What to do with fox?

[badfish]

I shot a fox this afternoon that was trying to get after my chickens. I don't want to see it go to waste so what do I do with it? I don't even know how to skin it, I don't know where to take the skin or even what its worth. So any help would be appreciated, thanks

[J48jake]

Well a lot depends here. If you shot it the pelt is probably going to be worthless. Any pelts with holes in them never bring much. I would maybe try to find a local trapper and have them show you how to skin it. Even if the pelts not going to be worth anything its always good to try and skin a pelt thats not worth much because it wont matter if you mess up. You can go to the NTA HSOforum (National Trappers Assoc.) and they have inst's on how to skin out each animal.

[fishermann222]

I am going to disagree with J48jake here and say that even if it is shot, it does not make it worthless. It depends on what you shot it with and how big the holes are. But it is amazing what you can do with a needle and a little dental floss to fix holes.

I give you this advice with my personal experience of including shot fox in with my trapped fox when they have gone to auction. As long as you do a good job sewing the pelt you will be fine.

J48 does give you good advice to get ahold of a local trapper or even a taxidermist and they can help you skin it and show you how they should be case skinned. My guess is your not looking to sell it anyway, so what i would do is get taught how to skin it out, do that, sew up the holes, and send it off to a tannery to get it tanned to hang on your wall.

just my 2 cents.

[walleyes12]

I am going to disagree with J48jake here and say that even if it is shot, it does not make it worthless. It depends on what you shot it with and how big the holes are. But it is amazing what you can do with a needle and a little dental floss to fix holes.

I give you this advice with my personal experience of including shot fox in with my trapped fox when they have gone to auction. As long as you do a good job sewing the pelt you will be fine.

J48 does give you good advice to get ahold of a local trapper or even a taxidermist and they can help you skin it and show you how they should be case skinned. My guess is your not looking to sell it anyway, so what i would do is get taught how to skin it out, do that, sew up the holes, and send it off to a tannery to get it tanned to hang on your wall.

just my 2 cents.

I agree no pelt is worthless off any animal! heck, I even skin out my skunks! Sew it up, its not hard, it does take time!!

[demonjigger]

I shot a fox with a .223 and had an exit hole the size of a softball. I skun it out right away, and sewed it up. Got the same price for it on auction as i did the ones i trapped... Skin it out asap, to keep from getting bloodshot in the skin, i think this causes fur slippage.

Good luck.

[fishermann222]

Demonjigger i don't think the bloodshot will cause any slippage as long as you flesh the watery substance away. FLeshing the hide and getting all the grease and fat off so it can dry properly is the ticket to stop the slippage.

[Dooley87]

a little off topic here but if you are trapping how would you kill the animal with out a gun shot wound? other than an underwater trap of course.

[demonjigger]

I dispatch mine by stepping on their chest. you don't have to wash the hides due to blood like when you shoot them. I used to use a .22. I have noticed the hide slips off around the bullet hole too...

[demonjigger]

fisherman222, i think you are right, but it is easier to keep that slimey blood from penetrating the hide if you get after it right away. do you notice fur slippage around the bullet holes when you shoot an animal in a trap? (head shots)

[Dooley87]

Do any of the fox ever bite you or hurt you while you step on thier chests? i aint chicken but i would be a little afraid of this if i were going to try steping on one. same method for coyotes? they are bigger and seem like they would put up more of a fight.

[fishermann222]

Bearbait rather than talk openly about dispatch methods i would suggest you contact a trapper and speak with him. If we had PM's i would PM you.

As far as slipping around the bullet hole in the head demon no i have not had that trouble. To compare one year i shot every fox in the head (well over 100) and fleshed and washed and randomly picked 10 to tan, the next year i had over 100 fox again and instead of shooting them I dispatched other ways. I STILL washed the hide and sent 5 off to get tanned. no difference in them at all.

But that is just my experience, others may have a different opinion.

[Dooley87]

my email is bearbait87 at yahoo, drop me an e-mail if you have a chance i am very interested in trapping, my buddy has a guy trap his farm and i saw his catch the other day, huge beaver, he estimated it at 60 lbs, a coyote, a coon and a muskrat, just wanted a little info.