How to Tan a Coonhide

The tanning process for a coon hide will take a few days.

Raccoons are often thought of as pests that get into our garbage or bother our pets. But they are actually valuable parts of our ecosystems. If you've killed a raccoon or come across a dead one, you can treasure the animal by tanning its skin, or use the skin to make a hat. Before you tan the hide, however, ensure that you've properly removed all of the skin and cured it.

Things You'll Need

• Sharp knife
• Flat work surface
• Non-iodized salt
• 5 gallon plastic garbage can
• Water
• Baking soda
• Dish washing soap
• Stirring utensil
• 1 lb. ammonia alum
• 4 oz. crystallized sodium carbonate
• 8 oz. non-iodized salt
• 1 oz. borax
• Tanning crystals
• Gloves
• Paint brush
• Tanning oil

Instructions

1. Cut any pieces of flesh or fat that are still present on the underside of the hide.

2. Pour non-iodized salt over the entire underside of the hide. You want to have about 1 inch of salt on the hide. Leave the hide for 24 hours.

3. Shake off all of the salt that remains on the underside surface and hang the hide in a cool, dark place. Allow it to dry for about three hours to four hours.

4. Add enough clean, cool water to a garbage can so that the hide will be fully submerged. Soak the hide for about two hours.

5. Remove the hide. Lie it on a flat surface and remove the remaining adhering tissue and fat with your knife. This tissue and fat should be loose after soaking the hide.

6. Dump out the water in the garbage can and fill it with the lukewarm water, 1 oz. of baking soda and 1. tbsp. of dish washing liquid. Submerge the hide in the solution and stir it around for a few minutes.

7. Rinse the hide thoroughly in warm water. Squeeze out the water that will be in the hide but don't wring it out.

8. Empty your garbage can of water and add to it 1 lb. of ammonia alum, 1.5 gallons of water and 8 oz. of non-iodized salt.

9. Place the raccoon hide in the solution and leave it there for three days.

10. Remove the hide and empty the garbage can. Wash the garbage can with dish detergent and warm water.

11. Add 1 gallon of water and 1 oz. of borax to the garbage can. Rinse the hide in this solution for a few minutes.

12. Remove the hide and rinse it in clean, cool water.

13. Empty the garbage can and mix your tanning crystals with water in the garbage can according to the directions on the packaging. Submerge the raccoon hide in the solution for 24 hours.

14. Remove the hide and hang it for 20 minutes so that the solution drains out.

15. Lie the hide, skin side up. Heat up the tanning oil in a microwave. Put on gloves gloves and apply the tanning oil to the skin using a paint brush. Apply a thick layer of the oil to the hide.

16. Allow the oil to penetrate the skin and then dry. This step should take about 24 hours.

References

• Hinterland: Raccoon
• New Mexico State University: Tanning Deer Hides and Small Fur Skins
• Wildlife Artistry: The Art of Tanning