How to Skin a Moose

You've finally bagged that trophy moose. Now the hard work begins. How you skin the moose depends on what you're doing with the hide. As you field dress the moose and you're starting to pack the meat out, there is still the question of the skin.

Things You'll Need

• Rope

Instructions

1. Understand that in the usual hunting process your quarry will be cut into quarters to make for easier hauling. If you want to skin the hide away in one piece you'll need to do so at the kill site which is usually very difficult. You can make things easier on yourself by having the materials to hang the carcass from a tree or, better yet, road or mechanized access sufficient to haul a 1,200-pound animal back to civilization.

2. Peel the skin away from quarters with your hands. It shouldn't be necessary to use a knife at all. If you do find it necessary to do any cutting, take great pains not to puncture the hide or the membrane that covers the meat. If you're skinning the animal whole, go to Step 3. You may find pulling the hide away to be easier if you hang the quarter from a tree.

3. Hang the entire carcass, head up, from a tree. Make sure that the rope, tree and knots are strong enough to keep your quarry from falling on you.

4. Sever each of the legs just below the first joint.

5. Starting as high on the carcass as possible, slowly and carefully peel the skin away as in Step 2. Since the carcass is hanging you will be able to use your body weight to help pull the hide off. Some very thin muscle tissue may come off with the skin from the back of the animal--this is easily trimmed later. Otherwise the skin should separate easily from the meat.

6. Salt the inside of the skin and roll it up, fur out, until you're ready to finish processing it.