keeping a fox tail

[Snowz]

shot a fox earlier tonight and fancied keeping the tail, cut it off the fox in the field so now what do i do to it so i can keep it cause it stinks too fck

 

Richard

[Tiff]

First wash the tail in water and carefully dry it.

On the underside cut all the way along to the tip.

Then skin it round the bone, leaving the fur tail.

Fill the tail with salt so all the exposed flesh is covered.

Remove this salt after 12 hours and replace.

After two/three saltings all the extra moisture will be removed and the flesh cured.

 

This will leave the tail almost odourless and still very soft and flexible.

 

Hope that helps,

 

Tiff

[Finman]

hi

 

I use an old gamekeeper's trick, taught to me by a friend:

 

- have with you when lamping, a length of bailing twine (or similar) of about 20 inches (40-60cm)

- shoot a fox (necessary this step!)

- once you found the fox, cut the base of its tail with a very sharp knife, only the skin mind, all around the bone and gently tease out the ends apart

- wrap the rope/twine just under the cut, where the rope will be touching the exposed flesh (make sure you haven't cut to the bone!)

- grab the two ends of the rope, tighten the loop, put one foot on the back legs of the fox and pull sharply

 

If done correctly, you now have the furry bit of the tail, with no bone, free. If done incorrectly, the bone has snapped and you have to find a vice to hold the end of the bone so you can repeat the above steps. trust me on the last one, I have been there

 

Once you have the boneless bit of tail, put in a bag and bring home at the end of the hunt.

- Have from the chemist/B&Q or any such source, a litre of methylated spirits.

- Find tupperware that the wife does not know she has or will not miss for 4 weeks.

- Place tail in the tupperware. Fill with methylated spirits so it covers all the tail.

- Leave for 4 weeks, and after that, take out of tupperware, let the tail dry and you have a perfectly preserved tail. Make sure you wash the tupperware 2-3 times or it'll stink of methylated spirits mixed with fox smell...don't want that on your sandwiches next time the missus decides to get her own back

 

done it 8-9 times now and haven't lost a single tail, all supple and fresh looking even after 5-6 years.

 

best wishes and Happy New Year to all!

 

Finman

[baldie]

Thats exactly the method i,ve always used Finman. I used to pull the brush off the fox with the baler twine end on the end of my whip [ i was a whipper-in].Its dead easy once you have the knack.

The methylated spirit is the purple stuff.

I then used to turn up a little brass ferrule on the lathe, sew a loop of cord onto the cut end of the brush, and slip the ferrule over it. Ready to hang on the wall.

[Grouse]

Another idea for a ferrule is to knock the primer out of an old catridge case. Use a length of brass picture wire to knot onto end of tail and pass that through the primer hole to form a noose for hanging on wall.

 

If it was a long shot or first fox with rifle , can cut the case down and use that as a momento? Just an idea.

[eldon]

Done similar to the above posts but with a few alternatives as well.

 

If near the car just use a pair of pliers and treat the tail as if you were wire stripping, dead easy.

 

If you haven't much meths left you can fill the hole in the tail where the bone was and then place a stick either just in the end to plug it or all the way in to keep it straight. The latter is better if you are going to mount it onto a stick as a cobweb duster. Every two or three days remove the stick and put a few drops in and refit the stick.

 

Not had a tail go rotten yet.

 

Its a lot easier taking the tail outer from the carcase than it is from a removed tail with bone later. Try not to severe the tail or cut too deep as if it comes off you then need a vice and the vice tends to crush the bone rather than hold it and it can be a pain.

[Redfox]

I take the tail off as close the the body as possible and next morning or so I carefully tease the skin back about 3/4" and then clamp a pair of decent mole grips onto the bone/flesh and grip them in the vice or get a friend if you have one! i use a piece of 1/2" thick ply about 3 inches wide and about a foot long cut a narrow "V" in the end and force the fleah into the narrow end, a good pull and the skin is off complete. Soak in Meths for three -five days and then wash gently in soap flakes ( lux)and tepid water and leave to dry naturally overnight ( or it will shrink), I then cut a bit of welsding wire about half an inch shaorter than the skin/tail gently push it down to the botton and then fill the tail/skin with clear silicon ( not the neutral stuff) and let it cure. The acetic acid in the silicon sealant acts as a natural tanning agent and keeps the hair from dropping out.

You can buy the proper brass ferrules with leather loop form any of the many online taxidermy suppliers.Meths is dirt cheap from any hardware or builders merchants.

Tiff your a heathen ( "slit it from end to end")

Redfox

[menial 1]

We use hazel sticks, as said, nick round the base of the tail put a stick crossways either side on the cut and squeeze them together and draw the tail off the bone.

Pete.

[Snowz]

oh well seems i cut the tail off and better to do it when attached to the fox i better go out and shoot another and do it properly