Amateur trapper here. I got all the essential trapping tools, fleshing beam, knives, etc.

Colleague is a hunter and gave me a coyote. I skinned it without issue but am having a tough go getting the day and membrane off. The pelt is a bit cold as it was outside and here in Canada.

I haven't done a preliminary wash as I don't have a washer for skins.

I've heard salting it first can help. I don't plan on taking it to market, I want to try my hand at a hat.

Any tips of making fleshing easier as I can barely get anything off it right now.

Warm it up and use the push side of the knife, all fleshing knives are not equal other than that just five in your experience is nothing different than anyone else when they started putting up pelts

Warm pelt up like jalstat said.

Keep the pelt's hide side moist and don't let it dry out.

This is crucially important as a dried out coyote hide
is extremely difficult to successfully flesh.

Does the pelt have a lot of fat under the saddle membrane ?

If so, a little borax sprinkled along the top edge of the
membrane will give your fleshing blade a little "bite"
and friction to catch the fat/membrane and allow the
knife blade to push and/or scrape the material downward and off the pelt.

I try to do a little strip at a time and not try to tackle
the whole membrane at once.

Hope these couple tips help make a tedious task a little easier.

walleyed

Warm it up should certainly help And If it still does not solve the problem make a rag wet and place it on the flesh side You only want it to be damp And try again And take your time They can be hard t do until you get some practice

Thanks for the advice, I'll try it a bit warmer and damper and see how it goes

Make sure to comb out any burrs in the fur first or they will make holes.Watch a youtube video if you haven`t yet.

Go to coon creek trapping on youtube

Also work on the center of the beam, when you get to the side you will make holes, and as mentioned above make sure you have all the burrs off. This video is good if it helps to watch someone do it and explain as they go.

Good video. Is the clamp he’s using vice grips?

Like these.

Thanks

https://youtu.be/9hcczwwXjyo?si=wQfi6O9YZyVvuq0S
Seldom Fales

Let’s see that fleshing knife.

Get yourself a good hide rake to peel off the saddle and a bag of cob grit or sawdust to clean up any fat..