How to Tan a Deer Hide

Many deer hunters mount the antlers, and many more take the deer to a taxidermist to have the deer's head mounted as a hunting trophy. With a bit of extra time, you can tan a deer hide and have it for a trophy as well.

Things You'll Need

• Deerskin
• Sawhorse
• Large plastic garbage can
• 1 gallon of hardwood ashes
• 2 lbs. of slaked lime
• 5 gallons of warm water
• 2 quarts vinegar
• Small plastic bucket
• 1 lb. of alum
• 1 gallon of warm water
• 2½ lbs. of salt
• Sheet of plywood or other large flat surface
• Tacks
• Hammer
• Neatfoot oil, warmed
• Clean, soft rag
• Fine grit sandpaper

Instructions

1. Skin the deer as quickly as possible after your hunting experience. Keep the hide all in one piece. Place the hide on a sawhorse with the fleshy part up. Scrape the flesh with a sharp, long-bladed knife. Remove all the tissue that remains attached to the hide.

2. Mix the hardwood ashes, the lime and the water in the large plastic garbage can. Stir until dissolved. Settle the deerskin into the water. Rearrange the deer hide in the mixture twice a day. Leave the deer hide in the brine for 2 to 3 days until the hair loosens.

3. Rinse the deerskin well with clean water. Put the deer hide over the sawhorse again, this time with the hair side up. Use the long-bladed sharp knife to scrape off any hair that has not already fallen off. Rinse the hide well.

4. Put 10 gallons of water and 2 quarts of vinegar in the plastic garbage can. Place the deer hide into this mixture and allow it to soak for 24 hours. Remember to stir this mixture frequently. At the end of the 24-hour period, drain the garbage can and fill it again with clean water. Put the hide back in the clean water for at least eight hours or overnight.

5. Dissolve the alum in 1 gallon of warm water in a small bucket. Use four gallons of water to dissolve the salt in the plastic garbage can. Stir in the alum mixture. Soak the deer hide in this mixture for 6 to 8 days. Remember to stir the liquid at least twice a day.

6. Remove the skin. Rinse it with running water for at least fifteen minutes. Stretch the hide onto a piece of plywood or other large flat surface. Tack the edges down.

7. Lay the deerskin on a flat surface. Gently rub the entire deer hide with fine grit sandpaper. Proceed to finish your deerskin hunting trophy into a rug or wall hanging.

Tips & Warnings

• When the skin is almost dry, gently rub it with warmed neat's foot oil. Remove the tacks, turn the hide over and repeat the process.

• Use a soft, clean rag to wipe up any extra oil.

• Roll the hide in your hands or over a board to soften it up. Apply more warmed neat's foot oil, if necessary, to make the hide supple.

• Let the skin air dry, but don't place it in the sun.