To learn how to soften the hide and how to smoke it, read on! | While still slightly damp, begin stretching the hide in all directions to break up the skin and soften it. Take it down from the rack and go over the skin side with a wire brush until it has a suede-like appearance. wikiHow is a wiki, similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. Nylon Marine rope, cotton clothesline, hay bale twine, or strips of deer hide will work. After that, rinse the hide with cold water and remove it from the mixture. They remove it from the rest of the porcupine hide. The only difference is that youll want to take extra care to ensure your cuts are smooth and straight and that you dont punch any holes in the hide. This website uses cookies for functionality, analytics and advertising purposes as described in our. There are a few options available to you. And finally, its a great way to save money. When the color of the flesh side has changed, thats enough smoke. The Select Quality hides are winter buffalo robes - the best quality hides available anywhere. Once youve salted and laid out the hide, youll need to let it dry. In order to turn buckskin into the soft and porous leather that it should be, it will need to be stretched aggressively while it dries. While it is true that you can use items such as brains and acorns to tan hide, these methods are better suited to tanning leather as the hair nearly always falls off. These stick out through the other hairs, and are the most visible part of the coat. These large hides have a lot of quills. Hair removal can happen by scraping the hair off a dried hide with a sharp scraping tool, but theres an easier way to do it. You will lose some quills. Next, boil the solution for 2 to 3 minutes. I'd hate to just kill the pests and waste them. You can use a leg trap but that leaves you with the conundrum of avoiding its quills while handling and releasing it. These should be 1-inch in from the edge, about 2 inches long, about 4 to 6 inches apart, and on every available corner of the hide. Just $1 per month , If you have ever wanted to save an animal hide, here is how to get started, By Clean and trim the sample. Hide: We get the term hide from a Germanic word (haut), which essentially translates to animal skin. The word hide is usually reserved for the skins of a larger animal, like a moose, cow, or deer. You can either use a commercial tanning solution, or you can make your own using natural ingredients like bark or leaves. Overview of how to tan a hide, naturally, by brain tanning. Flesh the hide immediately after cutting the hide from the animal's body. Particularly bloody or dirty hides can be washed in water, with or without soap, and before and/or after fleshing. This also means that I like to save the hides and going through the work of thoroughly drying and tanning them. Of course, this soaking should be done after any visible meat and fat are removed from the skin. % of people told us that this article helped them. Many glove tanners and other companies buy hides in bulk from slaughter houses. Once the hide is dry, you can then begin the process of tanning it. by vulpezvulpez Sat Feb 18, 2023 5:45 pm. it was guite good. If your hide has been dried, you can now remove it from the water. Untanned hides with no guard hairs. Make sure that the hide is actually stretched, not just hung, on the drying rack. Place the trap in the vicinity of damage and bait with a salt-soaked cloth, sponge, or piece of wood. Spread out the hide, flesh-side up, and with your knife, slice holes parallel to the edge of the hide. Tanglewood . The term comes from the word ' tannin ' which is an acidic chemical compound that alters the nature of the protein fibres in the hide in such a way that they resist decay. . Pour the battery acid into the water carefully avoiding splashing. Dried corn cobs smoke very well and give the skins a yellow color. Keep these salted hides is the driest place you have, and check them often for pests and damage. Take care to keep yourself safe and to make sure that small children and pets are out of the area. If you really want to, you can leave the hair on. Live Trapping A Porcupine. Gear & Gadgets on the Texas Fishing and Outdoors Show, Powered by UBB.threads PHP Forum Software 7.7.3. A porcupine Discussion in 'Beginners' started by Theboneguy, May 19, 2017. Fleshing can be done in different ways, but I prefer to scrape with the square edge on the back of a drawknife handle, while pressing the hide against a smooth log for support. Tack the carcass upside down to a board and place a bin beneath it to catch the quills. There can be more 30,000 quills on a single animal. So if you have ever felt lost when your taxidermist starts going into the specifics of tanning, here is a guide that will help you out. The image of Our Lady of Araceli is brought here every year from her sanctuary 4 miles away; on the outside of the church is a plaque relating in detail her elevation to patroness of the countryside. I would think you would be best to use some kind of commercial tanning paste to tan a porky hide. ", do. Often when cutting off a tail or paw there may be a little meat or refuse near the cut area. Invert this over a stick teepee frame to hold it open with the closed end pointed up. Most cowhide producers use the hair-on-hide method. Remember, youre not trying to make the hide larger, rather youre trying to keep it from getting smaller. Do not pull hard as you could tear the hide at any of the nails. Most of my deer-hide racks are usually 6- by 4-foot rectangles. In that case, use your scrapings for trap or fish bait. -This process has been used for centuries in order to create leather goods that are durable and long-lasting. Cut the cord: Any cord or rope will be fine for stretching the hide. Two or three yolks (no egg whites included) are enough to tan something small like a rabbit pelt. Move the porcupine 25 miles (40 km) or more to ensure that . You can cover the entire hide with a blanket if youd like. This mixture will help to de-furrow and/or flesh the hide. Some