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Bobcat - Cat Put Up, Part I #2649508
07/18/11 11:11 AM
07/18/11 11:11 AM

C
Cameron2
Unregistered
Cameron2
Unregistered
C



APPARENTLY THE NEW PHOTO UPLOAD FEATURE HAS LIMITS, SO I HAD TO DO THIS IN 3 PARTS.

A while back I made a post about how I put up bobcats. It was back in the days before direct photo upload on T-man and since I needed to clean up my Photobucket account, I deleted the photos. I've had a bunch of folks pm me and ask me to put the photos back up so I thought I'd do that. I know, I know . . . I said on another thread the other day I was done making substantive posts because they always turn into shouting matches.

Because nearly every substantive post seems to generate so much controvers, let me issue a disclaimer first; true, its probably pointless since most of you won't read it anyway, but for what its worth, here goes. This method isn't something that I created, invented or came up with. Some info I got from Joel Blakeslee, some from Bill Ilchik, some from Steve Woods, and some I just starting doing my own way (right or wrong). This isn't the only way, maybe not even the best way, but its one way that works and lots of fur buyers over the years seem to approve of it. I realize that it might not appeal to every trapper in every part of the country and cats where you are may be different -- heaven knows they are ALL PROBABLY LARGER than mine. I might add that I have modified my own technique slightly because I now use an electric skinner (thanks ADC), but since many trappers probably don't use one, I describe my method "Pre-electric skinner." So here it is for what its worth.

First, hang up the cat by one foot.


Next, make an incision from one heel to the other. Most guys use the "color line" (where the brown meets the white from the belly) as their guide, but my own preference (from Joel "Alpha Male" Blakeslee) is to cut just inside the white of the belly. You'll see why later when we stretch the cat, but for now, take my word for it.



Now peel back the fur from the incisions.



Peel the skiin away and cut around the anal vent. Because I like to use the glands from my cats (more on that later), I make sure that I leave the anal glands on the carcass, and not on the fur. The two glands are located on each side of the anal opening and look like small blue or white BB's or peas.


The point is, the fur buyer isn't going to miss that tiny swatch of fur, so I like to make sure I get the glands, even if it means getting a little fur (which will be trimmed later). In this photo, I've cut through the anal vent, leaving the glands attached to the swatch of fur I'm holding in my fingers.



Now run your knife blade up the tail as far as you easily can.


Grab the base of the tail with a pair of pliers - but don't cinch down tight on the fur. The tailbone should slide between the jaws of the pliers while the fur/skin binds up on the pliers. Now just pull the skin off.




Now pull the skin down toward the head.


The skin should pull easily until you get to the front shoulders. At this point, I use my knife sharpener (but any blunt, smoot, round rod will work) and poke it through the armpits. If you want to see an expert in action at this, watch Steve Woods' BobCATCHing, Volume I.



Poke the rod through the armpit, and just push down on the rod. It should strip the fur right to the carpal (wrist) joint.




Now cut the skin free at the carpal joint by making a cut all around the front leg.



At this point, pull down toward the head to expose the ear bases (ah, fooled the profanity filter there by not calling them ear b u t t s, didn't I?). Cut across the ear base like so.





Here, I'm pointing to the large ear glands. Some trappers use them for lure and want to collect them. Not saying you have to, or should, or anything else . . . just wanting to point them out.



At this stage, I release the back foot from my gambrel and swap ends with the cat, hanging the cat by the skin of the mid-section. This allows me to work on freeing the remainder of the skin from the cat's head without getting the cat all bloody. With the cat hanging by its back foot for even a few minutes, the blood has now settled in the head and is under quite a bit of pressure. As soon as you cut a vein or artery in the head, blood is going to come gushing out all over your pretty cat fur. Swap ends on the cat before proceeding further and you'll have less mess.




Now cut carefully around the eyes, and cut the nose.





Re: Cat Put Up, Part I [Re: ] #2650305
07/18/11 10:38 PM
07/18/11 10:38 PM
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 80
Georgia, USA
F
famlytrapn Offline
trapper
famlytrapn  Offline
trapper
F

Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 80
Georgia, USA
Great post and thanks for taking the time, I catch numerous cats and this post has made some improvements inevitable, thanks again for sharing.

Re: Cat Put Up, Part I [Re: ] #2656429
07/23/11 10:14 AM
07/23/11 10:14 AM
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2
Scott County VA
M
MJ McCarty Offline
trapper
MJ McCarty  Offline
trapper
M

Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2
Scott County VA
nice post


toyota 4x4
yote-1
reds-5
grays-4
coon-1
grinners-5 too many
stankers-1
Re: Cat Put Up, Part I [Re: ] #2667671
08/01/11 11:45 AM
08/01/11 11:45 AM
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 0
Kentucky
Catchincoons2 Offline
trapper
Catchincoons2  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 0
Kentucky
Thanks for taking time to teach us newbies something. Great post.

Re: Cat Put Up, Part I [Re: ] #2668958
08/02/11 12:44 PM
08/02/11 12:44 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,720
South Central Nebraska age 71
tmrschessie Offline
trapper
tmrschessie  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,720
South Central Nebraska age 71
Thank you for again posting this information. I know it was time consuming but will surely help a lot of trappers now and in the future. Tom

Re: Cat Put Up, Part I [Re: ] #2669050
08/02/11 01:47 PM
08/02/11 01:47 PM
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 9
Southern Maine - York County
LeroyM Offline
trapper
LeroyM  Offline
trapper

Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 9
Southern Maine - York County
Yeah, thanks for posting this!! New guys like me love the pictures and explanations. It is not the real thing, but it sure does prepare you!


