Well I skinnned it today.was actually quiet easy after makeing 2 mistakes.I keept pulling when shoulda stopped (see?there WAS a reason they used them pliers!)I then forgot to snip the nose bone....so my snakes face kinda ripped (But I still got 4 ft of skin!) I went with the neets foot oil.I found 3 taxidermys in the book.They tell me it should be cured in a week.I borrowed a board from hubby (I told him He could have it back when I was finished) Its stapled,but some curling will occure as I ran outta staples and the other ones are taller so did not work as well so I stopped.but the center area has enough staples to hold it.
BIL has started thawing his snake for me to do next.I really enjoyed rubbing it in...My snake is bigger than his .He's already decided to mount his on a board.I'm thinking of doing one of my gourds with the snake skin.
I DID check out the meat some& believe the next one I shoot....I'll skin on spot and eat.I found a few articles on prepareing snake.you soak the meat in salt water to plump it up so its not tough.and found 1 lone article on makeing a necklace from the snakes spine.
This was my skinning guide.
http://www.hidetanning.net/SnakeSkinningIllustrated.html The round thing she used to clean remaining fat from skin.........I used a spoon turned at an angle and moved downwards direction same as scales.The hardest part is snipping around the eyes.I snipped different around the mouth than she did.I pulled most the skin back on head and took knife with sharp tip and pushed through around mouthline.I was trying to pull its fangs before cutting but they wouldn't pull out so I cut how I felt safer.Its head was slightly crushed so that did not help. I used a towel to cut on hardly any mess to clean up!
yes you do have to WATCH for cooperheads cause they make no noise.I've came very close to stepping on one twice.
I DO have a chair seat made out of deer hide.A friend made made for me years ago.Its a miricle i've keept up with the chair.Its proably about 17 years old now.not real comffy either.I DO like deer meat.hubby don't but I do. I like to make deer strips and wrap bacon around them on jalpeno
peppers and grill them.