According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, white-tailed deer are the deadliest animal in the United States. There are somewhere between 1.5 to 2 million deer-vehicle collisions each year. Accidents involving white-tailed deer in the United States cost the country about $10 billion/year in damages and medical expenses. Here in the Driftless, we are very familiar with the danger of driving at dawn and dusk especially during the fall into early winter. Thankfully, we have a very active hunting community in Wisconsin that helps to control the overpopulation. We are pleased to be able to offer hunters here and across the country the opportunity to preserve their hunt by tanning their hides.
A few things to know if you want to preserve the hide of your deer. First, you must remove the skin right away. You cannot hang the carcass in a cold barn overnight or longer without removing the hide. As soon as the animal dies, bacteria start to break down the skin. Bacteria can damage hair follicles and cause the hide to shed its fur. You will also want to remove the flesh from the hide as soon as possible. If you can’t get to that part right away, you can keep it safe by keeping the hide cold for up to a day or throw a layer of salt on the flesh side of the hide until you can come back and remove the flesh. You can find out more about how to properly prepare your hide for tanning here.
Naturally bark tanned deerskin make great weighted blankets when spread out over a bed. They also make a good throw for hanging over your favorite chair or sofa. The hollow hairs of the deer trap and hold heat keeping you toasty warm beneath their soft fur. If you or someone you know hunts and would like an alternative to composting their deer hide, we would be happy to help.
