leehop

TFL, there are two was to do it. Depends if you want a flat skin, rug, or a fur piece, tube. The most common, IMO, is called cased. First you make four cuts circling the ankles. Next cut around the anis, then a straight cut down the back edge of the hind lags from ankle to anis. Carefully loosen the hide from around the back legs. Pull the skin down down as far as you can untill you can start skinning the tail. Here you need a tool. Some say use a couple of sticks or nails but trappers and skinners use a tool made for the purpose. Pulling the skin down the down the tail a couple of inches, insert your tool around the tail and holding it tight, pull it downward, pulling the skin off the tail. Now start carefully removing the skin from the carcuss the same as you would take off your tee shirt, being carefull to leave as much meat and such on the carcuss. If you have to use your knife, do so very carefully so as not to cut the hide. Work the hide all the way down to the front legs and remove it from the legs the same as you did from the body, leaving only the feet on the leg. Work the hide down over the neck to the head. Now you will have to use your knife to loosen the hide. Carefully cut around the ears as deep in the ear canal as possible, then the same around the eyes. Work down the face, removing the lips at the edge of the black area. At the nose, cut off the cartlidge. Now you should remove the ear cartlidge and that of the nose. Stretch the hide on a wire frame or board cut to the right shape and tack it down pulling it tight. Using a small knife or a tool made for this, cut down the the under side of the tail so it can be taked open or flat. At this time you should use a dull tool to remove as much of the tissue from the hide as possible. When you have done that, rub the hide down with noniodized salt, being sure to well salt the ears and nose and tail. Place the stretcher with the hide on it in a cool place with good ventalation. Once the hide is dry and paper like turn it right side out and return to the stretcher. Now using a brush and damp cloth clean the fur. When the hide is dry and stiff you can remove it and have someone tan it for you. I will only keep a few months in this dry state.

Hope this is not too much for you. The other way is to make the cuts along the underside of the legs and then from the anis to the chin and pull the hide off, the same as the other way. This way you stretch it out flat ad tack it down. Everything else is the same.