Kanuk380

Can someone explain what they mean by the Golf Ball method of skinning deer? I have heard it refered to in here several times but don't know what it is.

Just another 5 weeks for the rifle season here in Ontario

HighDesertWolf

you hang your deer by its hind legs from a sturdy mount preferably a beam in a sturdy structure cut all 4 hooves off make a slice on the inside of its legs leading up to the crotch or arm pit region by hand peel the skin off the hind legs cut the tail off partially peel the skin off the hind quarters till you have a nice flap of hide that you can fold over a golf ball, with a hand or electric winch mounted to the floor below the animal have a slip knot tied on the end of the winch cable. now put a golf ball in the fur side of the flap of hide and wrap it with the hide so it makes a what looks like a bulged or rounded shape on the flesh side of the hide put your slip knot over that bulge and pull it tight just like noose or lasso around a neck while keeping the slip knot tight winch the slack out of the cable once nice and tight just winch the hide off the deer once you get down to the front legs you will peel the hide of the legs just like on the hind legs and continue winching the hide off once you get passed the neck at the base of the skull saw off the head being sure not to tear the hide. now you have a perfectly skinned deer should have hardly to no hair on the meat, and a perfect cape and head if desired to mount the animal.

cardeer

In texas they use this method ,but they use their vehicle to pull the hide off. Just hook it to the bumper and drive away

Rickmur

I just pull it off with my hands, I don't play golf so I have no balls laying around, besides, it builds muscle in my arms .

HighDesertWolf

Heck yeah that would do the trick

mdbohuntr,

I used to do it by hand too, but I would get to much fur on the meat. the golf ball method works better for me.

OntElk

We find it easier to get a nice flap from the shoulders. Therefore hang by the head. This of course assumes no head mount being done. Here's the way it was originally described to me.

1. cut off four legs just below joint.
2. on the inside of each leg make a cut up to the underside of the deer which is already open from gutting. (I kind of lift the edge of the hide as I go just to get it started. Just the fringe is all). Think of this step this way. If you had your coat on and I tried to pull it off from the back collar, your arms would be a problem. But if I cut your sleeve from the cuff to the open front of the jacket it would slip right off you.
3. now on the neck as high as you want to go start skinng down as you normally would.
4. When you have a "flap" of skin hanging about 12 inches long you're reday for the golf ball or any round rock about that size or as big as your fist (the bigger the rock, the bigger the flap you need is all).
5. Place the ball on the hair side and fold the flap down over top of it. Grab around the golf ball on the skin side of the flap you have just flipped over. You now looking at the inside of the skin with a "bulb" in your hand.
6. Take a nylon rope and make a slip knot. Put the slip knot over the "bulb" you're holding in the flap.
7. Cinch the slip knot down underneath your ball inside the skin flap. (Make sure the knot is cinching down on the skin underneath the ball and the skin is completely surrounding the ball. If not it may slip off. The ball acts as a stopper and the rope "grabs" hold of the skin to pull it off.
8. You're ready to go. If it is freshly killed just pull it yourself watch a beautiful hide slip right off. If it gets "caught up" along the way then just use your skinning knife to assit it along. If it has hung for awhile (or even if freshly killed) we use the four wheeler or truck to pull it.
note: sometimes it takes a second to get started. the truck will SLOWLY take up the slack and you'll start pulling the whole deer. Just take it slow and eventually the skin gives way and the whole hide slips right off. Again using the knife to help it to get stated once you're pulling can help if the deer has hung for awhile.

My camp insisted after explaining to them that it sounded too complicated. I challeneged them to a skin off. We had five on the pole. Me and my partner had three done by the time 2 of them had one done. In addition we had three perfect skins with no knife marks and not a single hair in the meat. I can't say as much for them.

Do it once you'll never skin another deer.

OntElk

Hey Kanuk, where's LaSalle? I'm from Onatrio but never heard of it. Northern Ontario perhaps?

x-mountie

OntElk

LaSalle is located on the shores of the Detroit River between Windsor and Amhurstburg.
It is famous for it"s Petite Cote Radishes and vegetable garden. Years ago it was a small farming community, but has grown to a considerable sized community having amalgamated with Sandwich West Township.

At one time it was renowned for it's rabbitt and pheasant hunting.

OntElk

Thanks. I have learned a new thing so today is a good day.

I noticed as well you're form Eastern Ontario. What WMU do you hunt in? I hunt in 66A

x-mountie

OntElk -

I am from south west of Ottawa and i hunt area 64A, Beckwith township,Lanark County.

Where are you at ? From your nick - i would suspect the Barrie area.