How to Skin a Deer Using an Air Compressor (infographic)

News & Tips: Skin a Deer Using an Air Compressor (infographic)...

There Is More Than One Way to Skin a Buck

For hundreds of years deer have lost their coats to an old fashioned skinning post and a sharp knife, but that doesn't stop hunters from striving to make the process faster and more efficient. From skinning knives and specialized tools to a method involving a golf ball and a pickup truck, we are always looking for a better way.

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Havalon Knives Piranta-Edge Skinning Knife

1 arrow pointTip: Watch video: Skinning a Deer with a Golf Ball and Pickup Truck: Original

This new process utilizes a tool you may already have in your garage or shop: an air compressor

The purpose behind skinning a deer this way is simple. It makes removing the hide easy and it wont damage the meat. The air simply goes under the pelt and forces its way through the animal, separating the skin from muscle and sinew. There will be few places that your knife will even touch the deer, so no meat goes to waste.

Check out this step-by-step visual guide on how to skin a deer using an air compressor, courtesy of Quincy Compressor. Click here to view the full-size printable PDF infographic.

Skin a Deer Infographic

                                                                                    original source: Quincy Compressor
       How to Skin A Deer With An Air Compressor by Quincy Compressor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Check Out the Six Steps to Skinning a Deer With An Air Compressor Process:

1. First, hang your deer up like usual. Make sure its secure so the deer doesn't fall during the process. You'll still be handling it quite a bit and pulling the skin off at the end, so you don't want to rush through this step.

2. Next, take your knife and cut a small hole in the deer's back thigh. This hole should be as close to the exact size of your air compressor nozzle as possible. Start small, as its always easier to make a bigger hole than to try to make a smaller one.

3. Insert the nozzle of the air compressor into the hole you just made. If you made the hole too big, wrap some cloth or even tape around the nozzle. This prevents air from seeping out. It doesn't have to be a complete air-tight seal, but it will work best if little or no air is escaping.

4. Turn the air compressor on and watch your deer expand. The pressure of the air is pushing the skin right off of the meat, leaving little or no waste.

5. After a minute or so, check and see if the deer is fully inflated. If not, cut a new hole wherever theres a trouble spot and pump some more air near the area. If its still stuck you can just use your knife to loosen it.

6. Finally, once you feel the skin is loose enough, cut a slit on the deer's leg and then start pulling the skin downward. It should come off cleanly in one piece. In some cases you'll run into spots that are a bit more stubborn. Take your knife and cut away any of these sections that are stuck.

Be sure to share this with your hunting buddy and let us know your thoughts in the comment section!