"Be polite. Be professional. But have a plan to kill everybody you meet." - General James Mattis, USMC.
Re: Cat Put Up, Part I [Re: ] #2669511
08/02/11 06:38 PM
08/02/11 06:38 PM
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 5,568
Gitche Gumee Wisconsin
RiversNorth13 Offline
trapper
RiversNorth13  Offline
trapper

Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 5,568
Gitche Gumee Wisconsin
Great post!!




Simplify your methods to the point of perfection.

Become fast,efficient & effective.

The real "SECRET" to successful trapping.

KEEP IT SIMPLE!

.
Re: Cat Put Up, Part I [Re: ] #2912233
12/27/11 11:57 PM
12/27/11 11:57 PM
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 5,568
Gitche Gumee Wisconsin
RiversNorth13 Offline
trapper
RiversNorth13  Offline
trapper

Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 5,568
Gitche Gumee Wisconsin
TTT !

Thanks Tracy!




Simplify your methods to the point of perfection.

Become fast,efficient & effective.

The real "SECRET" to successful trapping.

KEEP IT SIMPLE!

.
Re: Cat Put Up, Part I [Re: ] #2914103
12/28/11 10:10 PM
12/28/11 10:10 PM
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 488
NE, Utah
H
HORNS-N-FUR Offline
trapper
HORNS-N-FUR  Offline
trapper
H

Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 488
NE, Utah
I like the idea of finishing the head up instead of down.


Horns, Fur and Fish. What else do you need?
Re: Cat Put Up, Part I [Re: ] #2914217
12/28/11 10:41 PM
12/28/11 10:41 PM
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 218
Northern California
CAGEYCAT Offline
trapper
CAGEYCAT  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 218
Northern California
Hey Horns it really helps with the blood!!

Re: Cat Put Up, Part I [Re: HORNS-N-FUR] #2914342
12/28/11 11:26 PM
12/28/11 11:26 PM
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,012
Hiawatha kansas age 42
barredrock Offline
trapper
barredrock  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,012
Hiawatha kansas age 42
Originally Posted By: HORNS-N-FUR
I like the idea of finishing the head up instead of down.


X2


Thanks for the post, very informative

Re: Cat Put Up, Part I [Re: ] #2914855
12/29/11 10:21 AM
12/29/11 10:21 AM
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 0
Central VA
hsracer201 Offline
trapper
hsracer201  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 0
Central VA
Thank you for taking the time to post that.

The next cat I get I am planning on trying this myself instead of taking it to a taxidermist and this helps tremendously.


Member: VTA & FTA
Re: Cat Put Up, Part I [Re: ] #2919001
12/31/11 10:34 AM
12/31/11 10:34 AM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 306
East Texas
S
Sting Offline
trapper
Sting  Offline
trapper
S

Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 306
East Texas
very good, thanks

Re: Cat Put Up, Part I [Re: ] #2919265
12/31/11 01:58 PM
12/31/11 01:58 PM
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 916
Ohio
ForrestŪ Offline
trapper
ForrestŪ  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 916
Ohio
Great Post Tracy! smile


AMERICAN TRAP TALK FORUM
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Re: Cat Put Up, Part I [Re: ] #2919598
12/31/11 05:21 PM
12/31/11 05:21 PM
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 84
Utah
K n P Offline
trapper
K n P  Offline
trapper

Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 84
Utah
Will give it a try. Thank You. shocked


Hunt, Fish, Trap what else is there? O yea WORK

Kelly N Peggy
Farns.....
Re: Cat Put Up, Part I [Re: K n P] #2920753
01/01/12 07:44 AM
01/01/12 07:44 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,717
Maine
M
Mac Offline
trapper
Mac  Offline
trapper
M

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,717
Maine
Excellent post
Mac



Re: Cat Put Up, Part I [Re: ] #2921746
01/01/12 07:31 PM
01/01/12 07:31 PM
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 7
san antonio, tx
takoma Offline
trapper
takoma  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 7
san antonio, tx
ttt

Re: Cat Put Up, Part I [Re: ] #2922477
01/02/12 12:14 AM
01/02/12 12:14 AM
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 109
Southwestern Virginia Smyth C...
trapper444 Offline
trapper
trapper444  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 109
Southwestern Virginia Smyth C...
I skin my Bobcats the exact same way as shown in this aewsomew post


If You Dont Stand For Something You Will Fall For Anything
Re: Cat Put Up, Part I [Re: ] #2924009
01/02/12 09:05 PM
01/02/12 09:05 PM
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 554
Fairbanks Alaska
AKHowler Offline
trapper
AKHowler  Offline
trapper

Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 554
Fairbanks Alaska
Great pics and post. One question, why don't you leave the feet on the hide for taxidermy with a beautiful fur as a bobcat or lynx. I can see removing feet with mink, marten and otter.


Alaskan #9 Trap Company
JR Pederson
PO BOX 58226
Fairbanks AK 99711
cell# 907-378-7291
pedersonjr@yahoo.com
Re: Cat Put Up, Part I [Re: AKHowler] #2926133
01/03/12 09:48 PM
01/03/12 09:48 PM
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 5,568
Gitche Gumee Wisconsin
RiversNorth13 Offline
trapper
RiversNorth13  Offline
trapper

Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 5,568
Gitche Gumee Wisconsin
Originally Posted By: AKHowler
Great pics and post. One question, why don't you leave the feet on the hide for taxidermy with a beautiful fur as a bobcat or lynx. I can see removing feet with mink, marten and otter.

All fur is beautiful.

Depends on where the moneys at.

If it's for taxidermy, feet are left on.

If it's for the fur market, they are off.




Simplify your methods to the point of perfection.

Become fast,efficient & effective.

The real "SECRET" to successful trapping.

KEEP IT SIMPLE!

.
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