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#146137 September 26th, 2006 at 08:59 PM
njoynit Offline OP
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anyone here tan animal hides?I did a burnout on a snake& I'd like to skin him& keep his hide.He's 4 ft long and has 8 rattlers.
[Linked Image]

I've been reading online some about skinning& tanning& see a wide array of items are used(neet foot lotion.....antifreeze....menthol...alchoal)I just wondered if anyone tanned here.
I have a frontersman book that has about doing hides...I've just got to locate it.

#146138 September 29th, 2006 at 09:05 AM
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Not me. but nice Rattler. You're in Texas; ya oughta eat 'im.

#146139 September 29th, 2006 at 10:02 AM
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Oh my gawddddddddd...
That's scareyyyyyyyy!
I would have a cornary if I saw that.. shk

#146140 September 29th, 2006 at 01:45 PM
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Rattlesnakes aren't bad. It's Copperheads ya gotta look out fer!

#146141 September 29th, 2006 at 06:47 PM
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Never Tanned anything ....But you want to keep it as soft as possible.. I would go for the lotion... You may want to Strap it flat as possible so it does not roll up...I have worked with fur but it has already been tanned... Also you can look up a Taxidermist and see if they have any cure Duh

#146142 September 29th, 2006 at 11:08 PM
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I would love the information on how to tan hides if you find your book. There was a program about it last winter on tv but I was channel surfing and only caught about half of it after I ran around looking for my pen and paper.

#146143 September 30th, 2006 at 12:55 AM
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When I used to hunt, I saved the hides of many of the animals I shot. I would salt-cure them By nailing and stretching the hides to the side of my barn and then rub table salt into the hides to let them cure. I did several deer, rabbit, suirrel and raccoon hides this way and even skinned a neighbors mule one time. It had died of natural causes. I personally lost interest in hunting about 30 years ago but still love to eat game and would like to mess with tanning hides if asked.

#146144 September 30th, 2006 at 01:02 AM
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My dad used to hunt deer...
He did like what Nat said..
He'd lay the skins on the floor..
and pour a ton of salt on it...
*(I dont' remember how long,
but I'd say weeeeeeeeeks, several)*

#146145 September 30th, 2006 at 10:12 AM
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At least six weeks.

#146146 September 30th, 2006 at 11:36 AM
njoynit Offline OP
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Well I skinnned it today.was actually quiet easy after makeing 2 mistakes.I keept pulling when shoulda stopped (see?there WAS a reason they used them pliers!)I then forgot to snip the nose bone....so my snakes face kinda ripped (But I still got 4 ft of skin!) I went with the neets foot oil.I found 3 taxidermys in the book.They tell me it should be cured in a week.I borrowed a board from hubby (I told him He could have it back when I was finished) Its stapled,but some curling will occure as I ran outta staples and the other ones are taller so did not work as well so I stopped.but the center area has enough staples to hold it.
BIL has started thawing his snake for me to do next.I really enjoyed rubbing it in...My snake is bigger than his .He's already decided to mount his on a board.I'm thinking of doing one of my gourds with the snake skin.

I DID check out the meat some& believe the next one I shoot....I'll skin on spot and eat.I found a few articles on prepareing snake.you soak the meat in salt water to plump it up so its not tough.and found 1 lone article on makeing a necklace from the snakes spine.


This was my skinning guide.
http://www.hidetanning.net/SnakeSkinningIllustrated.html

The round thing she used to clean remaining fat from skin.........I used a spoon turned at an angle and moved downwards direction same as scales.The hardest part is snipping around the eyes.I snipped different around the mouth than she did.I pulled most the skin back on head and took knife with sharp tip and pushed through around mouthline.I was trying to pull its fangs before cutting but they wouldn't pull out so I cut how I felt safer.Its head was slightly crushed so that did not help. I used a towel to cut on hardly any mess to clean up!

yes you do have to WATCH for cooperheads cause they make no noise.I've came very close to stepping on one twice.
I DO have a chair seat made out of deer hide.A friend made made for me years ago.Its a miricle i've keept up with the chair.Its proably about 17 years old now.not real comffy either.I DO like deer meat.hubby don't but I do. I like to make deer strips and wrap bacon around them on jalpeno peppers and grill them.

#146147 September 30th, 2006 at 01:30 PM
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The Bird Man
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I'm coming to dinner with you!

#146148 September 30th, 2006 at 07:57 PM
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Can't wait to see the finished Product!! Sounds neat! thumbup

#146149 October 1st, 2006 at 08:59 PM
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sounds like it turned out well. let us know, i'm interested!

there was a member here a while ago (sometime last year or to) who tanned all animal skins she got, including possum, buffalow, and racoon. i remember her telling us about a purse she made with the head of the possum as the flap and it was really nice.

#146150 October 11th, 2006 at 08:36 PM
njoynit Offline OP
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[Linked Image]


finished product.I was really floored.My 1st skin turned out all right.I'm already looking for my next victum grinnnn )I held it on leg and looked pretty good !I may have do some boots someday(I know someone in TN where I grew up.I actually use to own a pair of ostrich skin boots when was 17 ...hand made boots)I need to look about for what others have done.If anyone gets the chance.....they should do a snake skin.Its very easy(Or I did too many squirrls& Tequilia in my youth )

#146151 October 11th, 2006 at 09:45 PM
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Looks GREAT!!! thumbup clp clp clp

#146152 October 13th, 2006 at 09:23 PM
njoynit Offline OP
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Well here we are with the rest of the shots taken.

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

Thats a shot of my sidewalk in progress too.10 bags at a time.we used pieces of rebar to get that design.Hubby says its for water drainage& so I don't slip and fall. Duh uhh.where's the water going? I haven't slipped and fell since I lived in Indpls with ice & snow ( well off a ladder once.a good reason that top step says do not stand on this step) I still have not decided how am displaying.

#146153 October 14th, 2006 at 07:11 PM
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Looks Great!! What about putting it pressed in a frame? Trim a Cowboy hat.. hand bag..


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