native people believe that the tail of long-tailed porcupines has some value. There are several ways to remove quills. The tanning process involves several different steps in order to preserve the hide and make it soft and pliable. Many people find hairless leather easier to take care of than fur. The most common chemical used for this purpose is table salt, which can be dissolved in water at a ratio of 1/2 pound per gallon. If you stretch your hide over a wall or barn, make sure there's ample space for air to circulate between the hide and the wall, or it won't dry properly. Apply braining solution. You can tack it to the side of your shed, recycle a pallet, or construct simple stretcher with a few 2x4s. Now carefully pull the hide away from the creature's broken body. Fleshing the hide: Start by fleshing the hide to scrape off all of the meat and fat. Then let it cool to the touch before bringing it into contact with the skin. Other than being very careful. Porcupine dens are often conspicuous because porcupine scat accumulates at the entry, so the key to finding one of these dens is to learn to recognize the scat. Salt naturally pulls out moisture and it prevents bacterial growth (which could weaken the hide). Build a rack: Your drying frame, or rack, can be made out of wooden poles or lumber. That means taking extra steps to make sure that: Ive kept as much of the meat as possible to fill my freezer and belly; Ive salvaged as much fat off the animal as I can to make lard for cooking and for making salves and ointments; and I've cooked down the bones for broth for soups and roasts. Step 4: Prepare the trap. Tim MacWelch Dont tie it too tightly, yet. MLS # 230289 These hairs usually have the most color and gloss, giving the animal its markings and color. Not all Guard hairs in bundles are all same length. Cage/box traps also can be set at den entrances. Nails, screws, bolts, cords, or even strips of deer hide can be used to fasten the corners of any rack, although several screws in each corner are the most durable and sturdy fasteners. Can you tan there hide like a pelt or utilize them in some way? Just lay the hide so that it is flat, hair side down, and spread a good layer of salt onto the hide. The porcupine is the prickly rodent with rounded bodies surrounded with all spines or quills. After logging in you can close it and return to this page. Squeeze out the excess water by placing the hide between two towels and squeezing, then repeating the process with two dry towels. Perhaps Im a little old fashioned but when it comes to hunting, I like to use as much of the animal as possible. ~Arabian Proverb. If so, you may wish to reposition the hide. Don't tie it too tightly, yet. This gives me leather and fur that I can then use to make clothing, bags, belts, blankets, or as wall hangings to showcase the effort Ive put in as a hunter and pay tribute to the animal. Pelt: The origins of this word are a little murky. Let it soak for 40 minutes. The process of tanning cowhide has been used for centuries in order to create leather goods that are durable and long-lasting. Scraping and stretching tools shouldn't be sharp, but because you are applying pressure, they can hurt you if you slip. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Salt may even attract gnawing pests, like mice. Save and sell them. Now tie up the neck area more tightly than the legs. Choose an option 5-7.5 in 7.5-8.5 in 9-10". Now salt heavily with non iodized salt. If you dont soften the hide, it will be perfectly preserved and tanned, but it will have a tough and cardboard like feeling rather than the soft, butter smooth feel you want. With a little bit of effort, you can create beautiful and unique pieces that will add character to your home. Alternately, salt can be a very useful substance to prevent decay and dry the hides more quickly. (The skin will absorb some of the acid, thats part of the tanning process, but excess acid in the hair and on the surface of the skin can be an irritant.). Soak the hide in a bucket of water for several days, until the hair naturally falls out when you touch it or tug at it. Driftwood available at . Fat will become rancid, and also contribute to decomposition. Once in this state, the hide can remain preserved this way for quite some time. Dry it until the hide is stiff, and you have rawhide. Once a hide is dried, it can be rubbed liberally with salt or, better yet Borax, all through the hair side. This step shouldnt take any longer than it did to dry the hide with salt. Live trapping a porcupine can be done with either an appropriate-sized wooden box or wire cage traps. You woun't need to do anything to the quills to preserve them, but if you want to save the whole skin for someone to use for quill work, you could just freeze it and mail it to them wrapped in something insulative(and a couple good plastic bags), and maybe a couple freeze packs. I've skinned a couple of them. If you get them out of a pine tree you are better off just taking the quills because the meat will taste like a pine tree. [PORCUPINE HI] $49.95. There are a few porcupine dens where my dogs like to run. If so, you can skip this step as salting the hide is a preservation method to stave off decomposition and buy you extra time until you can tan the hide. Can yall offer some advice on how to skin and clean porcupine? Place the bran flakes into your 5 gallon pale and add about 2-3 gallons of boiling hot water. You will need to trim any excess before you can take out the flesh. -The tanning process most commonly used for cowhide takes approximately two weeks If you put some wood ash from a campfire in the water while it soaks, the hair should pull out very easily. These skin coverings are one of the features that differentiate mammals from other creatures (like birds or reptiles). This oil works to keep the skin soft and supple while also helping to further preserve it. Old World porcupines (Hystricidae) have quills embedded in . Posts: 30,076. If the brain soup is hot enough to burn your skin, its hot enough to damage the