Everyone should skin a snake..at least once!

[**DONOTDELETE**]

What I found was if you put them in the fridge for a day or two it loosens the skin from the meat and it almost will slide off.

Oh that would go over well around my place.  

[Zbearclaw]

Yep, freeze them and then pull the skins after they are barely thawed.

No smell really and you can do it when you have a mess of them so it is easier to deal with.

The worst is when the dang things are still moving 2 hours after dead...that is creepy!

[Bel007]

quote:Originally posted by Ringneck:
 

[wtpops]

Originally posted by ber643:
I've "skun" a few (only in deep, dark "locations", where legality isn't a concern, of course       :D      ). Not toooo bad but some of the same problems as you guys UNTIL I saw an instruction on here (last year) that basically took me back to my (large) Catfish skinning days. Slit the skin around the neck (WAIT - snakes have no neck - or are they all neck - well,anyway ... ) use 2 pliers to grab the skin (in one, and the flesh/bone in the other) and pull skin off like a wet T-shirt. Easiest, fastest, slickest trick I ever had with one. No smell, clean skin, (very little or) no "fleshing" needed. I'll never do it any other way again.

(BTW with real big Catfish I used to nail the head to a tree/ or heavy plank, and use only one pliers. Probably could/would try the same with a larger snake.) After you do ol' sneaky snake (being a little careful around the vent), slit it up (or down) the belly (shears work well), and tack it down to a board to dry (no Borax or anything needed, usually a couple of days or so - preferably OUT OF the sun). Cut off the two side/belly halfs with shears before rolling it to store (easier, flatter, less space, as per Eric Krewson) in ziplock bag.

Do a search in (of all places) the Bowyers Bench forum on snakeskins for further mention of these methods. Neat, neat, neat!

That is the way i have always done it. I didn't think there was another way?

O Bern just to let you know, the cheer leader pic has surfaced again. Thank you Killdeer i love that pic.

[Thumper Dunker]

Nope not me and Im not going to.

[Beanbag]

LOL!!

[Possum Head]

Just a few for myself and thats enough to know not to let it become a habit! Rabbits are what turn my stomach.

[ber643]

Yes , wtpops, the sins of our "youth" always come back to haunt us - especially if we have "good friends" -    

I used to skin rabbits by the warren (5 or 10 a day) years back when stationed at Camp Pendleton, CA  They never bothered me, hang 'em by the heels and pull the fur off like plucking a chicken. I do recall they had a thin covering over an always stuffed belly that one didn't want to dwell over too long - or rupture -    :D   .

[Adam Keiper]

The "real fun" comes when you first put your knife into them after they've been dead a few hours, and they try to wrap themselves around your arm a few times.   :eek:

[Craig Schoneberg]

Skinned out a 6 + foot rattler years ago in Texas.  Had the ranchers 18 year old grandson and his friend watching.  Thought the one kid was going to turn himself inside out while watching.  I felt the same way with the critter twisting and turning in my hands - unfortunately I had to try to act like it wasn't bothering me at all.  They were both impressed that I could do that - Guess I fooled themm, but don't think I slept at all that night . . .