Skinning shed thread

Site Notices

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Skinning shed thread

Posted: 6/4/2017 3:07:01 PM EDT

For the last 6-8 weeks I've been working on building a skinning shed and thought I would share. The shed is 32x20, with two 16x20' bays so to speak. I plan to pour concrete in the left side and completely close it in, insulate it and install a wall mount heat and air unit. The right side will be closed in on the back and right side and I'll put gravel down. In the far right corner I plan pour 6'x6' concrete slab with a drain and an electric winch over it to lift deer with. I will be installing a stainless commercial sink next to the skinning pad and the stainless table below will be next to that so I can lift deer up, skin them, rinse the meat and trim it up on the large oak cutting block I made and vacuum seal it. Below are some pictures of the building so far, the table I got used from a restaurant and some cutting boards I made, the biggest of which will be used to process venison. Since I have taken these photos I have ran water and power to the building.

If you have built a skinning shed yourself please share!

Posted: 6/5/2017 6:35:28 PM EDT

[#1]

Looks nice so far.

I think it might have been easier to pour the slab first though. You could have also used the slab to anchor the corner posts.

Posted: 6/5/2017 7:23:57 PM EDT

[#2]

Quote History

Quoted:
Looks nice so far.

I think it might have been easier to pour the slab first though. You could have also used the slab to anchor the corner posts.

View Quote

You are correct, this started off as an off the cuff project because I had some spare materials left over from another project and got a good deal on the metal roofing. When I set the post I intended on building the floor in the half I'm going to close in completely with salt treated lumber and have it elevated off the ground then as priced the lumber I decided to check the price on concrete and it ended up being cheaper to do concrete so I added some dirt to level it up on that side now I'm going to form up for the concrete. I think it will workout ok . Up to this point I've only got about 500$ in the building and it has most definitely been a learning experience.

Posted: 6/5/2017 9:23:29 PM EDT

[#3]

Man I'm ashamed to even talk about my setup compared to that

I just use a barn overhang and a stainless table. It's an upgrade from using a front end loader wherever they fall

This season I'm planning to rig up some 12v leds with a battery and small solar panel so I won't need headlights or a head lamp.

Tagged to steal some ideas!

Posted: 6/6/2017 7:23:21 AM EDT

[#4]

Quote History

Quoted:
Man I'm ashamed to even talk about my setup compared to that

I just use a barn overhang and a stainless table. It's an upgrade from using a front end loader wherever they fall

This season I'm planning to rig up some 12v leds with a battery and small solar panel so I won't need headlights or a head lamp.

Tagged to steal some ideas!

View Quote

No shame in that at all man. For years I've gutted them in the field (which I'll still do) and took them back to the hay shed on the farm and gotten dads tractor and picked them up with the forks. It's better than nothing but way less than ideal. No running water there, if it's early season it's full of hay, not a lot of lighting so you need headlights on the tractor or a headlamp and it's just a pole shed so there is no protection from the wind and you have to put the meat in a cooler and take it to the house to trim and pack. I just finally decided that I wanted a one stop shop with good lighting, water and protection from the wind

Posted: 6/15/2017 11:56:12 PM EDT

[#5]

Our garage is our skinning shed.

I mounted a pulley in the ceiling...Back the vehicle in, rope around the neck and hooked to trailer hitch on the other side, pull forward and up it goes.

Keeps me dry when its wet, and warm when it cold. Hose off, repeat as necessary. I even have extra trash cans for what's left, they go to the curb on trash day.

My wife finally hunted with me last year, and killed a really good 10 pt. But generally, she HATES deer season. LMAO.

Posted: 6/16/2017 12:03:46 AM EDT

[#6]

It's missing the hanging cooler. J/k. Looks good man.

Posted: 6/16/2017 2:32:40 PM EDT

[#7]

Quote History

Quoted:
Our garage is our skinning shed.

I mounted a pulley in the ceiling...Back the vehicle in, rope around the neck and hooked to trailer hitch on the other side, pull forward and up it goes.

Keeps me dry when its wet, and warm when it cold. Hose off, repeat as necessary. I even have extra trash cans for what's left, they go to the curb on trash day.

My wife finally hunted with me last year, and killed a really good 10 pt. But generally, she HATES deer season. LMAO.

View Quote

I tried that but it got me fussed at by the wife so I decided to build my own!

Posted: 6/16/2017 2:33:16 PM EDT

[#8]

Quote History

Quoted:
It's missing the hanging cooler. J/k. Looks good man.

View Quote

I've got the power and the room so it could happen down the road!

Posted: 6/16/2017 3:10:33 PM EDT

[#9]

Cool. Is there accessible water? You have room for a sink/basin?

Add lights and it's even better (I've skinned lots of critters in the headlights, but real overhead lighting is better).

Posted: 6/16/2017 9:29:19 PM EDT

[#10]

Quote History

Quoted:
Cool. Is there accessible water? You have room for a sink/basin?

Add lights and it's even better (I've skinned lots of critters in the headlights, but real overhead lighting is better).

View Quote

Yes sir, a water line had been ran to the building along with power and the panel box is up. I'll be putting the lights in soon..... lots of lights. I'm on the hunt for a good deal on a used stainless commercial sink now to go along with the table I got.

Posted: 6/17/2017 8:05:10 PM EDT

[#11]

Quote History

Quoted:
Yes sir, a water line had been ran to the building along with power and the panel box is up. I'll be putting the lights in soon..... lots of lights. I'm on the hunt for a good deal on a used stainless commercial sink now to go along with the table I got.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
Cool. Is there accessible water? You have room for a sink/basin?

