Beaver tales

Coldwood

Coldwood

Joined
Jun 5, 2006
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Today I was helping a friend who is a trapper cut up some beaver carcasses. I commented that the tails might make neat looking knife sheaths. He gave me two, one 11", another 12". They're in the freezer for now. Otherwise, he doesn't eat beaver meat.

So how do you skin them out and cure them, or is it a wasted effort? I read different reports on the web, some from taxidermists saying that they are a PITA to try to cure, too thin, etc.

I also read that the tail is the best part of the beaver to eat...got varying online reports, some say that beaver meat is the best, others says that it is so oily that scavengers won't eat it.

Anybodys experience?
 
Beaver Tales. I thought it was the beginning of some stories?

Never gave it much thought, like possum. If I had to, I'd eat it, but not set out looking for one.
 
Sorry SkunWerX, but when my friend brought home his first two beaver this season, his 8-year-old son said "Hey Dad, let's have a beaver-eating contest!"

To which my friend said "Sure, Son!"

and we can imagine what his mother said, yada, yada....
 
I've read that some folks in old times considered the beaver tail a delicacy. If I recall correctly, the tail was speared on a stick and roasted over the fire. When done, the seared skin was pealed off, revealing gelatinous white meat. Sounds tasty, no?
 
Beaver meat is top notch, for the love of god don't let him throw it out!
Friend of mine traps one once in awhile and told me that he just throws them into the woods("problem beaver") I said I'll takem for the hide if nothin else!
Then it occurd to me that mountain men had to have eat them. Why would they throw such a thing away? I butchered them up and put it in a crockpot for the day and I'm here to tell you that beaver does not have to take second to any meat. Make sure that you clean the meat well as the fat is not good like beef. as for the rest of the critter, the feet were saved to teach kids, the skulls got boiled and cleaned for the teeth and as decoration, and the tails... The tails I skinned with a fillet knife( knife content;) )and dried. What I intend to do is make a pouch of them but alone they are a bugger so I figure on making a buckskin bag first and then put the tail skin over it. I too have enough to make a sheath; should look cool:cool: As for eating the actual tail part go ahead, it's all grisel:barf: I think that when folks talk of eat beaver tail they are talking about the big honkin muscle that doees the slappin.:D :thumbup:
 
mewolf1, do you have any special formula for treating the skinned out beaver tail...pack it with salt, vinegar, borax, etc.?

My friend cures the skin for sale, cuts the arms and legs off for Fisher bait, and tosses the carcass...I saw a lot of meat going to waste, didn't say anything...but then I've heard so many pros and cons about whether the meat is good...that it might be too oily or greasy.

I've heard that a beaver tail may not be tough enough for a knife sheath, but maybe a cover skin over a wooden sheath? And frankly, the tail is not THAT attractive, but I thought it might be kind of cool for one sheath.

Wow, we're getting all kinds of reports that beaver is good to eat, or not. I've eaten woodchuck, which is very good, I thought beaver would be similar...maybe not, maybe yes.

After I skin out the beaver tail, I will try cooking the meat for soup or stew.
 
There is NO meat in the tail. It is all grisel, but I have heard that the native folks of this continent burned the skin off then ate what was inside:barf: . I'll say again, the meat is excellant!!!:thumbup: Just make sure to get as much fat off as you can. The hind legs seem to be best; most meaty. I'm of the same thought that the tail needs to go over something and is not durable enough by its self. Salt or borax would work fine, but remember to flesh it out to remove as much fat as you can. If fat is left on it "grease burn".
 
Thanks mewolf1...I'll go round this again next year with my friend, this year's trapping season is about done. I'll make a point of getting some thigh meat from him. He can make bait out of other parts.

Grisel in the tail? Gag me with a spoon :barf: I'll see what it looks like, might try it anyway as an experiment...might become coyote food. My main objective is to get some skin for a knife sheath.

Thanks for the info, Don
 
a friend of mine, put some dried beaver tail on the handle of a primitive bow he was making.... it actually came out pretty cool....:o
 
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