# roadkill tails



## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

Please dont think I am a weirdo for this question, but I have a son (too young to hunt) who want some squirrel and raccoon tails. theres plenty of fresh roadkill in these parts, I thought about taking the ax and chopping the tail off a fresh one. 
What do you think i should do to preserve it/keep it from stinking/dry it out??
I read in the back to basics about tanning hides (with brains), but what about these fluffy tails??


----------



## Ed Norman (Jun 8, 2002)

Chop it off. Grab the meat and bone inside with pliers. Grab the skin right by the pliers and grab it hard. Then pull the pliers and hold the skin and the tail will slide out of the skin. Usually. You might need a vise grip and a vise. Or you can slit the underside of the tail and peel the bone out, but sliding it out is easier. After the bone is out, then slit the tail open and rub in table salt and it won't stink. Or use some borax. 

I used to partly split a small stick and slide that over the tail bone before I got strong enough to hold it with my fingers.


----------



## Ohio Rusty (Jan 18, 2008)

I keep the stuff in my car to cut off animal parts from road kills. I tie flies and I often will take the tails from deer for bucktail flies. When I get the tail home, I use an X-acto knife and slit the skin underneath the tail from the butt of the tail all the way to the tip of the bone. It makes bone removal real easy. I then just salt the tail and let it dry. I always have boxtops lined with newspaper in the garage ready to put salted animal parts in.
Ohio Rusty ><>


----------



## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

I find it easier to remove the tail from the bone with the bone still attached to the body. With skunks I would split the underside of the tail part way. I would then squeeze the bone between my index and middle fingers and pull the tail off the bone.

To preserve it I would scrap all the fat and flesh off the hide and rub borax into the hide.


----------



## quietstar (Dec 11, 2002)

Rusty, you and I are motivated by the same interest, material for fly tying. I keep small pruning shears and Ziplock bags in my truck for a quick, neat pick-up. I don't spend much time in the middle of hilly, curving Texas FM roads where racers like to run. 

Beaglebiz.. Sounds like your son will end up with a good hands-on nature experience. Wish I had a good small animal picture book to send him...Glen


----------

