I don't know where to post this so, moderators, if its in the wrong place do your thing.
I went hunting yesterday and came across a beautiful coyote. I was wanting to get it but I don't know how to tan a hide. I didn't want kill it and risk ruining the pelt, so I passed on the shot. But I'm still wanting to put a nice coyote pelt on my wall. So what would be the best way to both skin and preserve the coyote pelt?

you can buy tanning kits and what-not for cheap, i would go ahead and skin it out as you would a deer, also if you wanted you could just keep the tail, get a row of coyote tails started. Just like gian squirrel tails.

also if your preserving the hide, stretch it out on a board and scrape off the fatty tissue and flesh off as well as you can before you use the tanning solution.

I would go see your local taxidermist and see what he charges to make it the way you want. He will probably want you to bring him the whole animal and he will skin it the proper way, that is how my two local taxidermists wanted it done where I use to live. Michael Grace



EDITED: to correct spelling.

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"I haven't failed. I've found 10,000 ways that won't work." - Benjamin Franklin

I am fluent in "Typo"... I can read it and type it...

If you tell the truth, you wont have to remember what you said.

I have fleshed them out good and coated pelt well with 20 mule team borax, and then just nailed it to a board to dry. They hang on the wall fine and the hair will stay on.

I always used common table salt to preserve my buckskins.
Even with a poor fleshing job,the skin was preserved.
Frank

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Frank

you(1) first have to skin the critter (2) you then take a paint scraper the one that has a small wood handle with a curved peace of steel on the end and scrape all the fat meat off there is a mimbrane (sp) between the hide and the meat you will have to get that off (3) tack out the hide using aulumiun nails steel nails will rot the hide (4) go to the drug store and get some ALUM it's a white powder sprinkle on the hide about 1/4 thick let set for 7 to 14 days (5) scrape the alum off and save it you can reuse it (6) then start rolling the hide in your hands to brake up the fibers in it while doing this start rubbing neetsfoot oil into the hide it usually took me about 7or 8 hr to finish a hide to where I wanted it to be I have done many hides this way Forest Punch

Wolkfen, All above seems good advice!

I've not tryied the kits BB20 mentioned - It could be a good option. You may also learn some good tips from a local tax. I generally do like Chief, K21 and FP - Skin it carefully and scrape it.

Where I differ: If I want a hair on skin, I'll sprinkle the skin side good with alum; Put skin in plastic garbage bag then roll it up and put it in another bag; Send it off to tannery for final finishing. It take them about 6mos to get skin back to me, but all have been done very well.

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Ray

Well I'm trying to do this all myself. I have found a couple of articles on how but its good to hear from personal experience. I found this article by New Mexico State University http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_l/l-101.pdf I'm guessing that would be a good way to start. And I may try Forest Punch's way as well. What is, 20 mule team borax, Chief?

...........20 Mule Team Borax is a detergent (only us old guys know that!!!) LOL!

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"You should not use a rifle that will kill an animal when everything goes right; you should use one that will do the job when everything goes wrong." -Bob Hagel

Where would I find it or should I just go with the alum and neetsfoot oil? I'd like to get a soft skin rather than the rawhide like stuff. I guess I can work it and hit it with a wire brush. Where can I find neetsfoot oil?

I hang'em on the wall so I don't care that they are stiff. My way is just a quick and dirty way to get a hide preserved and on the wall. They are stiff and still may have some odor. If so they will have to stay out in the shed a while. Alum is a coagulant and draws moisture also , I believe. @0 Mule Team is a detergent that must actually have or used to have either borax or alum as an ingredient. I have tried it in the last 10 years and it did work. 50 years ago most folks doing any work with hides, used it on the hide for a preservative and insect deterrent. I just looked on the box and 20 MT is Borax.

I used to get my Alum from Walgreens Drug store the neetsfoot oil I got from a hardware store the owner would order it by the case for me just for info sakes I learned how to tan hides from the series of books called(Fox Fire ) and they explaned how to do it is a way a 9 year old boy could do it Forest Punch

Do I just ask for alum or Ammonia Alum? And how much should I use? I have the neatsfoot oil and the 20 Mule Team Borax.

Just ask for alum it used to come in a 1 lb plastic container I sprinkled on about 1/4 of a inch on my hides and remember to use aluminum nails or you will ruin a hide Forest Punch

I went to different pharmacies today and none knew what I was asking for. I guess I need to go to the small family pharmacies instead of the big chains. Whats wrong with using normal nails?

Steel nails will rust and cause damage to the hide. You could use them but plan on cutting that portion of the hide away. 20 Mule Team Borax is pure borax, while Boraxo with 20 MULE team is soap. If you go with the Borax make sure you get the Green Box at the grocery store, this is the pure borax. Just make certain there is no soap added. I used the 20 Mule Team for years as a welding flux for forge welding. Works great. Also rock salt, canning and pickling salt, and kosher salt will work to preserve the hide. It will not tan the hide but preserve it. It will work for a wall hanger but not much more. Also make sure it is fully preserved or you will have a colony of beetles find there way into your hide and will destroy it. I used the hide tanning kit from Van Dykes taxidermy to do a Caribou and Arctic Fox. I just followed the directions. I did it in my garage with a large ice chest and a few hand tools. So depending on what your end use is going to be you can take it as far as you want.

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Chuck Richards
OTAC USN Retired
American Bladesmith Society Journeyman Smith
NRA Life Member

Well I got the 20 Mule team Borax, the alum, and salt. Now if I could just find that coyote again I'd be all set. How can I tell if it is fully preserved?

I too have been wanting to tan a coyote but ive really been hunting for a bobcat. Im not sure where your from but around here if you plan on getting a coyote you had better take the first shot you have. They are very cautios animals.
Ive looked around and found some pic heavy posts of ways to skin a coyote. If your skinning for pelt you need to do it inside out(dont split the stomach). For a wallhanger you can split the belly after skinnind with scissors. Pelts are also cut off at the elbow but for a wallhanger you may want to keep it. Your better off to skin it right after the kill while its still warm. makes it much easier. Just keep a strong piece of string and a good knife, you can flesh the hide later.'
www.taxidermy.com has everything you might need and none of it is expensive

The coyote is a regular where I saw him. There was a kill there a couple of weeks ago and I keep baiting it with some rabbits. He keeps coming back I've just been waiting until I got everything I needed to start. I found these http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_l/l-103.pdf and http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_l/l-101.pdf. These seem to outline everything that I need to do.

If the flesh has been fully removed and the hide is perfectly clean then when the powder no longer comes off wet is when the hide is fully preserved. When dry the hide will be like cardboard. You can soften it some with neetsfoot oil. This will also help in the final preservation. Good luck on tat yote. Post a pic when you get it.

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Chuck Richards
OTAC USN Retired
American Bladesmith Society Journeyman Smith
NRA Life Member