[Ministry of Works photos. 1. Place the animal between the knees, cut off the ears at their base, cut across just below the foot of each foreleg in turn, then run the knife from the cut in the foreleg toward the lower part of the neck (not to the brisket), and continue up the neck. After the forelegs have been opened up, the cut in the neck is V shaped. 2. Holding the head with the left hand, grasp the V piece of skin and pull (start with a knife) until it is fairly free of flesh. Punch down over the brisket as far as possible. 3. Remove the animal from between the knees, place it on the ground, and open up the hind legs. If a foot is placed on the opossum’s hind foot and its legs are stretched apart, there is a straight run across from left to right. 4. Place the opossum between the knees,' free the skin, and punch down until the skin Is freed from the flesh along the whole length of the abdomen through to the anterior opening. 5 and 6. Place the animal on the ground for opening up. If it is a male, insert the knife above the testes and cut forward to the throat; then cut out the testes. If it is a female, cut out the pouch. Make the final cut at the back where the left hand holds the skin. 7. Roll the skin part of the way round to the back. 8. Clear down the flanks to the hind legs. 9. Roll the skin until it is free'from brisket to backbone, enabling the hand to go right through. 10. Grasp the rolled back skin with one hand, place the other hand on the body, and pull to free the middle part of the back. 11. Place the opossum on the ground with its head to the right, put the right foot through the opening that has just been made, and free the skin to the hind legs. [Ministry of Works photos.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 78, Issue 5, 16 May 1949, Page 474

[Ministry of Works photos.

1. Place the animal between the knees, cut off the ears at their base, cut across just below the foot of each foreleg in turn, then run the knife from the cut in the foreleg toward the lower part of the neck (not to the brisket), and continue up the neck. After the forelegs have been opened up, the cut in the neck is V shaped. 2. Holding the head with the left hand, grasp the V piece of skin and pull (start with a knife) until it is fairly free of flesh. Punch down over the brisket as far as possible. 3. Remove the animal from between the knees, place it on the ground, and open up the hind legs. If a foot is placed on the opossum’s hind foot and its legs are stretched apart, there is a straight run across from left to right. 4. Place the opossum between the knees,' free the skin, and punch down until the skin Is freed from the flesh along the whole length of the abdomen through to the anterior opening. 5 and 6. Place the animal on the ground for opening up. If it is a male, insert the knife above the testes and cut forward to the throat; then cut out the testes. If it is a female, cut out the pouch. Make the final cut at the back where the left hand holds the skin. 7. Roll the skin part of the way round to the back. 8. Clear down the flanks to the hind legs. 9. Roll the skin until it is free'from brisket to backbone, enabling the hand to go right through. 10. Grasp the rolled back skin with one hand, place the other hand on the body, and pull to free the middle part of the back. 11. Place the opossum on the ground with its head to the right, put the right foot through the opening that has just been made, and free the skin to the hind legs.

[Ministry of Works photos.