Home tanning methods

[pupper]

anyone out there tanning there own bear hides this spring?

if so what are your home methods?

I use alum,water and detergent mix and let the hide sit for 5 days after scraping the junk of the hide.

then after it is dry I rub some oil in the hide to make it plyable.

[rand]

Check out Helford Hide on the web.They sell self tanning kits from $15.00 for a Whitetail and up for bear

[Smokepole]

Check out 'The Complete Book Of Tanning Skins and Furs' by James E. Churchill. It's on old book but the methods still work. I have used them myself on a bear, wolf and some marten they all turned out great.

[Rubicon500]

Id check out Fabutan. Heard they got some good prices

[Kevin21]

http://cahe.nmsu.edu/pubs/_l/l-103.html
just looked on google and found this

[BearSniper]

Pupper,

Where do you get your alum ?

I have an article on good deer cape tanning tips and it called for amonia alum to start, but I can't find any alum.:frown:

I've used the Rittels kits before on Bobcats and Coyotes with limited success. Have been looking for something better. I was thinking of ordering the BASF all in one tanning solution from a place in the states. Its supposed to be pretty good. BASF is the German chemical company- been around for decades.

What do you think ?