Hello All! I'm a beginner living in the state of Vermont- wondering if there was anyone here I could shadow in person to learn about hide tanning. I am part of a large family group that takes about 6 deer each year and I'm tired of the hides going to waste. I'll be fleshing out a few today, but it would be great if there was someone I could talk to, or watch, nearby to get my bearings with all this! Thanks in advance!
There are videos on line that show most if not all of the steps. Fleshing, salting, rehydrating and even tanning are pretty easy it is the breaking that makes you earn your keep if you will.
Thanks! I've been watching a lot of you tube too... sometimes it's just nice to have someone you can ask questions of while watching the process... I've always been a hands on learner. Thank you again!
Ok- just got finished fleshing my first hide ever! Woo hoo! 1- is it typical to go through 6 lbs of salt for 1 150 lb deer?! 2- the hide is folded in half and rolled in a beach towel... should I let it dry at room temp or put it over near the wood stove? Is heat a good or bad thing for drying? Thanks!
After fleshing rub in a lot of salt ( 6 lbs ? ) , roll up and place on an incline to drain. After a few days scrape away all salt and then repeat the process. After the salt has removed most of the moisture scrape away as much salt as possible and let dry at room temp. Heat is a bad thing. Skin should now be ready to start the tanning process or send to a tannery. P.S. Salt is cheap so use plenty.
Buy your salt at your local grain store in bulk. I used to by it in 100lb bags now it’s sold in 50 or 80 lb bags I think. No more 100 lb bags.
this was a brilliant idea! I got a 50 lb at tractor supply- way better than me clearing out the little cans from the grocery store!
I have done this (when I was younger and had more energy). Stripped the hair off with a lime solution and tanned them, rubbed down with another mix of neatsfoot oil and some other ingredients and then broke the hides over a board as they dried. It all went well and was easy to do. Except .... and 3 Bears is right ... breaking the hide to soften it is going to kill you. .. Or make you Wonder Woman.
Rebekkah, if I remember correctly, the method I used was in one of my books, Home Book of Taxidermy and Tanning. You may find an original, hardcover copy on eBay but you can also read it online for free. I copied the section that I used for deer hides but the whole book is interesting and useful. Can probably find a cheap copy on ebay ... or even in your library. Internet Archive will let you look through it if you make an account, which is free. https://archive.org/details/homebookoftaxide00gran/mode/2up Tanning by Sea Wolf posted Nov 27, 2022 at 6:59 PM
I used lime to dehair the skins. If you look at the book online it gives the instructions on how to do so. Fels Naptha soap I found in the hardware stores.
