We're brain tanning 2 skins from last fall's whitetails. My son has a nice fat 2 1/2 year old doe. Mine was a 3 1/2 yr old buck, shot during the rut with a very swollen neck. We're following Matt Richards techniques from "deerskins into buckskins" which means we bucked in hardwood ash.
The doe skin was easy, took about 3 hours total so far - after rinsing & membraning, it is coming out perfect. The buck skin on the other hand, I'm having trouble graining. I can get the grain off around the flanks, but nowhere else. I put it back in the bucking solution for 2 more days (5 total), still cant get any grain. 2 more days, still cant get any grain. We did do the specific gravity test with an egg, it comes out perfect. These skins have been in the freezer since the fall, but I dont think that is the problem.
Any ideas, or are buck skins just a LOT tougher than doe? FYI, it's back in the solution again. I'm thinking 1 more try on sunday, then give up on that skin.
