what do you do with the hides?

Mr. Friendly

Mr. Friendly

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what do you do with your hides? not everyone is looking for a trophy animal, but at the same time, the hide could have further uses. I've never been on a hunt, so I'm just wondering what kind of options there are.

as much as I'd love a bear rug, being as financially challenged as I am, I'd never be able to afford the costs of having it prepared for me. that would be a terrible waste of a good fur. what does one do with it so it's not wasted?

same with deer/elk/caribou/moose...what does one do/can one do with it so it's not wasted? :confused:
 
There are organizations such as the Alberta Fish & Game Association here in my province that have hide collection programs. You can drop the hide off and they will process it and make stuff out of it. Taxidermist are also often looking for capes for some of their clients.
 
There is not much thing to do with moose hide in terms of fine clothes. Elk and deer hide/skin are of excellent quality to work with. No idea for caribou, never shot one... :confused:
 
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The only time I had to do it, it went like this:
Scrape the white stuff off the inside of the caribou skin (use an ulu, if you got no ulu, use a knife).
Rub salt into inside of skin.
Nail (well stretched!) hide salty side out to barn wall, or other dry well ventilated place.

When you remember the hide, take it to a taxidermist or learn how to tan it yourself.

Then have a wife cut & sew and have the best clothing ever. They have to be bribed. If they are modern, you might have to speculate out loud about getting real wife, meaning one who knows how and is willing to do traditional female stuff. This might be risky.
 
Usually I do not keep them, in Saskatchewan, the donated hides, where collected and sold. The proceeds went to purchasing more hunting accessable land! Great idea, I think this program in still in effect via Saskatchewan Wildllife Federation(?)

The first whitetail deer I took with a bow in Alberta, I had the hide tanned and use it as a decorative through, in the rec room downstairs.

Of course the wild boar's head is mounted too, in full attack mode.
Guys love it, girls/ladies often do not like it.

Getting back to the deer hide, it's beautiful and worth every penny in tanning costs.
Reminds me that nothing worth while having, in this world is free.
 
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This is what becomes of my deer hides, they get turned into hats. There is seventeen of them in this picture.

HPIM17351.jpg
 
I tan them myself, if I have time.

The ulu is on of the best tools for preping a hide, in my opinion.

It will be a cold day in hell before I donate my hide to any aborig-anals down here. They dont deserve them.
 
"...not much thing to do with moose hide in terms of fine clothes..." There's no reason not to be able to make or have made a fine leather coat out of moose hide. Made a sleeveless jerkin out of moose hide. Lined it with melton cloth. It's soft leather and heavy without the belt. It is extremely warm and comfortable though.
Elk hide is soft and warm too. Made a pull over out of elk hide. Much lighter than the moose hide. Both need to be lined if you want to avoid having tiny bits of 'lint' all over you.
"...have a wife cut & sew..." Sewing leather isn't quite that simple. Unless you bought her an industrial sewing machine, it's hand work. The average home sewing machine won't do it.
Tanning your own hides stinks. Your neighbours will scream. There are lots of kits and how-to's on-line and in books though.
There are taxidermists who will tan your hides. Not cheap though. One guy in B.S. charges $14 per sq ft for a deer hide. $32 per linear ft for a black bear. A deer hide averages about 8 to 11 sq ft.
 
I was wondering because I honestly would like to have some moccasins, boots maybe even slippers made for me. apparently there are some aboriginals locally that will do that sort of thing for you. get some nice rabbit fur...some deer, and maybe even get mitts/gloves or pull over's like mentioned made.

not sure if it's strong enough, but my mother has a sewing machine that punches through 6 or 7 layers of denim with ease, which is why she bought it. when she saw that feat done, she was SOLD! LOL

can you sell bear hides to taxidermists and the like? do taxidermists like to accept hides for a small fee for their purposes?
 
"...sell bear hides..." Isn't legal in most places. B.C. has a whole bunch of restrictions and rules about hides etc, in the hunting regs.
"...has a sewing machine that..." If it'll go through that thickness of denim, it'll very likely do leather too.
Rabbit hides are very thin. They're ok for trim and lining slippers, but not much else. Deer hides can be made into just about anything from gloves to coats.
 
I believe the Ulu Factory in Alaska sells them.....for a reasonable price too.
Ornamental with wooden stand, or field grade knives, complete with belt 'scabbard' an extra optional purchase.

In Canada's Arctic, they are way overpriced for the tourist trade.
 
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Unless it has changed recently you can sell tanned hides/rugs on e-bay.

Americans lap up bear rugs and Germans love wolf hides as GH said here in BC the person that shot it you can legally sell it.

If you did come up with the money to get a bear rug made up you can sell it for 2 - 3 times the money you originally put out you can even sell the skulls.

Bear rug = pays for trip = puts a bit of cash in the bank for new rifle or your next trip ect...
 
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