[Midlife Crisis]

I'm going to join a friend on his elk hunt. It will be his hunt - I'm just support staff / sherpa. The deal is that his wife won't let him put a rack up on the wall so there's no point in caping and unless I want the antlers they'll be left in the mountains or sold to an artist.

So he's thinking that he'd like to skin the critter, have it tanned, and make a rug or wall hanging out of the hide. I'm thinking it wouldn't look that nice and it would be a pain in the butt and back instead of just removing the hide to expose the quarters and tenderloins to debone and pack out.

Anyone have any thoughts about the hide?

 

[slinger09]

I have one in my dead room (thats what the wife calls it). It sheds a little but I have a wood floor in that room and it looks really nice. It serves its purpose until I can get a six foot black bear to take its place.

 

[donnybowhunter]

i had my first elk hide tanned.. i think it's great. i think you should keep the hide.

 

[Lien2]

My first bull was too "small" to do a shoulder mount, but a real trophy to me. I got a European done of the antlers, and I tanned the hide. I have it thrown over a coffee table, looks great.


Lien2

 

[jamaro]

I have a couple and I think they are nice.... I have used them for padding in the RV and they have a cool rustic look rolled up, strapped with a nice piece of leather and sitting in the corner of the room.
j-

 

[Rack Tracker]

Elk hides with the hair on do make a nice conversation piece. Folks who have never been up close and personal will be amazed at how thick the hair is even on the back and rump. A bull hide will have more of an elky odor even after tanning. (which I love). If it is as a rug, the hairs are pretty brittle, so you will get some breakage. I think an elk hide looks real sharp on the back of the couch or over the railing on a stair well or indoor mezzanine.

I think you are looking at around 60-70 pounds if you are going to pack out the hide. Many tanneries will exchange elk hide gloves for fresh elk hides also. It's somethin' to think about.

 

[Midlife Crisis]

Many thanks for the input - it looks like we'll be working a little harder than I hoped....:whip:

 

[Allen7791]

Wife wont let him keep the horns??????

I think I would find a new wife:ballchain

 

[WyoJim]

We threw both of our elk hides in the pasture with the horses last year. Sure does calm them down when they get to a kill site.

 

['Ike']

Tanned -

:thumbs_up I've had one tanned, very nice!

 

[hunterhowdy]

How much does it cost to have a elk hide tanned with hair on?

 

[ELKhuntR]

I know if I shoot an elk this year, I'm tanning it and making me a set up

finger gloves for my recurve.

and maybe a pair of stalking slippers.

Please, let me get an elk!


I'd say if you shoot the bull don't leave the antlers in the forest. That was his manhood, respect that. Make a flint strker or knife handle or something out of it. BE resourceful with the game you kill.