# Whats the cheapest way to tan a bear hide



## dgr416 (Nov 16, 2009)

I have a friend who already has a bear rug and he got a bear this year .It was alot smaller than his bear rug he already had.He wanted to know the cheapest way to tan it.I think most tannerys are in Montana.I always took my racoons to the taxidermist but it was way more than the tannery was.I got a price of $300 to tan the hide and $160 a foot for a rug.I figured someone on here would know.


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## TurkeyManiac (Nov 16, 2009)

Use it's own brains. 100% free. Oldtimers know about the technique.


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## Nicodemus (Nov 16, 2009)

TurkeyManiac said:


> Use it's own brains. 100% free. Oldtimers know about the technique.





Yep, and if you didn`t keep the brains from your bear, go to your meat market and buy some fresh pork brains to use. You can do it for less than 5 dollars. And it will be superior to any commercial tan.


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## Eroc33 (Nov 16, 2009)

Nicodemus said:


> Yep, and if you didn`t keep the brains from your bear, go to your meat market and buy some fresh pork brains to use. You can do it for less than 5 dollars. And it will be superior to any commercial tan.



tell us more


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## T_well (Nov 16, 2009)

Could we get a link to a website with instructions?


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## TommyA(GA) (Nov 18, 2009)

Tanning a bear at home is not easy.  There is a process to it and it takes time.  A lot of salt and degreaser is needed.  It is best to send it to a tannery to get a nice soft tan.  It is well worth the money to send it away.  They have everything needed at there fingertips where as you would have to buy everything and put a lot of time and labor into it and still not get it to come out like a proffesional tan.  Good luck though.


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## Coastie (Nov 19, 2009)

dgr416 said:


> I have a friend who already has a bear rug and he got a bear this year .It was alot smaller than his bear rug he already had.He wanted to know the cheapest way to tan it.I think most tannerys are in Montana.I always took my racoons to the taxidermist but it was way more than the tannery was.I got a price of $300 to tan the hide and $160 a foot for a rug.I figured someone on here would know.



This price is from http://www.usafoxx.com/fur-tanning-pricelist.htm

Bear Cost/ft   $25.00 add $75.00 for fleshing and $30.00 if you did not take skull out and want it back.

There are several other tannerys with similar costs, just do a search on the net for the one that suits you best.


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## roberto mervici (Nov 27, 2009)

The cheapest way is a tannery. 
Once I want to try the experience.. it work but the finishing of the fur is not as luster as the tannery and is a LOT of work, clean the hide from all fat, blod , and flesh; remove the skull, split the eye lids and lips to remove fatty tissue, remove cartilage from the ears, remove the bone of the paws till last knuckels... a job!
Purchase a plywood board to strtch it and dry, a plastic large garabitch container, 1.5 liters of Kamal ( degreaser and deodorant from taxidermist supply) 5kg of table salt, 1.5 kg of Alumn powder and 0.7 kg of borax powder ( last 2 at the pharmacy ) 
Bring to boil 1.5 gal of water, dissolve completely your salt, after the alumn powder and after the borax. When done put it in the big plastic container and add 3.5 gal of cold water. Let it cool completely before dipping in the skin, all the skin must be hunder water, every day for 14 days you move the skin like if you hand wash it and insure that is always cowered with the water.
After the 14 days rinse it VERY WELL few time with new water, then in a wash machine at delicate cycle with 1/2 of the Kamal, repeat this operation one more time and you ready to put it on the board. Do not stretch it to much use  small finishing nail to nail it down, start cente all the way down every 3" and then doo the sides
As it dry it will stiffen up like a card board... I did not mind stiff since the head I mount it separate, the paws I use to make arrow quiver and the back to do indian shield. If you want a soft rug after most of the water is drip out use the dryer at air only and tennis shoe with baseball balls to tumble till dry.
I am not a professional but it work for me...  but after this experience I use the tannery facility!!
________
roberto


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## roberto mervici (Nov 27, 2009)

This is some of the final work... I must doo something wrong before since the attachement did not work.
________
roberto


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## whitworth (Nov 27, 2009)

*And it's always best*

to learn how to tan a hide, before you shoot the bear.


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