DIY Bear Tanning

[antlerking]

Update-

fleshing sucks, trying to get the last bit of membrane of the skin.

So far filleting off this thin layer with a sharp knife has been working but slow.
Thinking I might let the hide dry more and use a palm sander and a scraper to get the rest.

I’ve also rubbed a healthy amount of borax into the fur to somewhat dry clean it. (Thinking it might work somewhat like the hardwood chips the pro’s use with less mess). I’ll blow and brush it out before I pickle the hide again.

Suns out so I’m going to let it dry a bit more and see what happens....

Try using an angle grinder with a wire brush installed, works great for thinning the hide out after its been in the pickle for a few days and has plumped up. After thinning return to pickle over night then neutralize. After being neutralized dry hair and skin till slightly damp, place hair side down and apply a brush on tanning oil. Tanning oil can be had from AAA Taxidermy Supply House out of Alberta

[WWBC]

Thanks for the tip on the angle grinder. I’ll have to pick up a wire brush disk for the grinder.

I’ll check out AAA tanning supply

[Huevos]

Your most important step will be to flesh it out properly. The fat needs to be removed for the salt and chemicals to penetrate the hide. I have done a couple of bears over the years. trapper gords has a big online store that you can probably order a kit from. I know they have them there. Once it is fleshed, make sure to degrease the hide really well before continuing. Taking the time to wash it out properly will save you headache in the longrun. I wish I had more tips, but only done it a couple times. I found the instructions in the tanning kit to be very useful also. Good luck, let us know how it turns out.