Anyone get their bears soft tanned, not rugged? Other species as well?

[7mmfan]

I feel like I'm on the track to get my first bear this year, feeling pretty confident about some areas I've scouted recently. I really don't have any interest in a felted bear rug, but I would like to save the hide and maybe just soft tan it. Has anyone else done this, maybe have pictures of the end product? I'm having my elk hide from last year tanned right now, I'm excited to get that one back. I'm considering trying to get a hide from each of my target big game animals tanned in the next few years. Bear, elk, mule deer, and blacktail. Maybe add a whitetail and pronghorn in there for kicks at some point.

[724wd]

I have a tanned bear hide. Face is intact, but the lips and eye holes are a bit ragged, as you would expect from such soft skin. It's a nice wall decoration. I'll get some pics.

[carpsniperg2]

I have done bobcat and yotes. They are nice for the wall but like 724ws said the eyes and mouth are kinda ragged looking.

[7mmfan]

I would almost consider not having the head on a soft tanned bear hide, but I'd have to see it first. I suppose if it gets done head on and it creeps everyone out I can just get rid of it.

[ghosthunter]

I had mine tanned last year. Just like a rug but no skull or batting.

[7mmfan]

I had mine tanned last year. Just like a rug but no skull or batting.

Any photos of the finished product?

[buglebuster]

Here is a pic of my spring bear from last year. I got it soft tanned, not the best pic of it tho

[tlbradford]

If I remember I will get you a photo tonight of my soft tan as well.  It looks fine with the head on, and this gives you options down the road.  Plus you can hang it from a hook at the nose.  I think it cost about $350 for the soft tan.

[kselkhunter]

Has anybody used a soft tanned bear skin as a throw blanket?

I was contemplating going the soft tanned route (no head) and sowing a soft fleece blanket to the bottom and using it as a throw in the living room décor.   Just curious if others have tried that route. 

[Jonathan_S]

I'm a fan of soft tan deer, bear and elk.  Have done a "few" myself and even if I couldn't, would have a few done.

[trophyhunt]

Hair on tan with 99% of my bears, just throw them over the back of couch.  Not soft enough for blankets and the have the claws attached. 

[ghosthunter]

There is also some air time needed right after you get them back.

[ghosthunter]

I had mine tanned last year. Just like a rug but no skull or batting.

Any photos of the finished product?

Here ya go.

[bolsen]

Bear from a couple years ago

[tlbradford]

There is also some air time needed right after you get them back.

Yes.  Hung mine in the garage for several months.  I would say depending on room size and ventilation, you may would do the same for 3-6 months.  Maybe there is a trick to speed this up, but I have never researched.

[idaho guy]

I have done a few hang them on coat racks

[7mmfan]

Good stuff guys, thanks for the photos, that helps me. Are they anywhere near soft or cozy enough to use as a couch blanket? Deer/elk included.

[carpsniperg2]

Kinda depends on the company that does it and there method. I have had several done and different places turn out different. Some are super soft and others are still a little stiff  Yeah yeah I know

[Humptulips]

Good stuff guys, thanks for the photos, that helps me. Are they anywhere near soft or cozy enough to use as a couch blanket? Deer/elk included.

Not a bear but I have a couple cougar I had garment tanned at Moyle Mink and they are quite soft. Easily use as a comforter.

[7mmfan]

So maybe that's the question that needs asked. Is there a specific tanning process that needs to happen to make them very soft? Garment tanning?

[Jonathan_S]

So maybe that's the question that needs asked. Is there a specific tanning process that needs to happen to make them very soft? Garment tanning?

If you go through moyle's I doubt you'll be disappointed with the couch blanket softness.  Elk hair really isn't that soft but the leather can get supple enough for it.  Deer turn out quite nice. 

[shmacker]

Do you flesh the hides yourself or have a taxi do it before sending to Moyles?

[Jonathan_S]

Do you flesh the hides yourself or have a taxi do it before sending to Moyles?

