Anyone ever

susie

Tanned/cured their own deer hide? Since my buck wasn't a wall hanger I didn't have to worry about the cape. I skinned him and have frozen the hide for the moment. There are local taxidermists who will do it, but I wondered if it was a DIY that wouldn't kick my butt.

RobOz

hair on or off?

ridgleyart

I did one a number of years ago, remember it being a little messy, but not too hard. You'll have to find a container big enough to hold the ingredients and a fair bit of water. I used one of these kits, but I don't remember which one.

https://www.vandykestaxidermy.com/Tanning-Kits-C18.aspx

toad67

Never tanned one, but had mine tanned many times when I was younger..

susie

Going to do it with the hair on. Not wanting leather, just a rug/conversation piece. If I complete the first one and am happy with the results I will do one for each of the kids. #'s 1,2, and 4 would appreciate one. #3, not so much, lol. I bought her hubby a mounted ram skull one year for Christmas. He had it in his "office" until they moved. He saw it at a local shop in Poplar Bluff and wanted it. She told him no. I went back and bought it. It has been relegated to the garage for the moment.

savage170

If you decide to send it out my brother uses this place with good results. When I lived on the farm we use to do them ourselves to me scraping the flesh side was the hardest part

Show me Tannerry,

Randy McBride

Rogersville MO 417- 576-7188

jimdeere

I found this:

”Tanning

A fleshed and dehaired hide was sometimes dried and used raw. Rawhide is a particularly strong material used for making items like snowshoes, storage containers and ropes. But when the tribal member wanted leather, he tanned the hide by rubbing it with a paste made of the animal’s brain cooked in a small amount of water. Once the paste was rinsed out, he stretched and worked the hide until it softened.”

gjshaw

I have done them using the brains from the deer. They come out soft and the hair is firm.

Frogdog

Doing two now. Steps:

1. Get the hide as clean as you can of flesh/connective tissue. A pressure washer works great.
2. Salt it heavy. I use two containers of salt. Fold in half flesh sides together and roll it up. Set it in a bucket on top of something (I use a ball of chicken wire in the bottom) so liquid drains to bottom away from hide. Leave for 24 hrs.
3. Shake off salt and repeat step 2 with new salt.
4. Shake off the salt. Make a salt water bath with hot water and new salt (1/2 pound per gallon). Mix and let it cool. Put the hide in with something to hold it under. Leave 6-8 hours.
5. Rinse thoroughly. Then wash hide with dish soap and rinse again.
6. Lay out to dry. Let it dry til still just jslightly damp and still flexible. Will take a few days.
7. Apply commercial tanner per instructions.

Note: use non-iodized salt if you can

Once tanned, sew up any holes as needed.

Good Luck!

Frog

susie

Thanks guys. I'm going to give it a whirl. I will keep you posted.

danielgage

if you just want a hard hide with hair

I have done numerous one's with Borax

I just nail it to a 4x8 sheet of plywood or OSB stretching it tight then cutting meat off and rubbing Borax on it several times for several days

this just dries it out and makes it hard but it has worked for me to put on the garage wall with hair staying attached for years

bustedknee

Years ago, I recall a heck of a mess and stink, brains, gasoline and hair.

I found it much cheaper and lots easier to purchase tanned hides.

I think they came from commercial operations in New Zealand.

EXAMPLE:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/831959863/large-roe-buck-deerskin-hide-area-rug?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=deer+hide+hair+on&ref=sr_gallery-1-5