Making a Deer Hide Wall hanging

[redlaw]

I am on the edge here on how to do this. I managed to successfully tan my first deer hide, now I am pondering on how to mount the hide on the wall. I am thinking of using a luan plywood cutout as a backer for the hide to sit on, and then placing a hanger on the board to mount to the wall.  Has anyone ever done this? If so what should I watch out for? or, is there a better way to display the hide on the wall?

Also, since I did not neatly harvest the hide, I do not have nice edges, actually the real left leg is kinda short, so I am thinking of alternate shapes to display the hide, I do not feel I cam do the X shape fully. Any suggestions?

I appreciate any feedback on this, I am new to tanning, I just could not see chucking good hides and plan on at least trying to tan what I harvest.

Thanks,

Jim

[redlaw]

http://i1365.photobucket.com/albums/r754/PAJimmy/DeerHide_zps18e8ede7.jpg

[redlaw]

This works better, here is a photo of the hide I am working with.

[Hawks Feather]

I have no idea at all, but Jim might have some experience with it.

Jerry

[JohnP]

I hung this guy up with nothing but upholstery tacks.  I'm sure he is considerably larger and heavier than your deer.

[FinsnFur]

Id hang it up just like it is. They dont have to be symmetrical to look nice. Or if you want to try and get it a little more into shape just flip it over and use a pencil on the skin where you want to cut, and then cut your lines with a knife or scalpel..dont use scissors cause youll cut the hair.
Upholstery tacks, thumbtacks, push pins...anything will work like John mentioned. You dont have to pin it to plywood. Use the tacks to hold it into the shape you want.
Another option is to glue the whole hide to another piece of material that has been cut a little bit larger then the hide itself and then hang the whole thing. It serves as a background sorta speak. I'm sure you've seen bearskin rugs etc....same concept.

Now that you have one under your belt you'll learn where to and not to cut the dear when skinning for your next one. 

By the way...awesome looking Zebra John

[JohnP]

"By the way...awesome looking Zebra John"  Thanks Jim.  Believe it or not that guy is about 40 years old, got him when we lived in the Congo 1972/73.  Had a black felt lining but would not fit on the wall with it.  He is about five feet wide (front leg measurement) and seven feet long, not including tail.  I think he was the lead stallion, not sure.

redlaw, if you can get the black, or whatever color you prefer, backing it would set it off very nicely - I think.

[Okanagan]

I'd trim off the big leg to match the short one, and do that with flank etc. on up the hide.  Another option I saw was to cut the hide to a geometric shape, like a big symmetrical oval.  You cut off a lot.  I saw that done on some caribou hides and they really look great.  Like Jim said, cur on the leather side with a scalpel sharp knife. 

Good work this far!

[nastygunz]

I would cut two armholes with the tail pointing down, it would make a killer vest!

[nastygunz]

P.S.I would not wear the aforementioned vest during deer season!

[FinsnFur]

YOU would too

[redlaw]

That is a Awesome looking Zebra!! Thanks all for the ideas, I do like the idea of having a felt backing to highlight the hide. I will post a picture when the project is complete.

[tomdury]

Any updates on hanging your hide? I got my first deer last fall and had the skin tanned and just picked it up from the taxidermy. Looking for some ideas on how to hang it and came across this thread. Curious to see how yours turned out.

[FinsnFur]

Looks like you posted the same thing in a new thread Tom. I posted a reply over there for ya.