Print

[BryanFromPA]

A coworker overheard a conversation I had late last year where I expressed an interest in learning about tanning hide. We'll he came in to my office today and told me that he forgot, but hes been saving me a hide from this past season and would be bringing me a hide he's had in the freezer for the last couple of months.

Will a hide that's been frozen for this period of time cause any issues? Most of the places I've been reading up on the process talks about the hides being cured and nothing about them being frozen.

[BryanFromPA]

As a follow up, I'm under the impression it was frozen somewhat promptly after he got the deer.

[The Tanner]

The major thing with frozen hides is how long they have been frozen.  The longer the hide is frozen the more likely it is to become freezer burned.  When a hide is freezer burned the hair follicle is damaged.  You can tan the hide and it will look fine for a month or so and then the hair will start to fall out.

Usually this takes about a year.  So if the hide has only been frozen for six months it is probably fine.