Skinning with a golf ball...

[Ed Gallop]

I learned a new method (for me) of skinning a deer from a friend several years ago. It is by using the same peeling off method used for skinning rabbits and squirrel. I've shared this with people I know but not on a forum. Thought maybe someone here would be interested. Instead of hours, it takes about a minute or two.

1: Hang the deer by it's head on a sturdy tree limb with heavy rope or whatever. Make sure the limb and rope is strong and the deer is off the ground.

2: Make cuts around the lower legs so the skin will peel off like a sock. Cut the skin around the neck and all the way down the belly (most wil already be cut from dressing it out.

3: Make a small loop in a nylon rope (best because it stretches) by tying a knot in a folded section. Run the rope through the loop so it will tighten when pulled. Use a strong size nylon rope (maybe 1/2 inch)

4: Peel enough skin from the back of the neck to wrap around a golf ball (about 6 inches. Put the ball on the hair side of the skin and wrap the skin around it, flesh outside. Hold the skin tight around the ball and slip the nylon rope over the covered ball. Pull tight so it will not fall off.

5: Tie the rope to your bumper and slowly pull away. The skin will easily peel off and the deer will be clean, no hair or debris. Just be sure to pull in a direction that will not result in the deer swinging back into the tree trunk and getting it dirty. You could wrap a sheet around the tree but I've never had the need. You can quarter the deer while hanging or wrap the skinned deer and take it home for butchering.

This method will not damage the deer or the skin and only takes a couple minutes. If you save the shin you can use a pressure washer to remove the meat and whatever. That also saves a lot of time than using a knife.

We have skinned a lot of deer with this method and never had a problem except when I tied to a weak limb once. Had to clean off leaves and grass with a pressure washer.

Hope this method saves someone time and effort. Ed.

[silvergts1998]

Interesting. I saw someone do something similar with a rope and attaching it to a truck. I can skin a deer in about 5-10 minutes doing the normal way.

[ironhead]

I have heard of commercial places doing that,,,but i stick to the old fashioned method myself,,it only takes meabout 15 minutes.

[Tony204ing]

That sounds like alot of work.It has never taken me hours just to skin a deer.I think i can skin one in the amount of time it takes to prep that method.

[mainewhitetail]

I have skinned deer using this trick and it does work well. Also i use a propane torch to remove any hair on the meat. Just run the flame over the hair and it will singe right off.

[Ed Gallop]

I was exaggerating on the time. I do have a friend that takes 2 hours but he is a perfectionist taxidermist. It takes me a fraction of the time to set up than skin with a knife.

I simply wrap a rope around the head/antlers, throw it over a limb, attach to the truck and pull the deer up with a tree between the deer and the truck to tie it off. Then I cut around the neck and under the neck to the belly cut from dressing it out. Cut around the lower legs above the glands so it peels off. Put a golf ball in the skin and tighten with a loop of 1/4" nylon rope. Attach it to the truck and drive the skin off.

The entire process, from hanging to skinning wouldn't take but 4 or 5 minutes, at most. It takes me at least 20 minutes with a knife from hanging to skinning, and I have to be careful of hair getting on the meat. No hair left on the meat and no accidental cuts into the skin or meat when peeling it off.

I know people that use this method with a come-a-long or winch but that is too slow. Ed.

[ninepointkiller]

Yea, I heard about this method last year. I cut around the neck and attached the rope to my hitch. When I started to pull the skin off, the whole head tore off!!! The deer got dirty from falling on the ground. If you try this method, be sure you cut down the length of the front and back feet, or else the skin will get caught up on the legs and you too, will pull off the whole head and the deer will fall on the ground.