Good to hear of someone that wants to do things right. Most of the guys that I know that kill coyotes don't have any idea what to do with the hides.
#1 I give them a good misting with some Raid as soon as I get them home. Within a few minutes they are pretty much free of fleas.
#2 If I have too many to flesh in one night, I roll up the excess hides and put them in a garbage bag in the freezer. Never had any problem at all if I wait until the weekend to flesh them and get them on stretchers.
#3 Never had a problem with using a deep freeze for keeping hides fresh until I'm ready to put them up. I've even lost track of a hide in there and put it up the next year. No difference at all.
#4 It will depend on temp and humidity. With a fox or coyote, I generally leave them skin out for a day and then turn them and leave them until the skin side is dry to the touch. A few days I suppose.
As for proper cuts on a canine, I know you didn't ask, but I see a lot of messed up hides. Cut the hide off on the bottom jaw, and cut your front legs off at the first joint. I like to fold the ears back and make sure that they look nice and even side to side. Make your bottom cut along the line that the color changes along the back legs and stop at the hock. Make sure you split the tails to the tip. I like to keep a fan going in my fur shed, helps dry damp fur and your hides will dry more quickly. I wash the areas that get blood on, otherwise you can just brush them out good. When you take them off the stretcher you just give them a few flips from the nose end and they will fluff up nice.
