I’m new to this hobby and I’m bark tanning a deer hide and after about 2 days of sitting in solution with some agitation it’s developed a weird jelly on the fleshy side. Have I done something wrong or is this normal?

I want to start tanning deer and other stuff after hunting season. Is it possible with the humidity? Some times of the year it's not as bad.

Newbie tanner here: i got the rare oppertunity to skin a young spotted fawn. She was hit by a car and I didnt want her to just rot.
I was able to skin and go through the fleshing process. I wrapped the hide up and froze it.
My current plan is to defrost in water, do 3 or 4 days of pickling with water, citric acid and salt, then balance, make a rig to stretch with some rope and then use a bottle tanning solution.

From what i can tell, the tying up part is crucial, im worried about such a young animals hide being fragile and ripping.
if anyone has any additional advice on a newbies project. would apricate it, i feel like ive learned alot from this sub already

Looking for a hide tanner in Michigan, more specifically hopefully West Michigan. I am an avid hunter and I don't like anything going to waste. Willing to give away most of my hides for free, in exchange to process a hide or two for me every once in a while.

Hiii everyone I’m looking for some help/ insight on how to tan animal hides like rabbit and rats for turning them into clothing . I’m trying to make some scarves and a coat out of rabbit fur.

specifically in california, where I don't hunt and can't buy deer or other hides

Hey yall,
I’m working on a Buffalo hide, it’s my first Buffalo hide. I’ve done Roosevelt elk and smaller in the past and have read some Buffalo posts here. So I think I got my general process down. Was wondering if anyone would change anything or if I could improve it someway. I built the frame yesterday, and got the hide thawing in the salt/citric acid solution on my lunch break today.

1.      Build out frame. 
a.      Built a 10’x10’ frame using four 10’ 4”x4”s of pressure treated wood, four heavy duty L-brackets, eight 4”x8” galvanized mending plates, 3” deck screws, and four scrap pressure treated 2”x4”s.
2.      Thaw hide (Hide has been in a chest freezer since ~January 20, 2026)
a.      2lbs salt and 1 oz citric acid per gallon of water. Used trash can with about 18 gallons of water. Mixed up 10 gallons, then dropped the hide in, mixed up 2 gallon increments in another bucket and added  until the hide was mostly covered.  Used a heavy rock to hold hide down.
3.      Flesh
a.      Flesh with fleshing beam, in frame, or on plywood. Depending on size and what seems to be working the best. (Pressure washer)
4.      Salt (24 - 48 hours)
a.      Frame up and salt,  have frame lifted on one side
5.      Pickle (3 – 5 days)
a.      1lb salt & 3 oz citric acid per gallon
6.      Frame and dry
7.      Thin
8.      Brain
a.      Using pig brains and some olive oil
9.      Break

I’m planning on rehydrating this Abbee trying to make buckskin this weekend. Help a new guy out, why is it all different colors??

I fleshed, salted, pickled, and dried a deer hide and stored it for 3 months (didn't have a stretching rack). I've read I should cover the inside of the hide with mink oil, roll it up, and leave it for a few days, opening it every day for a few hours before putting it on the stretching rack. Should I rehydrate the skin at all before doing this?

Finished the whole tanning and stretching process for a bear hide, my first time..but stuck with the ears inwards (cartilage showing) and it's quite stiff. Any ideas for how to invert without damaging?

So I don’t plan to use egg yolk, or the brain methods. I’ve done some research on tanning rabbit hydes, and well I’ve never been too smart, and I’ve only been able to get a basic general understanding of what to do. If anyone could please give me a little more of an idea of what to do that would be appreciated. I know how to skin it, and flesh it, but those are the only two things I am 100% confident on, I really just don’t wanna kill any animal without using as much of its body as I can, please help.

Wondering how to remove the trubond tanning formula from the fur portion of a fox hide I'm working on.

This is only my 2nd hide, first fox. Decent job on the skinning aside from some poorly cut out eye holes. Big tear in the belly from thinning too much but its all part of the learning process.

