Tanning hides

[BFOX22]

Just wondering if anyone keeps and tans their deer/elk hides? Just wondering why or what you do with them and the process you use to do it.

[dreadi]

I gave all I had to three hides. Deer, elk, and bear. I used the Trapper’s Formula product. It was A LOT of work and they still didn’t come out as I wanted them to. You know, nice and supple with the hair on. I only loss hair on the bear ears due to not fleshing them throughly and fly laying eggs and maggots hatching. Unfortunately,  none of them came out soft and supple.

[Oh Mah]

I tan all hides,I make pillows,Back covers for couches,Blankets,and bear wall rug with no head or legs.Coyote,Bear and deer hide.

20 coyotes for blanket,A lot of sewing.

I use the borax solution. 

[pup0025]

A few years ago I got a van-dykes lutan-f taning kit from Cabela's bargain cave, it was cheap. Like 20 bucks I think.  I had never tanned a hide before so I decided to try it out.  I did 2 raccoons and both came out really well, no hair loss and they smell like leather.  It was time consuming.

[Jpmiller]

I try to tan all the decent hides that aren't a royal pain to get out. Then I stop working them when they're soft but not even close to professional soft and supple and then I throw them in a tote in the shop. I think I'm down to two or three now I gave almost all away. Everytime I wonder why I keep tanning them with no plan to use them for anything but it just seems wasteful not to. Most everyone I hunt with doesn't do anything with them and I don't have an issue with that but I can't just leave them. I have stopped taking all theirs at least.

[Bango skank]

I tan all hides,I make pillows,Back covers for couches,Blankets,and bear wall rug with no head or legs.Coyote,Bear and deer hide.

20 coyotes for blanket,A lot of sewing.

I use the borax solution. 

You really tanned and sewed 20 coyotes to make a blanket?  Damn thats a lot of work.  Care to post a pic?

[RookieBow1967]

I brain tan my deer hides then hang them on the walls. Still working on getting them soft though. How do you guys try to soften yours?

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

[pup0025]

I've heard you can break the hide by putting them In the dryer on no heat with some tennis balls

[Yelper Guy]

Or you could chew it like the natives did.

[Jpmiller]

I had best results pulling it over a metal fence post sunk into concrete. Took two guys to do it and a long time at that, still wasn't professional quality but it was my softest.

[Tbob]

Is it expensive to have it professionally done?

[dreadi]

I've heard you can break the hide by putting them In the dryer on no heat with some tennis balls

Tried that when the Ms. wasn’t home. Didn’t work for me.

[pup0025]

I've heard you can break the hide by putting them In the dryer on no heat with some tennis balls

Tried that when the Ms. wasn’t home. Didn’t work for me.

thanks,. Everytime I told the Mrs I was going to do that she gave me the LOOK.

[duckmen1]

I've heard you can break the hide by putting them In the dryer on no heat with some tennis balls

Tried that when the Ms. wasn’t home. Didn’t work for me.

thanks,. Everytime I told the Mrs I was going to do that she gave me the LOOK.

Don't add the heat. We did that once and the hide came out looking like a little fawn hide. Although it turned out nice it really shrunk.  opps

[Brushcrawler]

Is it expensive to have it professionally done?

I had a deer done by Promise land Tannery here in WA. I think they were around $150. Good turn-around and nicely tanned.