I got 4 good size rattlers that are hopefully going to go on two lucky selfbows.
I'd like to know what you guys do to the skins after skinning. Do you salt them or just let them dry? I think I remember reading somewhere here that you can even use them green. Would someone please give me the scoop on this cause I am going to start skinnin and pinnin them up this evening.
Thanks,
John
Skin them, staple them flesh sideout to a board, flesh with a spoon,then set in the sun to dry for a few hours.
Or at least thats how I have done it, and it's worked well for me.
Same as adeeden said, I use push pins or staples whichever is most covenient then air dry or set them outside in the sun. No salt needed.
Be sure and scrape them with a semi dull knife careful not to scrape a hole through the skin and get all the excess fat and gunk off before drying. The cleaner you put the skins up the better skinning job you will do on your bow later on. Trust me when I say it's much easier to clean them up before they dry rather than later on when you rehydrate them for applying to a bow limb.
Don't ask me how I know this. :rolleyes:
Thank you gentlemen. That's what I needed to know. Let the skinnin begin.
I use salt to keep off the flies. Wash in Dawn and rinse well in cold water before application.
when you skin the snake, us a roofer utility hook blade, it works like a mini gut hook and will cut through the belly scales of a snake with ease. i just skinned a huge eastern diamondback the other day. im gonna clean and dry the hide today. rv
It took a long evening but we got them done. Thank God for my friend Andy coming to help. Thanks for tips guys.
(http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g108/briarjumper12/DSC_0037.jpg)
(http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g108/briarjumper12/DSC_0073.jpg)
(http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g108/briarjumper12/DSC_0075.jpg)
(http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g108/briarjumper12/DSC_0076.jpg)
After they dry use a pair of scissors to trim the skin at the belly scales. They roll up much neater with this part of the skin gone.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/ekrewson/bow%20making/rolledskin.jpg)
Eric,
good tip. Do I need to roll them up and put them in the freezer? How long will it take them to dry? I have in them the air conditioned garage with a box fan on them. They seemed pretty dry this morning.
No you don't need to freeze them, I keep mine in a card board box in my bedroom. Up on a shelf out of reach of curious little hands. Just keep them dry and preferrably inside where the humidity is lower, don't know if that makes in difference or not but I'd rather not find out the hard way.
BTW- What flavor did you say those snakes were? They kinda resemble the brown water snakes we have around here judging by the markings. Very nice patterns on those, they will look sweet on a bow! You'll be hooked after this and no snake will be safe when your around, trust me when I say you'll just about bail out of a moving vehicle to grab a freshly road killed snake. :goldtooth:
Semo,
Timber rattler I guess. I live in southeastern ky. I think that's all we got around here. Maybe some diamond backs that I don't know about.
I have only done a few small snakes 25-30 ". I put them in the fridge for the nite to chill them down.Then I cut the skin around the neck and start to pull the skin back. Holding the head I basicly peel the skin back very slowly being careful at the vent. Once done I lay the skin out flat and cut down the belly with a sharp pair of scissors. This method takes the skin off with no scrapping necessary. JG
one eastern diamondback skin ready to store for future use (http://i602.photobucket.com/albums/tt101/broketooth/DSC00355.jpg) (http://i602.photobucket.com/albums/tt101/broketooth/DSC00354.jpg)
Dang Ruddy! That is one Big motha of a rattle snake! :scared:
You lucky dog. :thumbsup:
here is a vid that i made its part 1 of the fleshing process. (http://i602.photobucket.com/albums/tt101/broketooth/th_M4H00351-2.jpg) (http://s602.photobucket.com/albums/tt101/broketooth/?action=view¤t=M4H00351-2.mp4) just click on the pic to play vid
here is part 2 (http://i602.photobucket.com/albums/tt101/broketooth/th_M4H00352.jpg) (http://s602.photobucket.com/albums/tt101/broketooth/?action=view¤t=M4H00352.mp4) click on image to play vid
it didnt take as long as i thought. i wish i had made a part 3 and 4. showing more of the process. i have already shown the pics of the end results. it will make a good bow backing. i think there is enough to back 2 bows with this hide. rv
I have another question or two for you guys...
Can I use Titebond III to put the hide on with? That's what I have on hand but can buy what's needed if necessary.
Do I stain under the hide or it is unnecassary?
I am thinking of a old stock can of minwax driftwood but don't know how that would effect the hide. Any suggestions on the application and finish will be appreciated. The bow it's going on is a week or two off from being ready.
I have never done skins yet, but what I have read tbIII works good, and staining will show through your skin from the pics I have seen here. If it is a dark stain the skins look darker, and lighter if it is lighter. Do a search on here and there is more then enough info on putting skins on a bow.
Pretty neat job on the snakeskin, Ruddy. Hope it comes out well for you. I was interested to read Eric's tip on cutting the belly scales of when/before rolling skins up to store. I've got a couple stored that I need to pull out and do that to - certainly looks neater, Eric.
Two or three days ago I was out shooting on my home range and I went to enter a path to the cutdown behind my Ladder Stand - just to look around. A Copperhead had made the mistake of infringing on my space - right in the middle of the path. I quickly broke off a sapling "buggy whip" (adrenalin will pump up even an ol' folk - LOL) and broke his neck just behind the head. Actually it took me three swipes to hit him but it still works, and was a swift kill when I did hit him - LOL.
Anyway, point is that, even though he was a rather small one, he was still pretty, as they all are, and I wanted to try Beanbag's way of skinning one (stated earlier in this thread), as I used to use that method to skin catfish/horned pout. It always was a much easier way to do that onerous job. He was only 20 inches long and will yield about 16" of usable skin but that should work for an arrow shaft, knife handle, hat band, Bow handle or decoration, or the such. Boy did that system of skinning him work swift, easy, and clean! I think from the refrigerator to a block of wood in my "Glory Hole" room only took a total of about 20-25 minutes.
Here's a sneak-peek so you can see how clean - w/no scraping:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v689/ber643/SmallCHSkin.jpg)
If it works that well on large ones - what a better way to go.
good job bernie. rv
Those skins that Briar posted are canebreak rattlers or timber rattlers (same thing depending on what part of the country your in)
The one that Ruddy posted looks like a canebreak as well.
The skin that Eric posted is a diamond back. There is a very noticeable difference between it and the others.
You fellers may want to hold on to them timber rattlers as they are getting harder and harder to find. They are also protected in seventeen states so you might want to check your game laws just to cover your butt.
Stiks
mine was a road kill kris. rv
Mine too - if I hann't of kilt him, he'd 'a made it tuh the road - sorr-ee, snakes ain't safe (or welcome) aroun'chere, Kris. Besides, if he'd made it much further, Rose would have done him in by screaming at him - and that'd be even more painful :D
Thanks, Ruddy, I was pleased with how it looks.
I hear ta Ruddy, I pick'em up off the road all the time but I can't pick up timbers here cause they are protected. I don't recall ever even seeing one here but they are here.
I take the ones that are fair game though :D Except the black snakes around the house, They keep the meeces to a minimum :D
All of my timbers came from Texas, They are sweet looking on a stick for sure.
Bernie, any coppers get the chopper LOL Nothing looks better on Osage!
Yep, they are purty for sure, and the right color. Ruddy and I were talking about that on the phone today. Might wind up with them (he has a small one also) on the recurve he's doing for me now - we'll see.