Coyote Tails

[Double R Ranch]

Howdy yal,
Got a coyote tail that I want to keep. There wasn't enough left of the hide to keep the hole hide but I kept the tail. Anyone know what I need to do to it to be able to keep it. I searched the internet and haven't had much luck so far in how to make it savable. Right now it is siting here in a ziplock bag. Nothing other than cutting it off has been done. So I need to start from scratch.
Thanks for the help,
Double R

 

[oscar p]

Back when I was a lot younger, I trapped for extra cash.I had a tail stripper. You put the tail in and pulled, and it stripped the bone out.Done a good job.I bought it out of Trapping Magazine.I think it was Fur,fish,and Game.

 

[Double R Ranch]

I understand that I need to get the bone out. Guess I wasn't very clear as to what I was asking. Sorry. I want to know what to do with the tail after I take the bone out. I think I can bone it out without slicing the tail. I have enough exposed to vice the bone and pull.
Thanks for the help!!! Sorry I wasn't clear.
Double R

 

[chenocetah]

Never tried it on a coyote tail, but did do some coon tails this way many moons ago for friends when I used to coon hunt. Strip out the bone and deflesh all the meat you reasonably can, then salt the inside of the skin with Kosher salt and let it sit in a cool place for few days. Then scrape off all the salt you can and place the tail wrapped in only 2 or 3 layers of newspaper in a freezer and leave it for a few months or so (yea, i know that might be longer than you want to wait) until it "freeze dries". This will work and it's length of stay in the freezer will depend on the thickness of the hide you have to work with.

As a side note, this also works well with deer antlers when we do them with the hide still attatched to the skull plate. Looks really neat.

 

[Double R Ranch]

Never tried it on a coyote tail, but did do some coon tails this way many moons ago for friends when I used to coon hunt. Strip out the bone and deflesh all the meat you reasonably can, then salt the inside of the skin with Kosher salt and let it sit in a cool place for few days. Then scrape off all the salt you can and place the tail wrapped in only 2 or 3 layers of newspaper in a freezer and leave it for a few months or so (yea, i know that might be longer than you want to wait) until it "freeze dries". This will work and it's length of stay in the freezer will depend on the thickness of the hide you have to work with.

As a side note, this also works well with deer antlers when we do them with the hide still attatched to the skull plate. Looks really neat.

Wow thats sounds like a great way. Do you open the tail? Right now I deboned it without opening it up. Its deboned and packed to the end with salt. Its hanging in the barn where it's cool.
Thanks! Cant wait for your response.
Double R

 

[chenocetah]

Hey Double R - The only way I have done it is by splitting the tail lengthways under the bottom as far back as the bone went. Have never tried one that was "whole". I feel like you will need to split it and open it up and scrape out most of the salt before you "freeze dry" it. If you leave it outside in the barn too long with the salt on it the salt will draw moisture from the surrounding environment and eventually ruin your tail. I'm sure you're familiar with meat getting "freezer burnt" in the freezer, right? Well what actually happens is that the moisture from the meat (especially thin pieces) was forced to the surface as ice crystals and then evaporated. Much taxidermy is done by commercial freeze drying, a little different process, but still the same principle. When you understand what goes on there it is really pretty simple. Good luck with your tail and let me know how it turns out.

O, and by the way, if you thaw out your tail and it seems to still be a little too "meaty", just stick it back in the freezer for a while longer. It eventually will become just like leather.

 

[mossy_oak23]

as crazy as it sounds I've left every thing in the tail on animals up to the size of coons. It will harden in time and you can choose the shape similar to mounting a turkey fan. I burn the meaty end hard just to seal everything up as nature takes its course inside. Now with a yote theres probably a good honk of meat in there so if it starts to reek on your wall you have been warned. :lol: