I think I'm doing a pretty good job of fleshing these 'coons...When I'm done fleshing them they look pretty good and clean, but after a day or two on the stretchers, some areas show up that still have fat on them. Is this normal?

Also, I had some dirty ones..after skinning, I washed them..now they'll hang to dry over night before I flesh and stretch them. Am I doing it right, or should I have fleshed them first?

Thanks in advance.

I will interested to see the repies to this also. I have a fan on my coons and the white streaks render off in four or five days. I washed a coyote today and snapped hip a few times and dried off w/ a rag and stuf in the freezer till x-mas stuff is over then I'll flesh.

Hope the replies help out.

TTT

to get the oily substance off of coon dip it in methnol and then let it dry it will take off all oil.

I would have dried the coyote fur completely before freezing, but that is just the way I do it.
I wouldn't dip the coon in anything. As was stated earlier, that little "skim" of fat will render off on it's own. Generally this happens around the tail area or between the shoulders.
One thing you might do to lessen it (I don't think you will ever do away with it), is to take one of the old "hoe shaped" fleshing tools and "squeegy" the leather off after you put it on the board (or before you take it off the beam if you use wire). This removes a lot of grease from the leather as well which speeds your drying time.

What detergent are you using to wash your hides. I have heard some say Woolite? I would think this is to make the fur softer. I'm more concerned with grease. I have heard some say they degrease with Dawn. Is the hide washed in this solution of water and dawn? I have the same problem but I'm also concerned with the greasy bottom edge that I end up with after I flesh all that fat to that area. I have heard of sawdust to soak up the grease. It does work but that in itself is a mess. IMO

My understanding is that a little grease is expected, and is a good thing as far as making the fur in the window stand up.

I use Dawn. I use a washing machine, cold water, gentle cycle. I only wash coyotes in this manner.
That grease at the bottom is the accumulation of oils in the rest of the hide that you pushed to the bottom, or just settled there as the coon started drying (my theory, but can't think of a better explaination).
Try this just "gags and giggles". Put your hide on a board (coon hide) after you fleshed it. Take a "straight edge" of some type and scrape it down the "finished product" and see if a table spoon or better worth of grease in your "finished product" doesn't come out. For this I have an old draw knife with a straight blade, but the hoe shaped fleshing tool gets the trick done.
By doing this you will be amazed at how much grease you leave in the coon when you flesh it.
Now, the final step I use in finishing out my coons: Once you determine that the coon is dry enough to take it off of your stretcher (be it wood or wire) stack them between sheets of cardboard. Put a sheet plywood on top, and something reasonable heavy on top of that to "compress" it all. In about a week you can remove them, fluff your windows with a little laquer thinner and put them on hangers. Look at your cardboard. Note the grease, now shake your coon, notice the rattle, now look at your fur check, notice the extra dollars. Sound time consuming? Nope, not at all, an extra 30 seconds after fleshing, an extra 30 seconds after removal from the stretcher.
You don't want to do this on the floor, use a table.

I usually miss a spot here and there once in awhile but I wipe them down every day and if I notice a spot I will use a straight edge and take it off. Very good tips Mark, I'm going to give it a try.

I think you will like the results.