# how can you tan your own hides



## hunterX

I am looking for a way to tan hides without buying many industrial chemmicals, or going to a taxydermist. Any susgestions.


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## Rick Acker

Well, there is no other way to properly tan your hide than with the proper chemicals. How about skinning the animal? That's not an easy task either. If you care about your hide, I would go to a trained professional to make sure it's done right. If this is something you want to practice on, then go to taxidermy.net and type in "tanning hides" on the orange search button. Do your research, but I wouldn't get high hopes on it turning out! Taxidermy is not like changing a tire, there's a little more to it than most people realize.


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## woodpecker

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


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## Rick Acker

I really haven't heard a lot of horror stories to tell you the truth! Call around to the different shops and find out who they are using and I'm sure they will give you the info you need! Good luck and thanks!


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## Goldy's Pal

I was a victim (so to speak) of a poor job done on a coyote that I trapped when I was just out of highschool. It took me a week to catch him everyday he would steal the bait out of the dirt hole set and flip the trap upside down, leaving his tracks. I shifted the trap over about 4 inches and tricked him. :lol: The hide looked great for about 5 years maybe and then it got full of some kind of mite or bug,(can't quite remember) I was young and didn't do my homework on this taxidermist and now I sit, the hide was tossed away in the trash. Maybe I could of had it fixed I don't know, but Ma couldn't have that in the house. I wish I would have known better back then. :roll:


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## Rick Davis

Mr Acker: What about brain tanning? I have brain tanned more than hide using deer brains, cow brains and even eggs. The old natives used to tan bufffalo using urine. Go to www.braintan.com.


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## Ranger_Compact

tan your own hide?!

OUCHIES!


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## Rick Acker

Sorry, no clue on brain tanning...Interesting!


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## Ranger_Compact

Yeah, in elementry school, we did pretend brain tanning with Bennet Brien, the guy who designed the new Sioux logo. He was Native American, and he came to our school for a month every year to teach us about his culture and heritage. I actually wrote one of my senior papers about the guy, I can't remember what the topic was, but he fit it perfectly. He had this mix of pink stuff that wasn't really brains, but he told us it was, and we tanned some kind of suede that was cut in the shape of a deer hide. I miss those times...we also made katchina dolls out of clay, dream catchers, and tons of other really cool stuff.


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## Rick Davis

Ranger: Cool! Bennet is actually one of my good friends, didn't know he did the taxidermy stuff, of course he's multi talented He's into metal sculpture and stone mostly. I watched him turn a piece of diamond willow into a 1000.00 artpiece in a few hours. He has a shop up in the hills here, if you know anyone that would like a buffalo or deer skull painted I can get it arranged.


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## Ranger_Compact

Rick, that's awesome that you are friends with him! I remember now, the topic of the paper I had to write about was, "my favorite teacher". I couldn't think of any teacher I had that was above average, so I just wrote it about Bennet, and called him an art teacher! I wish I would have known about the deer skull painting before! My buck's skull is long gone now, I always wanted to do something with it, but just didn't know what. I am now kicking myself for throwing it out! My uncle boiled my boy cousin's skull (his deer's skull that is), I wish he would have offered to do my buck's! Maybe next year's skull...


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## chabla

im 13 and the first hide i tanned was when i was twelve it was a gray squirrel. my family dosnt hunt and no one in my neighborhood does either but i just went online and after a while i found a great way to tan a hide with now chemicals or hard work . its a form of brain tanning but with an egg insted of a brain. this works for squiirels and small game if ya want to do big game like deer stick with the brain they have in the skull cause each animal has enough brains to tan its own hide.

This is my basic process:

1)Flesh and dry or wet scrape hide

2)Prepare sloution of egg yolks ( i have used the whole egg as well and didn't really notice a difference, if you try both and find one way works better than the other I'd love to hear about it) mixed with a small amount of warm water. - for the squirrel I only used one egg and maby a 1/4 cup of water. for the fox and ground hog I used 6 eggs and about 1 1/2 cups of water

3) rub solution with hand into side of hide with out fur for several minutes.

4) wrap hide in slightly moist towel with another egg worked into towel and sit over night

5) lightly scrape off egg residue and sew any wholes

6) work between your hand or over rope until dry and soft.

7) smoke hide

8) let the hide sit out side for a while to air out the Smokey smell away from animals

I am still a long ways from being a master hide tanner but have found egg tanning a great way to practice and learn about the process. If anyone tries this method or a variation of it please let me know!! if you have any questions feel free to ask


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## woodhunter93

im like chubla there im 14 and i usually hunt stuff around my neighborhood and in the woods around my house. the most effective way i have found to tan small game is to let the hide sit on a bed of rock salt (or non iodized salt) for about 2-3 days till all the moisture has rissen to the top of the hide then let it sit for about 3-4 days or until the hide is covered in white. if it is tough at fist spray some bleach on it and let it sit for another 1-2 days


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## luv2huntsquirrel

I would recommend using Krowtann 2000 you can buy it online at any Taxidermy supply. Most do not have a minimum charge.. It is pretty much fool proof.. I all depends on how the speciman was handeld , if the hair picked up any bacteria NO matter what you use it will slip ," fallout"


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## Hunter.17

Will krowtann work for rugs???? Cause the instructions say to mount it or put it in your freezer for later mounting...


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## smartbuck

go to www.mckenziesp.com
click on Online catalog, go to page 639
Deer Skin Tanning Kit
Hope this helps!


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## DeluxeGoodness

Dude, by the book "Tan Your Hide!" I suggest it to everyone that wants to home tan their own hides.


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## Little Bobby

you can use the brain i have done it to mink and it gives it a nice coft finish if you can keep it plyable or you can take and put used ashes mixed with water in a thick paste and rub it on the flesh side only but if it gets onthe other side it will remove the fur


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