Funny you should ask. My son just called to inform me he had shot his deer and was going to bring me the hide tomorrow. I have enough deer hide now to last to the middle of the century. It only takes an hour or so to take care of a whole hide so I will just work it into my busy schedule. You retired folks know how that works, don't know how I had time to work when I was working.
Deer is easy to take care of.
Throw the hide into a garbage cah with enough warm water to cover, a half cup of Dawn dish washing detergant and a handfull of borax. Let soak while you drink a fresh cup of coffiie. Then wash well and rinse.
Scrape the hide making sure that ALL the fat and muscle tissue is removed. I have a fleshing board and I scrape with a hand axe.
Put fresh water, detergant and borax in the garbage can and wash the hide again.
Rinse well with clear water. Sling as much water as you can out of the hide. Lay out over some bushes in the shade and let the hide start to air dry. When the hair is almost dry streatch the hide on a frame that allows air to circulate around it until it is dry.
When dry, cut into usable pieces and store untill needed with some moth balls containing paradichlorobenzine as an active ingreadiant.
Don't bother with salt, It will only make a mess. If the weather is on the warm side a little borax will keep the flies at bay.
That is it for animal hides.
Bird skins get the same treatment except they are always sprinkeled with borax. No salt here either.
Have fun,
fishbum
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