My hand made Raccoon quiver is DONE!

AndrewArcher · April 23, 2011, 07:54:00 PM

Now, for road kill, I think it turned out pretty good.

Here's a short story on how I acquired the coon

Well, at the moment me and my family are house sitting for a friend. Our friends mom is sick, and the friend had to go to NJ.

Anyways, my sister and her boyfriend came to visit us from four hours away.

After a week, we said our good byes, and watched them drive away toward home.

Well, a couple minutes later, I got a call from my sisters boyfriend.

He informed me that there was a large raccoon that was fairly fresh, and was in good condition, that was on the side of the road. After thanking him multiple times, I talked to my mom, trying to convince her to go for a drive to pick up some road kill.

After a little convincing, she said alright (What a awesome mom) So we grabbed a trash bag, some gloves, and headed out.

We spotted the coon on the road after driving for no more then five minutes. We pulled over, and as I started to get out, my mom said "Make sure its dead!" I chuckled and assured her I would.

I approached the coon, and stood about 5 feet away and started hissing and flailing my arms.

Now, picture, if you can, a 17 year old boy, wearing surgical gloves, hissing and flailing at a dead raccoon in the middle of the road at 1 in the morning. It was a sight to see.

After confirming it was dead, I picked it up, threw it in the bag, and we drove off home.

While skinning it, my mom decided she would watch for a bit. I was repeatedly warned not to cut myself, because she didn't feel like going to the hospital.

While that did get a bit annoying, I did appreciate the company, and the fact that she drove to pick up road kill.

So, after skinning it, (which was a walk in the park compared to a skunk. Which, might I add, are not easy to skin) I dropped it in a tanning solution, and left it there.

After a lot of thought, I decided I would make a quiver. Now, I have no prior experience with sewing, so this was a fairly difficult task.

I couldn't find any info on how to make a coon skin quiver, so I had to wing it.

SO, with no experience with sewing, having no one to answer questions, I made my quiver.

Now, its not the best. Its not the most beautiful. Its by far not the most amazing hand crafted quiver. But having learned everything about skinning and tanning myself, with no help, I think I did a pretty good job

So, I still need to add a wire cage lining to it, but yeah, that's it.

DannyBows · April 23, 2011, 08:57:00 PM

Very nice! It's pretty cool that you're figuring this stuff out on your own. Cool Mom's are a big bonus too. Make sure you do something nice for her on Mother's Day.
That will look awesome when you get it lined-out. Congrats, and make sure you post pics of it when it's done. Keep-up the good work!

JohnnyWayne · April 23, 2011, 09:23:00 PM

That is pretty darn cool, just make sure you don't do something silly like leave it curled up on a toilet seat in a dark bathroom, preferably one the ladies of the house frequently visit - or if you do please video it and post it here

Seriously, good job bud, in my humble opinion the best way to learn is to DO and you sound like you get it

Cheers

April 23, 2011, 09:24:00 PM

hey! thats how you learn stuff, get out and do it yourself. cool im sure you learned a few things doing it.

GWV · April 23, 2011, 09:32:00 PM

Nice!

don s · April 23, 2011, 09:38:00 PM

Quote

Now, its not the best. Its not the most beautiful. Its by far not the most amazing hand crafted quiver. But having learned everything about skinning and tanning myself, with no help, I think I did a pretty good job

i liked everything you wrote except for the above. you need to rewrite this part. it should read: it is the best, it is the most beautiful, it is by far the most amazing hand crafted quiver.

when i was your age the only thing i skinned was my knee after i fell down while running from the police. don :D

Mike Vines · April 23, 2011, 09:42:00 PM

nice story, and everyone needs a Mom like her. Make sure you get her some extra flowers in a couple weekends.

Killdeer · April 23, 2011, 10:00:00 PM

Wow! You remind me of me!(you poor thing!)
I was more into birds, and I still haven't developed any tanning skills. I think you did an awesome job, and did it sensibly.

Yes, I just said that a seventeen-year-old, hissing and making wild flails at a dead raccoon at one o'clock in the morning is doing a sensible thing.

I hope you sound more sensible than that when you reach my age!
Killdeer

30pointbuck · April 23, 2011, 10:09:00 PM

Thats how it's done, Just do it. Nice job my friend.

AndrewArcher · April 23, 2011, 10:34:00 PM

"That is pretty darn cool, just make sure you don't do something silly like leave it curled up on a toilet seat in a dark bathroom, preferably one the ladies of the house frequently visit - or if you do please video it and post it here [biglaugh]

Seriously, good job bud, in my humble opinion the best way to learn is to DO and you sound like you get it [Smile]"

Cheers [Smile]

Haha that made me laugh! Thank you very much

-----------------------------------------

Now, its not the best. Its not the most beautiful. Its by far not the most amazing hand crafted quiver. But having learned everything about skinning and tanning myself, with no help, I think I did a pretty good job [Smile]

i liked everything you wrote except for the above. you need to rewrite this part. it should read: it is the best, it is the most beautiful, it is by far the most amazing hand crafted quiver.

when i was your age the only thing i skinned was my knee after i fell down while running from the police. don [Big Grin]

Wow, huge compliment. That made me smile from ear to ear haha!
----------------------------------

Wow! You remind me of me!(you poor thing!)
I was more into birds, and I still haven't developed any tanning skills. I think you did an awesome job, and did it sensibly. [thumbsup]

Yes, I just said that a seventeen-year-old, hissing and making wild flails at a dead raccoon at one o'clock in the morning is doing a sensible thing.

I hope you sound more sensible than that when you reach my age!
Killdeer [biglaugh]

That also made me laugh lol. Thank you so much.

And thank you everyone for the kind words ;D

Converml · April 23, 2011, 10:45:00 PM

Andrew very nice job. I still have the first quiver I made and while I'm having an Amish harness maker building a new one for I'll always keep my first. It's full of arrows and memories. Well done and enjoy.

bsoper · April 24, 2011, 02:35:00 AM

That is amazing! I love raccoons. Nice job dude.

GRINCH · April 24, 2011, 02:39:00 AM

Great Job Andrew.

rdoggsilva · April 24, 2011, 04:18:00 AM

Really good job there Andrew!!!

JimL · April 24, 2011, 08:09:00 AM

Great recycle job. Looks so traditional.

Izzy · April 24, 2011, 08:47:00 AM

Cool mom for sure, they are a sometimes underappreciated lot yet they often inspire us more than dad without us noticing.nice quiver, you'll go far in life if you keep digging in and " taking the coon by the tail". Self taught is the best wa to learn most anything.

wapiti1997 · April 24, 2011, 09:50:00 AM

Well done, not everyone has a coonskin quiver!

straitera · April 24, 2011, 11:10:00 AM

Recycled coon skin! Great! Look at some plains quivers. Easy done & you're close already. Great job!

leatherneck · April 24, 2011, 11:15:00 AM

Excellent job!! That is something your grandkids will really appreciate.

White Falcon · April 24, 2011, 11:30:00 AM

Great Work, keep it up!