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Author Topic: I got 4 huge elk hides today,  (Read 9929 times)

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Offline yazoo

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I got 4 huge elk hides today,
« on: February 19, 2009, 04:35:35 pm »
a friend of mine has a elk ranch, brought me 4 hides today, what is the best way to preserve them till i get time to tan them?
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if you can shoot over them , they ain't to far

Offline madcrow

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Re: I got 4 huge elk hides today,
« Reply #1 on: February 19, 2009, 09:34:25 pm »
Scrape all the chunks of meat off, go buy a couple hundred pounds of salt.  Lay the hides out flat and salt them heavily, usually 1 pound of salt per poound of hide.  Fold them in half lengthwise and roll them up like a sleeping bag.  Stand them up where the open end is on the bottom so they can drain.  In a couple of days, unroll them, resalt them and stand them up again.  They should be good for a long time.  I have several deer hides that I did this way in October.  They will be alright as long as the critters and bug don't start chewing on them.  Or you could box them up and send them to me. ;D ;D ;D  I'll take real good care of them.
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Offline cowboy

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Re: I got 4 huge elk hides today,
« Reply #2 on: February 19, 2009, 10:08:10 pm »
I don't really know man, but congrat's on the score. Hope you have succes with em..
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Offline yazoo

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Re: I got 4 huge elk hides today,
« Reply #3 on: February 19, 2009, 10:31:07 pm »
I am going to take care of the skins tomorrow, I have been getting the sinew and the leg skins from 16 legs tonite, I maybe up late,
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Offline hawkbow

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Re: I got 4 huge elk hides today,
« Reply #4 on: February 19, 2009, 10:53:35 pm »
If you stretch the green hides before you salt and dry them they will be much easier to tan( no creases that way)  when they dry... good luck bro..Hawk a/ho
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Offline madcrow

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Re: I got 4 huge elk hides today,
« Reply #5 on: February 19, 2009, 10:57:05 pm »
I knew I would forget something.
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Offline mullet

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Re: I got 4 huge elk hides today,
« Reply #6 on: February 19, 2009, 11:35:26 pm »
 If you want to save them till you have time to tan them, salt the bejeezas out of them ,roll them up and stick them in a freezer. They won't freeze solid that way.
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Offline leapingbare

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Re: I got 4 huge elk hides today,
« Reply #7 on: February 20, 2009, 12:41:35 pm »
I want one :D
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Offline El Destructo

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Re: I got 4 huge elk hides today,
« Reply #8 on: February 20, 2009, 12:52:45 pm »
Man you must have way too much free time on your Hands...or you just don't have a clue what you are getting yourself into.... >:D

I took it upon myself to do 2 deer and a Cow Elk this Winter....and that is way too much work....I will buy the Next Ones  I decide I need!! I dont have the Luxury of the much Time to spend on making Leather....Tandy and others make it too easy for Me..... 8)
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Badbill

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Re: I got 4 huge elk hides today,
« Reply #9 on: February 20, 2009, 02:08:43 pm »
What! Lets back up a moment! Your friend has an elk ranch? Oh really!  ;D :P What? where? and how much?
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Offline yazoo

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Re: I got 4 huge elk hides today,
« Reply #10 on: February 20, 2009, 04:39:16 pm »
I cut all the sinew out today, and fleshed one , going to try to flesh 3 tomorrow the thing is I have more time than money,,
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Offline JackCrafty

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Re: I got 4 huge elk hides today,
« Reply #11 on: February 21, 2009, 01:14:12 am »
The way I save my hides is to scrape the flesh off, salt them (I don't use all that much salt....maybe a box of canning salt per hide?), and then stick as many as will fit in a 5gal bucket with a tight lid.  After a couple days I open the bucket and tip it to the side so the excess water runs out.   I put the lid back on and forget about it until I need it.  I have salted hides this way that are two years old now.....and haven't gotten smelly.  I leave the buckets outside and out of the sun.
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Offline billy

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Re: I got 4 huge elk hides today,
« Reply #12 on: February 25, 2009, 11:21:13 am »
YEah, clean all the fat and meat off the skins, then stretch them out, and salt them.  If you're gonna braintan them, you gotta wash all the salt out of the skins before you do.  I've tanned them after being salted and they work fine as long as all the salt is out of them.  Elk are a challenge to braintan, but they are awesome when you're finished.
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Offline Hillbilly

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Re: I got 4 huge elk hides today,
« Reply #13 on: February 26, 2009, 01:39:52 pm »
Or just roll them up and freeze them.
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Offline Pat B

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Re: I got 4 huge elk hides today,
« Reply #14 on: February 26, 2009, 11:27:57 pm »
Where is Wade when you need him! ;D
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