Essential Outdoor Skill: Case Skin a ’Coon

Photo by Alamy

Hang the raccoon by one of its back legs. Make an incision on the other back leg just above the heel and slit all the way to the anus. Repeat on the other leg. Go back to both heels and cut completely around the leg. Pull and cut the skin off the legs.

Pull the pelt toward the base of the tail and make an incision on the underside. Pull the tail skin down and cut away from the bone as you pull. Now pull the hide down, cutting with your knife as necessary until you reach the front legs. Cut off the front feet and peel the skin over the legs.

To skin the head, cut around the eyes and lips and through the cartilage of the ears. Gently pull down and cut the pelt off the carcass from the tip of the nose.

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