I always leave the front legs out but if you read NAFA and FHA fur handling manuals they say leave them in. Some of these Western Bobcats don't have the prettiest legs should I leave them in on a few or will it cost me for stepping outside the box?

Nevada stretch. Pin the hind legs together and pin the front legs out and up.

I don't think it makes that much difference price wise.

The 2 advantages of having the legs on the inside are strictly logistics -

- dried pelts are easier to pack because you don't have to deal with legs stick out in awkward positions

- with the legs on the inside, you decrease the chances of the pelt getting damaged in the drumming process. Legs on the out side can get caught in other pelts and in the drum itself, thus causing damage.

That's my opinion.

I'd go with what she said.

But, just thinking about a top lot cat getting torn up by a leg sticking out either in the truck or during drumming would make me tuck them in, with that in mind I tuck them in even on my $30 cats.
If I was selling in NV. I'd pin them out and up, kinda a Roman thing.

I like the way my Coyotes look with the legs in and it is a faster way to put fur up. It will be easier to brush fur out and clean so I'm going to try it next year and see if my grades change at all.

If the legs have lots of white and nice solid dark bands I would go for the Nevada stretch and show that off. Other than that tuck 'em in.

My FHA pickup agent said to put the legs in for the reasons wissmiss stated but legs out won't be downgraded. FHA and NAFA manuals on bobcat handling are terrible. Both their stretcher board dimensions are way to narrow and you will get downgraded a size if you stretch a large or bigger cat to their dimensions.

leave the legs in!!damage can happen if they are put out furs are drummed before they grade so if a tear does happen you will degraded for damage that's how they explained it to me at fha

Then the big Auction houses need to up date Their Fur handling manuals. I seen a thousand plus Bobcats brought to market last weekend and I didn't notice any with the front legs in.