Predators and skinning?

[Designation-Kurt]

So I fully admit I am more of an Alien fan than Predator. However I've been binge watching all the predator movies. So in the second film they mention how they like beef. Okay, I also get that they take skulls as trophies. But why do they skin and bleed out the human carcass? I don't imagine it's for eating, or is it?

[Huggs]

1. an act of dominance
2. To use the skin
3. To preserve the meat
4. It looks scary on film and makes us look weak like cattle.

[Samhain13]

1. an act of dominance
4. It looks scary on film and makes us look weak like cattle.

This + I always saw that as a way to make a trophy out of a prey that wasn't strong enough to take the skull. Anytime and Pussyface only took the skulls of the ones that gave a challenge. Anytime took 3 skulls, and Pussyface 2. The other average prey got skinned.

It also serves as a tactic to scare the prey and break their minds, like the eye flash and the vocal mimicry. In the EU a Predator used that to replicate the last words of those he killed to others and threw human heads on the room where the survivors were to scare them.

So I think they enjoy f**king with their prey mentally.

[SuperiorIronman]

To my knowledge I don't believe we've ever seen a Predator eat part of a Human in the films or EU. We know they are carnivorous but the consuming of a Human to my knowledge has not come up, or if it has is not regularly enough to be considered something they'd do. Outside of beef we aren't exactly clear on cinematic Predator diets although it wouldn't be surprising if something in the encampment in Predators is something they'd eat. Although in the comics we've seen them dine on small rodents and even share a goat among their members and are every bit as messy eaters as you'd expect.

To me it's always been a scare tactic mixed with that of a "temporary trophy". Something that they'd use to intimidate opponents and also show dominance with.
There is some precedent for them enjoying mind games in the films as well since City Hunter was following and goading Harrigan along. We also see that putting fear into their opponents is a preferred tactic by the Super Predators.

The EU also implies that it's also enjoyable to some degree. While Scarface was tracking down El Hongo, after he was finished skinning him Scarface remarked if only to himself El Hongo's unfortunate words about his lack of finishing. Sure Scarface is a bit of a psychopath even by Predator standards, but it does imply that it's a thing that he'd do if given the chance.

[Samhain13]

Sure Scarface is a bit of a psychopath even by Predator standards, but it does imply that it's a thing that he'd do if given the chance.

Scarface could shitpost with the vocal mimicry. He was on a whole nother level when it comes to Predator trolling.

Well he kind of stayed 100 years all alone fighting for his life, this level of isolation must be unnatural even to Predators, probably made him a little mentally unbalanced.

[SM]

[SiL]

^That. Didn't realise that was ever a question.

[SM]

Yeah.  I don't know much about hunting but isn't it obvious?  Isn't it part of what hunters do?  Animal skins on the floor and heads on the wall.

[The Old One]

[SuperiorIronman]

That is always a thought that they'd make something from the skin seeing as they do use bones to create frames for weapons or decorate them, but isn't Human leather not particularly great?

You only have so much area on a Human and isn't the strength of it not as good as it could be? I was pretty sure that besides ethical reasons we don't do that because it's not a particularly great product. I could very easily be wrong of course, but I also don't think there's any evidence either to suggest they use the skin of Humans for anything. It's implied they'll use the skin for something seeing as Jungle Hunter does wear a little leather and Scar does know how to fashion makeshift armor and weapons, but I don't believe in the films either they've collected Human skin for anything. Skulls sure, but Human leather I'm not too sure.

[The Old One]

Human décor.

[SiL]

Human throw rug.

[Samhain13]

We never saw the human skin being used by the Predators. Aliens's body parts could be useful to make weapons and armor but human's don't have much use. We never saw them skin aliens, which could be possible if the acid loses its effect after the creature's death.

[Voodoo Magic]

Hunters do what hunters do. No need to complicate it.

Plus there's lots of things one can do with human skin!

[Samhain13]

https://media.giphy.com/media/ufPed1PnkvgNW/giphy.gif

Maybe some crazy Predator uses it to "dress" as a human. Does that qualify as Bad Blood?