Add lights and it's even better (I've skinned lots of critters in the headlights, but real overhead lighting is better).

Yes sir, a water line had been ran to the building along with power and the panel box is up. I'll be putting the lights in soon..... lots of lights. I'm on the hunt for a good deal on a used stainless commercial sink now to go along with the table I got.

Sounds like you're doing it right, then.

I heartily approve.

Posted: 6/17/2017 9:49:57 PM EDT

[#12]

I looked at this sink today. It's nice, has leaves and crud on it from sitting outside but nothing that wouldn't wash off. It's a little bigger than what I have been looking for but it will fit. I told the owner I'd have to measure to see if it would fit like I want it to and it will. He said he wanted 300$ for it..... I think I'm going to offer him 200$ for it.

Posted: 6/18/2017 6:49:04 AM EDT

[#13]

Looks good. We just got an autopsy table for our shed.

Posted: 6/18/2017 7:18:34 AM EDT

[#14]

Quote History

Quoted:
Looks good. We just got an autopsy table for our shed.

View Quote

Ha, that's a great idea.

Posted: 6/18/2017 7:43:58 AM EDT

[#15]

Reinforce the location where you will will winch your deer. I have seen rafters break over the years. Also, make it taller than you think. Looking good, by the way.

Posted: 6/18/2017 8:00:13 AM EDT

[#16]

Quote History

Quoted:
Reinforce the location where you will will winch your deer. I have seen rafters break over the years. Also, make it taller than you think. Looking good, by the way.

View Quote

A single deer carefully lifted shouldn't exceed the rating. A jerky pull with a truck and you might be finding a flaw in the wood. I had my garage shell built last year and when the crew cleared out the reinforced beam was put in. I made mine out of two 2x6s with plywood spacers and sufficiently long to span four of the trusses. My bottom chords were only 2x4 so spreading the load was a necessity. If I was on my game I would have looked at 2x6 bottom chords. Anyways my beam has a threaded eye bolt inserted in the gap in the beam and two oversized fenderwashers and a nut and a nylock nut. I could probably hang an engine but I will stick to deer.

I could have picked up a whole meat cutters set up but I don't want it all. It's the ceiling trolley rack, table, meat saw, grinder, jerky tools. All I would really want is the table and maybe the grinder if it's a solid one.

Taller is true. Mine is ten foot ceiling. It's just enough.

Posted: 6/18/2017 11:09:08 AM EDT

[#17]

Good idea on the reinforcement and height. Where I'm putting the lift is 11'6" high minus the 4" slab with the drain so it'll be 11'2" ish. That should be plenty high for deer and the occasional bear. My rafters are 2x6 and I'm mounting the lift pretty close to the rear beam but now that it's been mentioned I think I'll take some 2x6s and cut 45s on the ends and brace the rafters I hang the lift on back to the beam.

Posted: 6/20/2017 6:26:08 PM EDT

[#18]

Found this! Just need a faucet for it.

Posted: 7/12/2017 8:32:40 PM EDT

[#19]

So after some thinking about how to be sure that the truss I attach the lift to could handle the weight of a bigger bear I decided to attach 5 more 2x6s to the existing truss, these trusses only span 8' between the 4x6 cross beams that they are resting on. I can't imagine there being anything on the North American continent outside of zoos that I couldn't hang off of this to skin.

Posted: 7/13/2017 3:45:11 PM EDT

[#20]

Don't know where you are, but are Bears a concern?

I am in Suffolk, and see Bears all the time on the farm.

We make sure to keep all the deer remains far from camp. And really try to clean up after skinning and cutting deer.

Posted: 7/13/2017 5:02:43 PM EDT

[#21]

Quote History

Quoted:
Don't know where you are, but are Bears a concern?

I am in Suffolk, and see Bears all the time on the farm.

We make sure to keep all the deer remains far from camp. And really try to clean up after skinning and cutting deer.

View Quote

Yes, I am in Lunenburg county. I good ways west of you and we had the most bear tagged east of the blue ridge for the last couple years. A lot of bear here. I will field dress the deer in woods where I kill it then bring it to the skinning shed, after I get all the meat off and processed I'll take the skeleton and hide way off on the back of the farm. Nothing will be left anywhere near the skinning shed.

Posted: 7/13/2017 7:53:43 PM EDT

[#22]

Quote History

Quoted:

Yes, I am in Lunenburg county. I good ways west of you and we had the most bear tagged east of the blue ridge for the last couple years. A lot of bear here. I will field dress the deer in woods where I kill it then bring it to the skinning shed, after I get all the meat off and processed I'll take the skeleton and hide way off on the back of the farm. Nothing will be left anywhere near the skinning shed.

View Quote

if you get one this year can i buy the skull off of you??

Posted: 7/13/2017 7:59:36 PM EDT

[#23]

Quote History

Quoted:

if you get one this year can i buy the skull off of you??

View Quote

I've never killed one (have only been hunting for a couple years) so if I get one this year it'll be my first and I'll probably keep it but I know some guys that kill quite a few every year and I'll see what I can do to get one for ya.

Posted: 7/13/2017 8:19:33 PM EDT

[#24]

Quote History

Quoted:

I've never killed one (have only been hunting for a couple years) so if I get one this year it'll be my first and I'll probably keep it but I know some guys that kill quite a few every year and I'll see what I can do to get one for ya.

View Quote

Excellent. I am going to try for one myself too.