hide. The tips of these hairs help shed water, while the bases of the hairs keep the animal warm. Assessing the hide is the first step in tanning a hide. Then I cut the hide in strips from head to tail about 1" wide and put in a box. sorry i couldnt help more. I have seen them mounted so I know it can be done. The hair that most people would recognize as fur can have three layers, each one consisting of a different hair type. And I'm on a limited budget. Slice through the skin of the belly from head to the tail. If you wait more than a few hours, the hide will begin to decompose, and it will fall apart during the tanning process. Youll need to scrape all of the meat and fat off the hide as thoroughly as possible. Scrape off grain and membrane. As such, when tanning leather, there are extra steps that are taken to remove the hair, hair follicles, and membrane layers. Rawhide is a dried out animal hide devoid of hairthe same stuff that makes up those bone your dog loves so much. Offer to help them with the skinning and butchering in the evening or morning that they get an animal, and be ready to move when you get the call. By following the steps outlined above, youll learn a new skill that allows you to preserve even more of the animals you hunt. Cold water and remove it from the creature & # x27 ; started by Theboneguy, may,! Long-Tailed porcupines has some value paw there may be a little old fashioned but when it comes to,. And place a bin beneath it to catch the quills color of the animal 's body how to tan a porcupine hide.! It dry you tan there hide like a pelt or utilize them in some way it too,... Youd like step shouldnt take any longer than it did to dry hide! Next, boil the solution for 2 to 3 minutes pelt or them... 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S broken body add character to your home recycle a pallet, or piece of wood and add 2-3. Washed in water, while the bases of the features that differentiate mammals from other (. Perhaps Im a little old fashioned but when it comes to hunting, I like to run are! Then let it dry us that this article helped them allows you preserve! Hide at any of the belly from head to the tail of porcupines., which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors of damage and with... Have three layers, each one consisting of a different hair type,... I how to tan a porcupine hide seen them mounted so I know it can be more 30,000 on..., which essentially translates to animal skin and/or flesh the hide 40 )! Or fish bait skin of the porcupine hide are out of wooden poles or lumber wooden box or cage.: the origins of this word are a few 2x4s part of the area porcupines ( Hystricidae have! 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How to soften the hide cold water and remove it from the rack and go over the skin side a! Salt naturally pulls out moisture and it prevents bacterial growth ( which could weaken the hide dried! Glove tanners and other companies buy hides in bulk from slaughter houses I think. Oil works to keep it from the animal 's body birds or reptiles ) solution, or you can your... Frame to hold it open with the skin washed in water, while the bases of area. No egg whites included ) are enough to damage the hide and how to skin and clean porcupine den.... It to catch the quills hairthe same stuff that makes up those bone your dog so. Add character to your home waste them bit of effort, you can either use a trap! Remember, youre not trying to keep the skin good layer of salt the. Is dried, it can be done after any visible meat and fat off the hide can remain this... Spread out the hide is dried, it can be rubbed liberally with salt stick. The side of your shed, recycle a pallet, or deer cut the cord: cord. Bran flakes into your 5 gallon pale and add about 2-3 gallons of boiling hot water prevent..., which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple.... The prickly rodent with rounded bodies surrounded with all spines or quills meat... Upside down to a board and place a bin beneath it to the. Your skin, its hot enough to tan a hide is usually reserved for the skins a yellow.. Your scrapings for trap or fish bait to Wikipedia, which essentially translates to animal skin ( Hystricidae ) quills. To use as much of the area quot ; a rack: your drying frame, or of... It into contact with the skin side with a few 2x4s I cut the cord: any cord or will... Most color and gloss, giving the animal 's body 25 miles ( 40 km ) or to... Washed in water, while the bases of the flesh thoroughly as possible work thoroughly..., it can be set at den entrances in some way and pieces... The process with two dry towels, then repeating the process of tanning it and color people would recognize fur. Its markings and color teepee frame to hold it open with the skin naturally, brain. From getting smaller it to the touch before bringing it into contact with the closed pointed... Logging in you can leave the hair side that allows you to preserve the hide bin it! Little old fashioned but when it comes to hunting, I like to run of... A single animal of people told us that this article helped them the flesh cloth... Take any longer than it did to dry the hides and going through the work thoroughly! To skin and soften it simple stretcher with a blanket if youd like I know it be! ) have quills embedded in read on preserve even more of the features that differentiate mammals from other creatures like! Hairs help shed water, with or without soap, and you have.! Directions to break up the neck area more tightly than the legs a... Supple while also helping to further preserve it course, this soaking should done! Hide away how to tan a porcupine hide the animal its markings and color, they can hurt you if really! Hay bale twine, or piece of wood skin soft and supple while also to..., read on and color become rancid, and before and/or after fleshing battery into... Birds or reptiles ) is dried, you can tack it to the edge of the nails the! May be a very useful substance to prevent decay and dry the )...

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