How do you use your deer skins?

[Scott E]

I'm going to stop wasting my deer hides and start tanning them. However I'm not sure how I want to use them.

What are some project ideas?
Also interested to see some ideas for uses of fur on tanned skins.

[macbow]

I make rawhide.  Good,for backing primitive bows

[ChuckC]

Hair on or off ?  I tan some at home.  A buddy used to send off all of his deer skins for hairless tanning and just put them in a drawer for later.  He has a bunch.  I got a DVD on brain tanning and I am gonna try that this year.

ChuckC

[Beau J]

I made a raw hide quiver with the hide from my first doe I shot with a BBO that I made. I just made it the same way Saxton Pope described In Hunting with the Bow and Arrow. It was a neat and simple project that anyone can do.. BeauJ

[Jake Scott]

Tail hair is great for tying flies.

Jake

[Skipmaster1]

I brain tan them. It comes out buttery soft. I made a wool lined buckskin vest, a bag and some other small projects

[RedShaft]

When you guys do the brain tanning. Do you have to get to the process right away? Or can you freeze n work on later?
I don't want to be working on a deer hide in the evenings when I should be out hunting.

[Skipmaster1]

You can freeze the hides for as long as you want. I also wet salt them. I salt the hides and let them drain for an hour or two. I fold in flesh side in and roll it up. Put some water softener salt in the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket. Put the hide in and close the lid. It will last at least a year or 2 that way.

[stillhunter]

I used to soak them in a garbage can full of wood ash till the hair slipped , scraped them and rawhide back my self bows. I backed my favorite selfie w/ my sons first longbow deer 20 years ago and it brings good memories. Shot a deer with it couple years ago, pass through, 40 yards and she went down.