How do I get a clean piece of tail, taxidermically speaking?

[ivarhusa]

I used a tool to strip the tailbone out of my first coyote hide.  It worked slick.  Then I read somewhere that one must "split the tail to the end" to expose innards for cleaning and perhaps preservative chemicals.

On my second coyote hide, I carefully pressed a sharp skinning knife against the "bottom center-line" of the tail, cutting through the hide, all the way to the end of the tail bone.  When I went to pull the hide off the tail, I wasn't very gentle about it, I guess, and the hide tore, leaving the last 20% of the tail hanging from the bone.  That was a very disappointing outcome, as it was otherwise a lovely, full tail.

Could I get a hint from you experienced fur hunters?  What is the best way to get a clean piece of tail?

Ivar

[bucklucky]

Use the tail stripper tool and pull the tail out then use your knife to split the tail . I just lay the tail on a table bottom side up stick my knifr in the base and hold each side against the knife to keep it straight and slide it on down the tail to the end, should keep ya pretty much centered. Hope that makes sence 

[ivarhusa]

Sounds like a pointed fillet knife might do better, but I get the picture.  Thanks for the help.

[rasbo]

I tube mine right away pull the bone out and I use a small knife thats rounded on the end to open the tail,put the hide in a plastic sack with some bug spray.I then make sure there is no flesh then I shampoo it and dry the inside out then turn.99percent of my shots are head shots.If I have a small hole I cut a football shape around it and sew it up.hope that helps