Skinning Knives

[pokerpete]

We skin freshly harvested animals by haning by the back legs, and cutting around the tail (etc.!) until we have the skinnjust off the rump Then we put a rock in the loosened skin around the rump, tie one end of a rope around it, the other end to the pickup truck and drive the whole hide off in one piece.

Oh yeh. Well we cut round its butt, take it down to Heathrow Airport then tie it to Concorde. Light up the four Rolls Royce Olympus engines, and whooosh, job done in seconds.

[hmmm sausages]

Oh yeh. Well we cut round its butt, take it down to Heathrow Airport then tie it to Concorde. Light up the four Rolls Royce Olympus engines, and whooosh, job done in seconds.

And its cooked ready too eat too

[vinner]

...and airmailed to the location of your choice..

[Wohoki]

Vinners right, I've seen it done to horse carcasses for the local hounds. Bit scarey to watch.

[Fallow Buck]

]

FOr anyone thinkingof trying this don't bother with muntjac. They don't have the sepparating membrane between skin and meat like other dear and so you will likely end up ruining the carcas.

I may be proved wrong but that is what I have been told.

Rgds,
FB

[Paul Kribs]

Must admit I did take quite a while skinning the couple of muntjac's I got from Deer Man. Although I was ignorant of hanging the beast's to do the skinning, and did them on the 'flat' in the kitchen. We live and learn.





Regards, Paul Kribs

[Deer Man]

FB,
All deer and infact all mammals have the membrane you mention. The skin is there to protect the muscle underneath as well as give insulation, protect from infection etc. Muntjac have evolved in such a way that the skin and membrane is very thick and tight ( especialy around the neck and shoulders) so to give protection when the deer is forcing its way through thick bramble and cover. A loose skin would lead to tears.

Skinning is a simple matter of cutting through the skin on the inside of the back legs all the way up to the hocks. Peel the skin back around the haunches and down to the tail. Cut through the tail.

With the beast hanging simply pull the hide down towards the neck. Once at the shoulders I cut the skin off and remove the shoulders and feed to my dogs!

A I shoot so many I dont bother with the shoulders but you could do the same with the fore quater as with the hind quater and free the legs etc pulling the hide of at the neck.

I belive all deer should be hung in the larder with the skin on. This helps prevent dehydration and gives a bit of protection against possible cross contamination.

[Fallow Buck]

Hi deer man,

I personally only really shoot Fallow and the odd roe. I proefer to hang in the jacket although Roe I sometimes skin depending on circumstance. Like you say, without the jacket they do tend to dry out a bit and blacken up on the outside.

I've never shot Munties so don't really have any first hand expoerience of them although a couple of keepers I know do the same as you, not bothering with the Shoulders.

I had a couple of Chinese Water deer last month that were the easiest things to skin in the world. I managed them both within about 15mins!!

[Deer Man]

Fallow Buck,

CWD are the only UK species I have not managed. Hope they tase good! 15 minutes ,more time to process and get back on the ground!

[Ian Wright]

I've looked into these knives, I've found one at Scobies,
http://www.scobiesdirect.com/ItemInfo.asp?PageNo=3&ItemNo=VK5780315&sMethod=Search&txtCriteria=VICTORINOX

but I am not sure if they are much better than the knife I Currently use.

Im currently using my victorinox boning knife. Would the above "skinning knife" be any better for this purpose? If so, is there a particular technique to employ?
Hi you Would be better with good skinner.The best skinner that i found was from scobies are the best all round suppler i my self deal with them and find that give 100% on all orders next day.
Cheers, Rob