All but a few, I've fleshed to leather myself.  When I lived in an apartment for a couple years, I sent them to a taxi first 

[724wd]

shot this gal out of the top of an apple tree!  The hide is soft, but I doubt you'd want to snuggle up in it. of course this is a fall bear so the hair isn't super thick.

[luvmystang67]

I think I'll soft tan all the rest of my bears.  They make great throws anywhere or walkable rugs for the floor.  When its cold in the winter my wife even lets me toss it across the foot of the bed (its crazy warm).  Sometimes I wear mine around the house and fake swipe at people with the claws.... lol

[fowl smacker]

So maybe that's the question that needs asked. Is there a specific tanning process that needs to happen to make them very soft? Garment tanning?

The process of tanning to make it soft is a dry tan.  A wet tan is what is used for shoulder mounts and such, it dries hard.

[Humptulips]

Anything sent to Moyles needs to be fully fleshed prior to shipping. Typically with furs sent for garment tanning they want them dried. If you are going to send something salted I would contact them prior to shipping. I don't see where they list prices for garment tanning larger furs like bear or cougar. They do list prices for those to be taxidermy tanned but that will be a different price so again I would contact them before shipping.
I believe garment tanned should be less then taxidermy tanned.

[Jpmiller]

I never thought of a throw bear skin. Maybe I'll have to shoot a bear this year now

[Okanagan]

I've had a number of hides soft tanned, or garment tanned.  I like it and like the finished product.  Smaller furs, like bobcat or coyote, come out supple and fabulous to drape over the back of a chair or hang, etc.  The bigger the hide and thicker the natural skin, the less supple it comes out IME.  Cougar is the biggest one that has come out quite soft, but even small bears have been fairly stiff, though the leather side is soft and nice. 

Some of this duplicates what others have said, but for soft tanning, or garment tanning, every bit of the inner membrane must be removed when fleshing.  The ears must be fully turned, and lips split completely or those sections will stiffen and eventually fall off because the tanning chemicals did not reach them during the process.  Sometimes I have done those jobs myself, though I am not good at turning the ears, and sometimes I have paid extra to have the tannery check it and have their pro skinner finish those jobs for me.  I don't think the big tannery in Idaho offers those services, but merely pops the hide into the tanning process however it arrives. 



 

[7mmfan]

I have zero experience with fleshing or tanning, so I'd be heavily reliant on the taxidermist to handle that part for me. I'll be curious to see how my elk hide form last year turns out, I'm excited to get that back soon.

[DOUBLELUNG]

I had the back half of my mountain goat soft tanned, its usually draped over the back of my wifes rocking chair

[Okanagan]

I would almost consider not having the head on a soft tanned bear hide, but I'd have to see it first. I suppose if it gets done head on and it creeps everyone out I can just get rid of it.

I probably won't shoot another bear but if I do I plan to cut it down before having it soft tanned.  Unless it is a monster for size I will either make an oval out of it, or a semi bear shape with feet and head cut off kind of rounded.  Then I would probably cut wedges out of flank and armpit and sew it flat.  If you trim it first, it should cost considerably less to have tanned because they usually charge for bears based on length of the hide.

Re ragged eye hole and mouth on a garment tanned fur:  When I get it back from the tannery I take tiny fly fishing scissors and carefully trim off the strings and excess tanned material.  They come out tidy and look very good. Of course, it helps if you kept all of the eyelid and lips when skinning and didn't make any oops cuts in them!  Ditto for "button hole" cuts anywhere in the hide!

[Humptulips]

I like the idea of trimming it into an oval. Been thinking about doing this if I ever get another big elk with that blond color to it. I'm thinking even garment tanned it would be stiff enough to be much like a rug.
Kind of wondering if you had something like that and got it to lay flat could you paint some kind of non-slip backing on it like a rubber coating. I like the idea of just the hide but fear it would be a little slippery. Probably put t somewhere it wasn't getting walked on so maybe not necessary.

[lewy]

I’m gunna flesh and salt my spring bear and send to moyles, it saves you quite a bit over having a taxi do it. I just got a batch of my fur back from trapping season and am very happy with the work they did along with the turn around time.

