Tan Coon Skin

   / Tan Coon Skin #1  

nolarefugee

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Hello all, longtime since my last post...

Was wondering if anyone has any sage advice on tanning a couple of coon skins? Including any gotchas to look out for. After skinning them I put the pelts in the freezer.

I shot two with a gun my dad left me, 22 Stevens. Shot them with open sights, holding a flashlight against the barrel at about 40 yards. There were about five coons up in this tree.
 

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   / Tan Coon Skin #2  
Hello all, longtime since my last post...

Was wondering if anyone has any sage advice on tanning a couple of coon skins? Including any gotchas to look out for. After skinning them I put the pelts in the freezer.

I shot two with a gun my dad left me, 22 Stevens. Shot them with open sights, holding a flashlight against the barrel at about 40 yards. There were about five coons up in this tree.

I used this method in tanning several deer hides over the years and it worked for me...how to tan a coonhide - YouTube

I have a Remington 22 bolt action Sportsmaster that my dad gave me years ago...some of these 22 LR are very accurate and with hollow points ....quite deadly. Nice shooting.
 
   / Tan Coon Skin #3  
Hello I have seen it done by my wife ! Easyest way is to get a bottle of Deer Hunters &Trappers Hide Tanning Formula ! Bass Pro and Cabelas both sell it ! You have to be careful what you hear ! Salting and drying is not tanning !
 
   / Tan Coon Skin #4  
You have to be careful what you hear ! Salting and drying is not tanning !

Correct. If you want one to hang in on the garage wall, go ahead and salt it. It will come out like a piece of very stiff cardboard which is fine for display. If you want to make something like a hat or want workable leather it must be tanned and tanning is not a quick & easy process.

KD5 I need to try that formula it sounds promising. FYI I used to work in Denham back in 1979.....seems like a million years ago:cool:
 
   / Tan Coon Skin #5  
Hello I have seen it done by my wife ! Easyest way is to get a bottle of Deer Hunters &Trappers Hide Tanning Formula ! Bass Pro and Cabelas both sell it ! You have to be careful what you hear ! Salting and drying is not tanning !

Welcome to TBN.


Lee Van Cleef! :thumbsup:
 
   / Tan Coon Skin #6  
I used this method in tanning several deer hides over the years and it worked for me...how to tan a coonhide - YouTube

I have a Remington 22 bolt action Sportsmaster that my dad gave me years ago...some of these 22 LR are very accurate and with hollow points ....quite deadly. Nice shooting.

I love those old Remingtons; my Mom gave me hers when I turned 13...that was in 1951...it was a Targetmaster, single shot. They made 3 types; one with the tubular magazine, a single shot and one with a detachable clip-style magazine. All are super-accurate. Good luck with the tanning, BTW, gonna make a Davy Crocket coon-skin cap?
 
   / Tan Coon Skin #7  
before you dry it you will need to flesh it(removing all the fat and meat that came off with the hide). Then if you just want to hang it on the wall you can strech it on a board. If you dont strech it its not going to dry well and look pretty ratty. If you goingto tan it you have to get all the fat off otherwise the tan wont take. you can also sent the hide up toi usafox and they can flesh it and tan it for you. Plus turn it into a hat if you want
 
   / Tan Coon Skin #8  
I think i`ll say a little more ! I love to fish hunt and trap ! What better way to keep the thrill and memory . than to tan its hide and make use of em completly BUTTTTTTT Tanning hides IS a lot wet nasty cold hard work ! Coon work best if fou skin them then put the skin in a freezer for a while. The fat will harden up an come off better after you freeze them a while ! then take the skins out let them thaw ! A fleshing beam works best ! A 2 x 6 with one end rounded and pointed ! Go to a fur trapping supply and see what they look ilke !
I talked my wife into tanning hair on a bunch of deer hides a couple of seasons back ! Rittle or something close was the name ! It involved several plastic containers several different packets of chemicals and water ! A process that lasts a couple of weeks ! Dealing with a cold wet green hide !
Then when you get to the last step You hang the hide to dry ! But before it drys completly you have to work the hide WHILE IT DRIES COMPLETLY or else it will dry stiff as a board ! Also if you don`t follow the directions to the letter all the hair might fall out !
Hey when you see a piece of hair on vegtable tanned tide you should appreciate that someone did quite a bit of work !
 
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   / Tan Coon Skin #10  
I agree ! Unless you are doing it for hobby it be would best to have it done !
If you can really get it done for 18 to 20 dollars a piece it would be money well spent !
 
 
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