FLYMPH FORUM

I just skinned a coot out today. The primaries look real interesting as they are a slightly different gray than mallard wings and also a bit softer.

Nice! Those should make some nice materials for some Clyde or Tummel patterns.

How long do you cure the skin before you use the feathers?

normally I just coat them with borax and when dry use them for tying. Coot is a bit different as they have fat deposits on between the skin and meat. I think it's because they are lazy.

I left the one wing section connected to the body and cut things at the end of that joint so there's less meat to dry out. I'd say it should take a month for things to get real dry. What I like about coot is the flank feathers are similar to tying with small heron or blue eared pheasant flank feathers.

zen leecher wrote:normally I just coat them with borax and when dry use them for tying. Coot is a bit different as they have fat deposits on between the skin and meat. I think it's because they are lazy.

I left the one wing section connected to the body and cut things at the end of that joint so there's less meat to dry out. I'd say it should take a month for things to get real dry. What I like about coot is the flank feathers are similar to tying with small heron or blue eared pheasant flank feathers.

Don't forget the wing coverts.

redietz wrote:

zen leecher wrote:normally I just coat them with borax and when dry use them for tying. Coot is a bit different as they have fat deposits on between the skin and meat. I think it's because they are lazy.

I left the one wing section connected to the body and cut things at the end of that joint so there's less meat to dry out. I'd say it should take a month for things to get real dry. What I like about coot is the flank feathers are similar to tying with small heron or blue eared pheasant flank feathers.

Don't forget the wing coverts.

I learned that trick two swaps ago as I needed a certain size and a certain shade for that swap. When I posted this thread I wondered what coot coverts looked like. If I flip the skin over I'd get borax all over the place. Hope I remember when the skin is dry.

Next coot that comes by gets shot.

Coot have some very nice feathers. The stem creates a very good body. See my post:

http://www.flymphforum.com/viewtopic.ph ... t&start=90

Greeting

Ruard

I have a Cookskill coot I bought from Jim Slattery a decade ago. I haven't managed to put much of a mark on it, but I sure meant to. Sounds like you've made a nice score.