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Method of Skinning Muskrat and Stretching Skin | |
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A few remarks on skinning and stretching may not be amiss, as on the speed and thoroughness depends much of the trapper's success. Make two hooks from stout wire or ten penny nails, just large enough to fit tightly over the smallest point of the muskrat's hind legs. Tie a stout cord to each of the hooks and fasten to some object far enough apart so as to have the hooks six inches apart when the muskrat is hung up. Now take your knife, which should be slim bladed and at least 4 inches long, and insert it under the skin of hind legs, letting the point of the knife come out at root of tail. Give one quick jerk and rip the hide the whole length. Insert the knife in the other side of the tail, letting it come out at the other hind foot, and repeat the operation, but do not cut around the feet, as by so doing one is likely to cut the flesh which will come off with the hide and cause inconvenience. Take the hide between the thumb and fore-finger and pull the skin around the feet. With some practice this can be done quickly and is better than cutting. Pull the skin over the body down to the forelegs and pull them out without cutting them. On reaching the ears, take knife and cut around eyes, ears and nose.
Make your stretcher out of thin boards about five inches wide and tapering well to the small end. Plane and sandpaper until you have a smooth surface. Use one piece or three-piece stretchers. 'For fleshing and to remove fat and surplus meat, take a large tablespoon and use the bowl for scraping off this fat and flesh. By this method there is absolutely no danger of hurting the skin, or damaging same by cutting, as is often the case if a knife is used. The skin is also of smooth appearance. Do not let any fat get on the fur. If you do, wipe it off with clean rag or use dry hardwood sawdust.
T. GULLICKSON
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