What can I make with deer?

[NCO]

I read the title as "What can I make with Beer"

Huh huh.
Love the way you want to use it all.

[Rick]

NCO, do you know if reindeer are utilized in the same way white tailed deer are here? I was just wondering if utilization of the animal is still prevalent in Finland or if it's just a few craftsmen left doing it like here.

[NCO]

Rick, could you be a bit more specific/simple with your question. I'm still a little bit behind a language barrier here... utilized in what way?

[flandersander]

I appologize rick, if I'm wrong, but I believe he's reffering to the fact that most people hack off the meat and toss the bones and skin of the deer.

[NCO]

Thank you for clarification flandersander!

Of reindeer, I'm not 100% certain. It is mainly the Sami people, (Wiki: Sami people) who herd reindeer. They mainly sell the meat for food industry and restaurants. Most also use few of the animals for their own food and clothing, for tents and so on. At least for those who live in the traditional way they use pretty much all of the animal. Of course, tourists like little trinkets made from reindeer bones...
About Finns, hunters generally take the meat, skin and antlers off a moose or a white tail. Some might use other bones as well for them selves, but usually the bones and some other "left overs" are given to their hunting dogs and in some cases just buried.

[your_comforting_company]

LOL! the creek was tanning it. Wherever a leaf bit settled on it there would be a tannin stain. And when it got drug up on the log by whatever critter there was a stain as well.

This got me thinking. Many of the swamps around here are in amongst hardwood forests and the water is usally red with tannins. Hmm? Premade bark liquor or would it just rot?

Also got me wondering if fresh fallen dried oak leaves from the forest floor could be used the same way sumac leaves are??

Just a couple things I've been pondering.

I've been pondering that ever since I started tanning LOL. Perhaps I'll sacrifice a skin to some brackish swamp and see what happens. It should tan it theoretically, but I haven't tried it. Sumac leaves are usually used in spring when they are still green, but as long as the tannins haven't been leached out by rain it's definately a possibility.

I read a thread on some forum somewhere in all my searching and it looked like the lady used dried leaves and didn't boil anything. just dry leaves, water and dunk the hide. If it started looking weak, add more leaves. Dunno where that was, it's been a while. Acorns should also work. break them open, mash the meat, boil it, and save the water, instead of pouring it out.

[Rick]

Thanks, FS. That's what I was asking. Thanks for the answer NCO.

[rwc1969]

If it preserves bog people for hundreds or thousands of years it ought to preserve a hide.

I noticed a couple light spots on the skin today, grain side, so I scraped with my fingernail and removed a little of the pigment layer that was left. There are a couple larger light spots and it may be because there's some mebrane left, hard to tell really.

But, I looked at the liquor just now and it appears as though it's still a bit dark so
I'll hold off adding more liquor. The skin is darkening up nice though and although kind of uneven and blotchy in spots is starting to look pretty good IMO. It no longer has that grey look.

If the weather was warmer or I had a place to buck and de-hair this other skin I'd bark tan it as well. But, I'll hold off I suppose and try the brain tan come spring.

I went out to hunt today and as soon as I got out of the car I saw a big doe laying smack on the trail, roadkill I think, but it was beat up pretty good skinwise and I had no way of telling how long it had been sitting there or I'd have tried to get some meat off it. It was frozen solid and covered with fresh snow.

[randyt]

I've been pondering that ever since I started tanning LOL. Perhaps I'll sacrifice a skin to some brackish swamp and see what happens. It should tan it theoretically, but I haven't tried it. Sumac leaves are usually used in spring when they are still green, but as long as the tannins haven't been leached out by rain it's definately a possibility.

I read a thread on some forum somewhere in all my searching and it looked like the lady used dried leaves and didn't boil anything. just dry leaves, water and dunk the hide. If it started looking weak, add more leaves. Dunno where that was, it's been a while. Acorns should also work. break them open, mash the meat, boil it, and save the water, instead of pouring it out.

Up in the upper peninsula of michigan there is a big falls. The falls are called tequamanon falls. any who the river is fed by swamps and due to this the water is about the colour of tea water. I've often wondered how concentrated the tannins are. I know, I know, I have such important things to wonder about, why am wondering about that? LOL

[rwc1969]

LOL, I was thinking about those falls as I wrote about the swamp tannins. Now that would be a good "creek" for rinsing a hide in.

[your_comforting_company]

Just don't let it get too weak for too long, and especially don't let it get too hot. I'm sure the skin will be fine. You've done great with it so far, and now it's just a waiting game. The way you picked up on the other details by doing, I'm sure you've figured out what you need to do here too.
When you get a chance, lets see a pic of the progress. It's been a few days now, right?

