Man I just spent the last 4 hours In the pole barn skinning, splitting lips, eyes, and nose on the Yote I killed last season. Its been triple bagged in the down stairs freezer for about the last 11 months. I have always wanted to try my hand at Taxi work and decided to start with this. Im going through the tanning process now. I have alot of back ground in skinning from being an X longtime Trapper, but skinning for Taxi is a whole different ball game Talk about getting detailed down to the Toe's. I have been hanging around for awhile on Taxidermy.net looking at Reference photos, reading Tutorials and asking questions. JMBuckhunter, get ready for alot of pm's :D wish me luck guys, Ill post pics no matter how bad it turnes out :D
Wow, that's impressive. I've considered what it would be like to try my hand at that, but I just don't have the time. Does John do taxi work, too? Can't wait to see the pictures.
I've got a buddy that recently started Taxi work and I've watched him some. I don't think I could do it.
Now imagine doing that in the rain and wind on a critter that covers 100 sq. ft. (10' x 10') on top of packing out the 150# plus load and you get an idea of what it's like to be a guide up here... and people ask me why I'm not a guide! Good luck with the 'yote, I hope it turns out well for ya.
Dan you should post up some pics step by step and let us see how your progress to the finished yote. That would be awesome! I hope it turns out good for you. I'm sure it will with your attention to detail.
i say go for it for ...... enjoy it ..........take your time.....never know , might turn out looking really cool..
Good luck with your project crick. A yote is a good animal to start with, lots of fur to cover up mistakes.:D Don't forget to open up the ears too or the cartilage will shrivel and not look right. You're right, it's a TON of work and messy too. You really have to love it to stick with it. About those pm's, I'm still chasing a buck so I'll be unavailable,JK I'll help where I can.
Yeah, all it took was one time watching the Taxi cap out a buck and I was impressed. Way too detailed for me.
Thanks for the good words guys. John, it was those ears that I spent most of my time on, talk about time consuming and very fragile I got em opened up. MOmighty, I should have got pics of when I skinned but I failed Yotes are skinned down the back (dorsal cut) from base of neck to base of tail. you can either split the tail open or pull bone out with tool. I split, and will sew. just making sure the tan gets all the way through.
Aw, c'mon you old trapper you.... you know we trappers don't split yote tails! That's what tail strippers are for!! :D Good luck buddy; keep me up to date on your progress on how it's comin' along! Speaking of that, I've got to take some time in the next weekend or two and get all my traps dyed...
I here ya bud I still have my tail strippers, but some say its better to split to make sure all the tan solution gets in. Some taxis use cotton string shoved in the tail to wick up the solution. You trapping again this year?
I've always thought it would be cool to do your own taxi work. Mainly just deer for me, maybe a 'yote too. I just don't think that I'd have the patience for birds or fish. Good luck.
You know it, bro!! I've actually got a plan... gonna flesh out most everything we trap this year and send it off to have it tanned (my taxi said a typical yote is about $25 to have tanned if I skin and flesh him out...). Gonna sprinkle them all over my couch and loveseat downstairs to add to the room decor.
