whats the easiest way to get these? we've always gotten them with a knife and saw. I've heard that there's some sort of tool that makes it easier. but I'm not familiar with what it is.

Jaw splitters will help... but if you cut down the cheeks then find the hitch behind the jaw its about like breaking down a ham leg when you get use to it... short but stout backboned knife helps... ill try and find a pic of the jaw splitters

I've heard of something called a "pinch"??? which I envisioned as being some sort of cutter for actually removing the jaw. I could be all wrong on that though.

This is what our biologist uses.

We just skin it back with a knife and use limb cutters, works great on cutting leg bones and the spine too.

Could just use some tree clippers

Bout the easiest way i know if you really want to look at it and see all the teeth.

Yep, lopping shears.

I've used one of those tools before, and it was helpful. However, I agree that you can do it with some heavy snippers or a saw. It is a chore, though, and a bit gruesome.

Also, the quicker you get to it the easier it is. When the jaw locks it is much more difficult.

skin to back of jaw on both sides, then cut very back of jaw with pruning shears, then cut the tongue out

When I was going up in Kansas, we had to pull a couple teeth and send them in for aging. I am not good enough to age with only a couple of teeth, but it seems somebody was. They stopped this in the late 80's I believe. I wonder if it wasn't effective....I heard the heard was too big and they no longer needed the data. They would send you the data back in the snail mail if you wanted back then. We always opted for the information.

Just stating this because it might be easier just to pull some teeth to send in and not the whole jaw.....but not for sure

This ^^

Stick a rock or stick in its mouth right after the shot (or pictures) to keep the jaws from locking shut. Then, give them the joker treatment with a sharp knife well past the cheeks. Finally, take lopping shears and cut the lower jaw above and past the last tooth. Voila, one lower jawbone.

Quick and easy with a little practice, no special tool required.

yeah its a little gruesome to mess with. I will try the shears. hadn't thought about that.

It is, and not something I really care to do, but its required for our biologist. I only use the shears for cutting thru the front teeth, the rest is done with a sharp knife, and then just a twist at the end.

Good luck



a quick google can show you several different ways