Re: Beaver fleshing.. [Re: ] #1616590
11/25/09 09:36 PM
11/25/09 09:36 PM
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 895
Alaska
P
Pittu Offline
trapper
Pittu  Offline
trapper
P

Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 895
Alaska
Why not skin thawed then put the hide outside to freeze a bit and harden the fat before fleshing?

Actually, I find that they dont even need to freeze. just let them set somewhere cool for couple hours before fleshing and that fat will set up some..

Last edited by Pittu; 11/25/09 09:38 PM.
Re: Beaver fleshing.. [Re: Pittu] #1616662
11/25/09 10:07 PM
11/25/09 10:07 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 615
West Michigan
M
Mister ED Offline
trapper
Mister ED  Offline
trapper
M

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 615
West Michigan
I do them either way. However, if I have the chance and my timing is right ... I like them still partly froze. The hide must be pliable, but I like to have ice crystals on the flesh.

Just the way I prefer to flesh them ... it works for me.

Re: Beaver fleshing.. [Re: Mister ED] #1616688
11/25/09 10:17 PM
11/25/09 10:17 PM
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 3,870
Mn
N
nightlife Offline
trapper
nightlife  Offline
trapper
N

Joined: May 2008
Posts: 3,870
Mn
I like them cold but not frozen but will do them like that if in a hurry

I do one side then the other then the middle then touch up any left over fat

Last edited by nightlife; 11/25/09 10:18 PM.


�Everything in excess! To enjoy the flavor of life, take big bites. Moderation is for monks.�
― Robert A. Heinlein
Re: Beaver fleshing.. [Re: nightlife] #1616860
11/25/09 11:18 PM
11/25/09 11:18 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 698
Central Minnesota
G
gunther274 Offline OP
trapper
gunther274  Offline OP
trapper
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 698
Central Minnesota
Update, i added some pics... frown

Re: Beaver fleshing.. [Re: gunther274] #1617025
11/26/09 01:09 AM
11/26/09 01:09 AM
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,460
havelock, NC
Rye Offline
trapper
Rye  Offline
trapper

Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,460
havelock, NC
Hook the front leg on the nose of the beam, then turn the pelt to get the angles you need.

To answer your question, I make a stripe down the middle of the body, then work angles from the stripe to the edges. The video "Practical Fur Handling" was loaned to me by a friend and explains the technique perfectly. Check out the video. it's the worth the watch.
Oh, and don't worry about the face too much and the pelt overall doesn't look bad if it's one of your first few.


"Don't go around saying the world owes you a living; the world owes you nothing; it was here first. "
--Mark Twain.

Re: Beaver fleshing.. [Re: Rye] #1617030
11/26/09 01:16 AM
11/26/09 01:16 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 7,628
evansville Indiana age72
don Wolf Offline
trapper
don Wolf  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 7,628
evansville Indiana age72
You need a very sharp knife on the gristle areas and a dull knife down the belly areas. You actually shave the gristle and fat from the hide.

Re: Beaver fleshing.. [Re: don Wolf] #1617076
11/26/09 02:41 AM
11/26/09 02:41 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,747
S.W.Oregon
newhouse114 Offline
trapper
newhouse114  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,747
S.W.Oregon
Can we all say "skin clean"


Life Member NTA & FTA
"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain

http://alaskastoneanivory.com/index
Re: Beaver fleshing.. [Re: newhouse114] #1617081
11/26/09 02:46 AM
11/26/09 02:46 AM
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 27
Geddes,south dakota
The Big Deal Offline
trapper
The Big Deal  Offline
trapper

Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 27
Geddes,south dakota
looks like you dufid a good job to get the stuf off the front legs let it dry for a couple days then carefully cut it off


Bull Rider (hooked on an 8 second ride)
Re: Beaver fleshing.. [Re: newhouse114] #1617085
11/26/09 02:51 AM
11/26/09 02:51 AM
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 732
waubay, SD
C
colt Offline
trapper
colt  Offline
trapper
C

Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 732
waubay, SD
i take and cut a strip from the ears between the legs off the tail. push the sides. if it's a small beaver i can generally push the whole thing.as for clean skinning i believe it is for someone with to much time on there hands. or not enough beaver to do.

Re: Beaver fleshing.. [Re: colt] #1617088
11/26/09 02:57 AM
11/26/09 02:57 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,747
S.W.Oregon
newhouse114 Offline
trapper
newhouse114  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,747
S.W.Oregon
LOL, I've put up more than my share of beaver over the last 35 years. Clean skinning is the only way to go.


Life Member NTA & FTA
"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain

http://alaskastoneanivory.com/index
Re: Beaver fleshing.. [Re: colt] #1617093
11/26/09 03:00 AM
11/26/09 03:00 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,747
S.W.Oregon
newhouse114 Offline
trapper
newhouse114  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,747
S.W.Oregon
I am not a masochist!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Life Member NTA & FTA
"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain

http://alaskastoneanivory.com/index
Re: Beaver fleshing.. [Re: newhouse114] #1617094
11/26/09 03:01 AM
11/26/09 03:01 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,747
S.W.Oregon
newhouse114 Offline
trapper
newhouse114  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,747
S.W.Oregon
I clean skin in about 18 minutes. Alone. That includes popping the castor


Life Member NTA & FTA
"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain

http://alaskastoneanivory.com/index
Re: Beaver fleshing.. [Re: newhouse114] #1617095
11/26/09 03:03 AM
11/26/09 03:03 AM
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 732
waubay, SD
C
colt Offline
trapper
colt  Offline
trapper
C

Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 732
waubay, SD
doing your own you might be alright when your working for a fur buyer there is a reason they skin flesh and stretch.

Re: Beaver fleshing.. [Re: colt] #1617096
11/26/09 03:07 AM
11/26/09 03:07 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,747
S.W.Oregon
newhouse114 Offline
trapper
newhouse114  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,747
S.W.Oregon
Are you saying that three guys went start to finish, skinning, fleshing, and boarding, 240 beaver in one day??? If so, my hats off to you!


Life Member NTA & FTA
"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain

http://alaskastoneanivory.com/index
Re: Beaver fleshing.. [Re: newhouse114] #1617151
11/26/09 06:47 AM
11/26/09 06:47 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 553
Iowa
Oldtoolsniper Offline
trapper
Oldtoolsniper  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 553
Iowa
You are doing the right thing. The top end towards the head and shoulders takes time and a sharp knife. The back is the toughest so just go slow and learn. If you have them I would learn on the small ones and freeze the big ones till I had a pretty good grasp on what I was doing. Beavers are work and there is no miracle way to get to the finished product. Someone telling you I can skin, flesh, remove the castor and cook my dinner in X amount of minutes is more worthless than an opossum. What difference does it make to you and what you are doing? It isn’t even relevant to your question. Don’t worry about what amazing claims of speed some of these folks are capable of, it is what you are capable of that matters. The first three years I skinned all my beaver with a beaver skinning knife, I cut every scrap of fat off with a knife. It never dawned on me to use a fleshing knife on a beaver. We all started on that first one and we all put eyeholes where there were no eyes, take your time, ask the questions and learn. Later on when you answer a question on here think about which answers were helpful and which were pointless and pass on the favor by being helpful.


“Work hard! Millions on welfare depend on it!”
Re: Beaver fleshing.. [Re: Oldtoolsniper] #1617211
11/26/09 08:29 AM
11/26/09 08:29 AM
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,190
Western NC
BoyerWNC Offline
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BoyerWNC  Offline
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,190
Western NC
Well put.


A man who stands for nothing, will fall for anything.
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