First attempt at tanning coyote pelts

[possumal]

Just thought I'd share a couple of pictures representing my first two attempts to tan coyote pelts for the purpose of making a rug type display.  I think the second attempt shows a decided improvement, and I believe that the third attempt will be much better than numbr two.

No laughing by Jim allowed since he used to run a tannery. 

[riverboss]

I think it looks good its got that old timey thing going for it.

[slagmaker]

lookin good. Have to agree with the old timey thing.

[HaMeR]

Heck yeah they look good Al.    They kinda look like they need brushed a little more or with a finer brush maybe.    Otherwise they look good. 

[Hawks Feather]

Don't look bad to me.  What type of tanning did you use?

Jerry

[possumal]

I haven't brushed them at all.  Not sure I want to but may change my mind.  I used the tanning solution sold by Van Dyke Supply.

[FinsnFur]

Van Dykes sells a lot of tanning kits/solutions. Some are pretty good, some are nothing but marketing schemes.
I'm glad your attempting a tan job yourself Al. I enjoyed the heck out of my 12 plus years in the industry.
I'm not going to laugh at you. The pics of the skinned coyote pelt don't tell me much of anything about the tanning even if I wanted to laugh.
That'd be like judging the smell of purfume on the web before ya bought it for the wife.

[HaMeR]

I gotcha Al. Make em the way you want em.    They do look nice & flat tho so you must have gotten them real soft.  Did you use the air skinning method on them??

[possumal]

Yeah, the air was cold, the light was bad, and my skill level was worse.   I am going to know a lot more before I try the next one, and I will have a good place to do the job and will own the Havalon skinning knife and replacement blades. If I get a really nice furred big male, and there is ample light still in the sky, I will try skinning one hanging up with my little homemade skinning gambrel.  I might have to give up a stand or two to "Git'r done" but I know it has to be many times easier to skin the rascal while it is still supple.  I can split the pelt later on at home.  Knowing how bad I want to make the next stand, it is far more likely for me to skin the critter when I get home but a good skinning booth with plenty of light out of the eyesight of nosey neighbors will be a plus.

I had three big coyotes hunt out on a goalpost looking frame in my yard a couple of years ago, and some nosey idiot called the police on me, reporting I was mistreating three dogs, hanging them upside down tied by their back legs. The policeman about laughed his rear end off when he saw whose house he had come to, as he was totally aware of Possumal the coyote man.    I would like to have been over at that old gal's house when he explained her complaint had no merit at all.