Tanning Game & Domestic Hides

[Baymule]

Thanks!

 

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

Has anyone tried dying the squirrel or rabbit pelts? Would you do that before or after they are tanned? Or as part of the tanning process?

 

[HomesteaderWife]

@Larsen Poultry Ranch - So sorry for my late reply in this thread - I have never tried dying the pelts, but have dyed a rabbit's foot with blackberries

 

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

@Larsen Poultry Ranch - So sorry for my late reply in this thread - I have never tried dying the pelts, but have dyed a rabbit's foot with blackberries

No worries about lateness, it was an older thread I was hoping to revive.

I have a bunch of rabbit pelts, a lot are white and I was hoping I'd be able to dye them but I'm having trouble figuring out the order of operations. Most guides only go over tanning the pelts.

Usually the dye process involves soaking the pelt, so I wasn't sure how it ties into the tanning process. I thought if you tanned a pelt and it got wet again you'd have to re-work it so it didn't stiffen up.

 

[HomesteaderWife]

@Larsen Poultry Ranch - Let me dig up my tanning book I use for reference. It hasn't led me astray yet, and he does mention dyes...

 

[CLSranch]

I'm late to the thread but I'll be watching. It'd be nice to start tanning my own hides.

 

[HomesteaderWife]

@Larsen Poultry Ranch - Haven't forgotten you, I'm still trying to dig up my book! I put it up when season ended, but still looking. I'll tag again when I can find it.

@CLSranch - Thank you for joining! HIGHLY recommend it! Tanning hides is an excellent way to repurpose the normal "waste" of culled and taken game animals

 

[HomesteaderWife]

An update on my 2020-2021 tanning season, for personal notes really. I didn't end up tanning anything big or picking up anything in light of all the mess going on with the virus. Plus, I took a break just to really enjoy the woods and some other hobbies. I got one squirrel, but the hide was not able to be salvaged, so I made sure to save the tail. I had one nice raccoon, and got to try out the gambrel my husband got me for...I think it was my birthday...2020? I love those tail pullers - got the full, nice tail and it did well this time to not be as covered in fat. I got to set the dog-proof trap he bought me for that too. Other than that, a slow year. Everything I did have on hand (deer hides, raccoon, squirrel, rabbit, tails) did not sell last year - the craft festival we normally set up at was delayed due to storms, then also was in the middle of pandemic.

I'm hoping to mainly get deer legs this season if I can. I love using the bone, and my bone windchimes were so popular that I really need to make another set. I also want to make and sell an incense holder or two from the leg bone - I made one for us just to try it out, but I think someone could appreciate them.

Hoping to get some Oak bark next time we cut firewood and try tanning with it. I tried acorn tanning with a piece of buckskin just to see what it would do, and the color was interesting but didn't seem to take to tanning well. Oak bark needs to be harvested and stored dry - can't leave it sitting out in the rain for it to leech out the tannin. One method I heard for using it was to pulverize the bark into a fine powder. However, I've also seen some information on having to use the bark tanning multiple times at multiple strengths, so I need to look more into it. I would like to FINALLY get around to try egg tanning a raccoon or rabbit hide.

 

[HomesteaderWife]

Some recommended items I've found great use for during tanning:

1. Monte Burch's book “The Ultimate Guide to Skinning and Tanning”
2. 4lb Alum Powder - for use in salt and alum tanning (use caution when handling)
3. I gave the orange trapper's formula by Cumberland's a try this past year on my raccoon and really liked how it turned out
4. The "Deerskins into Buckskins" book breaks down real buckskin making, and if you want to learn more in detail about it, it's a great read!
5. This combo kit has the gambrel I really like, and is the kit my husband got me as a gift. While I am not as much of a fan of the fleshing knife, it is a great set to get started with. Has a gambrel, fleshing knife, skinning knife one tail stripper, and two tail zippers (those are a huge help to getting a nice tail left on the hide)
6. I'm more of a fan of fleshing knives similar to this one that are flat instead of curved, but opinions vary!

 

[HomesteaderWife]

@Larsen Poultry Ranch - I managed to find my book and combed through every chapter a few times, but could not find any info on dying the furs. I even picked up my other buckskin book, but no avail. I found some info on those using it for fly fishing lures, but the issue is that I don't know that the hides would be viable/suitable for large crafts or hold their tan after that because it's not something I have experience in. I would test very small strips of a hide first if I were you.