Tanning...

[Shawn MD]

So it seems I have just come into about a square foot of deer hide. Is there anyone out there that would be willing to tan it for me for say half? I am not completely sure of the quality, or even really which part of the deer it cam from, but I do know for certain I do not have the time/materials to tan it myself. Let me know...


Shawn

[Jeremy Floyd]

Do you want it for keeps or for fly tying?

If you just want it for flies all you need to do is dry it.

[Willie Bodger]

Don't you need to like wash it or cure it or something so it doesn't stink once it is dried? I really have no clue, just seems like that would be needed. I've thought about that myself, but haven't ventured there yet.

wb

[Shawn MD]

I believe I need to tan it by stretching it and storing in a cool dry place, and then there is some salt involved with some scraping/skinning, but honestly I have no idea. But yeah, I would like to have it for tying purposes.


Shawn

[Jerry Daschofsky]

It's a pain, unless you plan to do it alot. Trust me, I used to do it, and now when I bring home a hide after hunting, have a buddy of mine who does taxidermy do the tanning. But yeah, you have to do some scraping, then soaking, scraping, then stretching, on and on. I'd say if you want to have it to tie with, I'd take it to someone who knows what they're doing and pay for it.

[alpinetrout]

Considering the price of deer hair, a square foot of hide isn't worth the trouble.

[Paul Huffman]

I've wondered about tanning or curing, but I have several tails and whole birds that I just keep whole, unskinned and untanned in the freezer in ziplock freezer bags. I get them out just long enough to clip off or pluck what I need. For birds, the feathers stay conveniently sorted by size by location on the bird. The new wife tolerates it, too.

[Flyn'dutchman]

I've had good luck with just scraping a bit then salting the flesh side and letting it dry. Comes out stiff but that doesn't effect the hair at all. Been tying with a piece I did this two three years ago and did the same to the front half of the deer I killed last year. That one is a beautiful bluegray dun color with nice short even early season hair. Did the same with some badger a friend gave me. Doesn't take any fancy tanning to still have good hair.

[davew]

Tanning isn't needed at all. Just scrape off any meat or fat from the skin and rub in some salt. If it's a tail, you'll want to open it up to remove the bone and meat. I like to thumb tack the skin to a board (to keep it flat) and let it dry out for a few weeks in the garage. Cut it up into whatever size pieces you want and store in zip lock bags in your fly tying kit - no refrigeration required.

[Jeremy Floyd]

you can dry it out really well too by not wrapping it up and putting it in the freezer..

[TomB]

i have put it in ziploc with a bunch of salt once the fat and meat is scraped off and let it sit....youll be good to go

[cabezon]

If you're not going to the trouble of tanning it, and it doesn't seem worth it for the size that you have, I would still advise a week or so in the freezer. It will kill off any creepy-crawlies that might be on the hide/hair. It is a good practice in general for those of us who take advantage of the odd natural bounty which the cat brings in.....

Steve