[Jpmiller]

Anybody ever do it themselves? I read a book about making buckskins and it seems to be a pretty involved process. I've done the do it yourself regular tanning kits but a soft finish seems even trickier.

[Alchase]

I have a white tail hair on tanned, so I could hang it. Buck was just a legal buck but the skin is nice. It has been relegated to the garage wall, lol

[Born2late]

Anybody using moyles should call them first and see if they do a garment tan on bears.We sent a cougar to them this year and they do not garment tan cougars. Only taxideremy tan. It wasn't listed on there web site so i called them and they said Nope thats all they offered. Not sure on bears though.

[Johnny Doe]

Talk to some WA taxidermist before you get your bear.  From what I have learned on the East Side is that almost nobody does a soft tan, 90% ship out of state to an actual tannery, so your taxi basically ends up just being the middle man and doing the fleshing/pre-work before tanning. Other taxidermist in ID and MT will do the soft tan themselves and it will cost you less or find someone who deals furs that do their own tanning.  I have had a rug made and one soft tanned, personally I like the rug best, but it's gonna cost ya!

Just my 

[Jonathan_S]

While that's generally true, there are a few very talented Eastside Taxi's who do a bang-up job in house 

[Pete112288]

Maybe I haven't talked to enough taxi's. It seems like such a HUGE difference between sending it out yourself and going through a taxi. Several I have found are between like $300 and $600 for tanning an average bear hide.
I really wouldnt want to mess up anything in the process of doing things on my end to prepare it to be sent out though. I never done all that before with hides.
Am I making a bigger issue out of the fleshing it and drying it and such than it really is?
Does anyone know of anybody local (within the state, or Oregon) that does the whole thing?
I thought about doing it myself as a few other people have mentioned as well. I am just not sure of the whole thing.

[BlackRiverTaxidermy]

Pete112288 or anyone else for the matter...

Something to consider when contemplating your own skinning/fleshing and/or sending to a tannery... Yes, its usually cheaper to send to a tannery yourself, however make sure you know what your doing when prepping the hide (turning the lips, ears and eyes and fleshing) and salting. Some tanneries wont accept hides from private parties for this specific reason. If you do it wrong your going to really mess or even ruin your leather/hide. If you've decided to do this process on your own I would  highly suggest to NOT start with a bear as due to their size some guys get part of the way through the process and just give up due to length of time and frustration 
The other consideration in sending to a tannery vs. taxidermist is what your overall plan with the hide is? I have a ton of customers that want the hide sent to the tannery for a dry tan or 'trapper tan' as I refer to it, for their bears to just have the hide preserved. If your looking at ONLY doing that for your hide then a tannery may be worth it after you've done all the prep work. HOWEVER..if its a hide that your thinking of turning into a mount or rug later then I would highly recommend sending to a taxidermist unless you extremely proficient at turning the lips, ears, eyes, paws, etc CORRECTLY. If you don't do this efficiently then your chance of being able to have the right amount of membrane around the all the said areas could be slim or full of un-needed holes. I recently had a customer bring me a bobcat that was fleshed and dried for the fur market, however he decided to have it mounted. Unfortunately he took so much of the membrane off around the mouth and eyes that I have nothing to tuck for a rug.
And your right....the prices can really vary from taxi to taxi for a dry tan job. Some charge by the foot, some a flat fee. The leathers can also be differing depending on which tannery or method they use. The best way to find the one that meets with your approval is recommendations, or better yet to see their work in person and see the hide and leather quality; I would highly recommend this as the quality of the leather greatly dictates the longevity of your hide. 
Best of luck and hope this helped...Joel/BRT

[HikerHunter]

After a 3/4 mount and a rug, I had my third bear tanned and have it draped over the couch. I was running out of wall space! It's a lot cheaper than a rug so I don't worry about my kids spilling things on it or pulling the hair out, etc. I also cut off the head and paws which reduced the cost too. Its been a couple years and has held up great.