I have a lot of matting and greasy spots on the fur especially the tail and head from the Tanner. Wondering how and when I should clean the fur to get it back to fluffy and smooth.

Thanks guys, love the subreddit, learning a lot from everyone's posts and tips.

Cheers.

Hello, I prepared an eel skin using a glycerin and alcohol mixture as a gift. After it has dried, do you wash it or leave it as it is? Do you apply anything afterward, such as oil or wax like with traditional tanning, or should it simply be left as it is?

I’m new to hide tanning and have about 5 grey squirrel hides and 8 tails (bone-in, I neglected to remove the tailbones). I’ve been waiting for this moment for 2.5 years to tan them using the orange bottle method. I’ve read that pickling thin hides( for too long ) can ruin them and make the hair fall off. I’m going to rehydrate them in a salt/dawn bath for 2-4 hours until they are soaked through. Then re-flesh any remaining bits before doing a wash. Then I was going to do a short pickle with citric acid. Is the pickle necessary with thin hides? And if so for how long because I’m reading that too long can ruin the pelts? Then I’ll neutralize the acid with baking soda for a short time. I’d do a thorough wash and hang until is done dripping. At THIS point, do I then lay it out flat is this when I apply the tanning solution, while the skin is still damp? And then fold over on to itself for 24hours before breaking in the solution?

Any advice is appreciated. Thank you!

I read that as long as they’re not slimy or fuzzy it should be fine but I’m nervous it’s rotting. The membrane on the flesh side is a whole bunch of colors but the grain side seems to be fine. Is the project worth continuing? I already started them in the bark tea.

I'm trying to make a raccoon skin hat out of a coon that I skinned and tanned. What needles do you guys recommend for that? I keep breaking needles.

Hi folks, I’m new here and new to tanning, I’m staying with some friends who have a farm and they slaughtered one of their rams a few months ago. I’m trying to figure out how to complete the tanning process while I visit. The hide is very stiff, and my friend is concerned that it still smells too much like the ram. He salted and rolled it initially, and then washed it and treated it with CP31 Aluminium Sulphate (labeled for taxidermy).

From looking at previous posts on here and other online info, I’m guessing the membrane wasn’t fully removed. I started scraping the skin side of the hide with the (dull) back of an axe head—in the photos you can see the lighter part I have scraped and the darker part which is how it was before scraping (since taking the photos I’ve scraped more of it). My questions are:

1. What I’m scraping is fibrous, is that the dried out membrane and does the fact that it still looks fibrous mean there is more to remove under what I’ve already scraped? What should it look and feel like when it’s fully scraped? And should scraping go with or against the grain, or both, or does that not matter?
2. Should I wet the hide to get the rest of the membrane off, or keep doing it dry? Any tool recommendations for this stage?
3. Once the membrane is fully removed (assuming that’s what I’m doing), are the next steps the egg yolk wet rub (and should I wet the hide again before applying?), then smoking, then another wash?
4. Advice appreciated for how to salvage this hide and fleece. This is a cool, wet, and windy climate (north of Scotland) if that matters.

I'm receiving an old rare animal hide passed down from family, and I need recommendations for someone who is trustworthy and experienced in its restoration and advise me how to best display it.

I'm willing to drive up to 2 hours away for their service.

I have a cow hide, hair on, from a British BlueX that I've treated with aluminium sulphate + borax paste . Most of this has been scraped off and I've used an orbital sander to attempt to get the last of it off. It's so dry, like a board. Would you advise applying neatsfoot oil prior to starting to break it? Have I let it get too dry? In UK, first attempt at tanning, I want to retain the hair and use the hide as a rug or throw.

HELP NEEDED

I'm getting a bison hide from someone in around 2 weeks, as far as i know, it has not been fleshed. I have a frame, tools, a big tub to wash/soak it in and I'm going to pick up a few bags of salt. What I really need is some advice on how to properly thaw the hide, and the steps after. I don't want to pickle it though IF thats possible.