On a side note, my cow hides are as black as the space between the stars, and the liquor, though it's still very dark, is very thin on my fingers, so it's about time to step it up again. I started to get a bit of mold on top already so it's fermenting nicely. This black walnut might tan faster than bark. I'll do a neck check monday and post pics so you can see what to look for.
This pic is from the neck check on the last deer hide in laurel oak. Maybe it's good enough to see what progress looks like:
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It's not that great LOL.. Maybe it'll give you some idea tho, I'll get better pics on day 15 (monday) of the walnut.

[rwc1969]

Ok, here's some more pics.

This is the depleted 4th pouring of liquor. I can see clear to the bottom of the cooler, 3-4".

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Below is the liquor after adding 1/2 of the 3rd pouring to re-strengthen it, nice and dark once again. I can only see 1" or so down before visibility is lost.

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Here are a couple pics of the hide as of today. You can see it has light spots and black spots. The light spots are possibly where I missed removing some membrane or pigment. I simply used my thumbnail to scrape what little bit of pigment was left off the hair side after the first couple days and continued the soak.

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This pic shows the black streaks that I believe were caused by the blood and mostly by the rust that was in the creek which left orange stains on the skin.

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From what I understand this does nothing to the usable qualities of the leather, but gives it a more rustic look. The leather can be dyed to hide these imperfections or they can be left in for added character, lol. I'll most likely leave them in.

I suppose now it's just a waiting game of stirring the skin and adding ever increasing strengths of liquor. If the light spots persist I will re-membrane the flesh side in those areas, but I dodn't see any noticable membrane left at this point. ??

[rwc1969]

Looking forward to the updates and pics ycc.

[crashdive123]

I like the uneven coloring. As you say, it adds character.

[klkak]

Has anyone suggested making dinner out of the deer?

[rwc1969]

That's the best part Kevin

Deer #1 all packed up

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Heart and inner loins in butter and onions

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Liver, lightly breaded

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I've ate 2 livers, 2 kidneys, 1 heart, 4 inner loins, 1/2 a backstrap, 2 pounds of burger, a roast and I think that's it in the last 3 weeks.

[your_comforting_company]

YUM!

I like the marbling of the hide myself, and personally, I'd leave them in. I don't think you missed enough membrane to affect the coloring and it's more likely where it picked up some minerals in the creek. Looks like the hide is going great so far, and supper looks delicious!

Props for using as much of the animal as you could, too!!

[rwc1969]

Thanks, I just need to get around to peeling the remaining meat off the bones so I can make something outta them.

Is there any special way to tell if the membrane or epidermis hasn't been removed completely after it's been in the liquor?

On a side note:

I'm considering trying a bark tan of sorts on the flesh side only of the hockskins I kept, I have eight of them now, and the ears. But, I'm thinking if I put them straight in the bark liquor the hair might slip?? I'm not worried if the hair discolors either. I'm considering just placing wet bark chunks on the skin directly and seeing if it tans with just a dry scrape fleshing and membraning or dunking them and seeing if they'll tan and if the hair slips. I have plenty of liquor and bark to go around for a couple projects.

Back to the skin tanning

I did post two vids for the rinsing and first part of the tanning that I described above if anyone's interested. The vids are kinda low quality and nothing too exciting, but a different format for those who might prefer vids.

Rinsing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HgKH8tnITQ

Tanning

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RWPpMTTZn8

[your_comforting_company]

The hair shouldn't slip on the hocks. Bark liquor will tighten the skin, setting the hair rather than making it fall out. Do an extra good fleshing job. there are a lot of tendons on that part. I have brain tanned a few, just messing around. I have a lot of stuff I need to sew up! I've even tried tanning ears and a scrotum (Don't ask), but both got stiff.
If you aren't worried about staining the fur, I say just submerge them with the skin and let them tan. I'll get pics of the black walnut cow today as soon as there is enough light.

Looking at the rinsing video, you did a very good job on removing the membrane.

Nice work, and great vids RWC!

[crashdive123]

The hair shouldn't slip on the hocks. Bark liquor will tighten the skin, setting the hair rather than making it fall out. Do an extra good fleshing job. there are a lot of tendons on that part. I have brain tanned a few, just messing around. I have a lot of stuff I need to sew up! I've even tried tanning ears and a scrotum (Don't ask), but both got stiff.
If you aren't worried about staining the fur, I say just submerge them with the skin and let them tan. I'll get pics of the black walnut cow today as soon as there is enough light.

Looking at the rinsing video, you did a very good job on removing the membrane.

Nice work, and great vids RWC!

Not gonna say it - I figured I read it wrong because of the pain meds.