I just killed a 68 1/2" in the yard (uncle now says it a chicken snake) Its now 63" long. How do I skin and preserve it? I want to save it for a future bow.

Thanks, Ron

This is what they look like "on the hoof". I caught this on a neighbors porch and relocated him. Here is my little girl holding him. This is a yellow rat snake or chicken snake. They can get about 6 ft. or so in the south.

i have found the best to way to skin them for me is to start at the top and peel them down like you would taking your sock off no cuts so when you are ready to tan them or finish them its easier to salt just tie the end off fill it up and hang it.

Take a pair of scissors and cut the belly side in half starting with where the head used to be all the way down to the tail and then you just pull the body away from the skin.  One of the easiest critters to skin.  I would use a pair of rubber gloves.  They don't smell too good.  After you have the skin removed, get a 1x6 or 1x8 board, whatever it takes, and place the skin, good side down and tack the edges with finishing nails down each side until you have the skin stretched out nice and even.  Then apply a good dose of borax and let it sit for about a week or so.  This will absorb the moisture and keep the smell down.  Then brush off the excess borax and roll up and store until you need it.  Pretty easy, just a little stinky.

Andy

Split the belly & peel the hide off. Flesh the skin good by running the edge of some thing that isn't too sharp over the gut side of the skin.

Tack the skin down but don't stretch it, if the skin shrinks a bunch it will tear at the tack down points. You don't really need to put anything on the skin if you've fleshed it good.

Give it a couple of days to dry, preferably out of direct sunlight and where there is good ventilation. Once the skin has dried you can remove the remaining scales buy using tape to peel them off. Roll the skin up and save it until you're ready to use it. It'll keep, you don't need to freeze it or preserve it any other way. I like to put mink oil on the scale side of mine, that keeps the skin soft and keeps it from getting too dry.

I have done some like fergeris. I put them on a shovel or broom handle depending how fat the are to dry. Taxadermy suppliers have some products to tan them.

I got it skinned and tacked to a board this morning and it dried out quickly. I trimmed the edges a litte and rolled it up. Saturday or Sunday I am going to attempt putting them on. Thanks for all the help.

Are you saying you tacked it out in the morning, and rolled it up the same night?
That seems pretty fast - I'd  expect it to take a little longer.  The last one I did I left for 5 or 6 days with a fan blowing on it.
When it is dry enough the belly skin will be almost transparent - about like wax paper.

The center three inches was dried stiff and I trim the belly away when I cut it off the board. I will have it on the bow by monday.