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Tanning Elk Hides

I have an elk hide I would like to get tanned into leather - no hair - just leather. Anyone have a good source you could recommend for getting this done? What's the ballpark cost and timing?

Thanks for any advice/recommendations.

I shot a bull last Saturday and asked a local taxidermist her in Craig what it would cost for a Elk hide to be tanned with no hair. I was told $160.00 dollars but you don't get your hide back. Instead you turn in a hide and get another tanned hide in return. Apparently all the hides are put together and no effort is made to identify who the hide belongs to.

Rocky mountain tanners 303 293 2882 they do your hide and you get your hide back takes about 3 to four months. your choice of colors as well.

winner

Thanks for the input, guys. I'll give RMT a call.

Terry.

One more follow up. I did call RMT and they'll do it for $144 in about 4 month time.

Thanks again.

Talked with the Crazy 3 Tannery in Craig today. They do all work in house and guarantee the same hide back with a 3-4 month turn-around.

Fawn - do you know how the cost compares to RMT?

Crazy 3 $14 per sq ft. An average cow, according to them, will be about 25 sq ft for a cost of $350. I have not seen any work from either RMT or Crazy 3, so nothing to compare to. Crazy 3 is very small, 3 people, and do everything in house, so there is virtually no chance for your hide to be mixed up with anyone else's. With a small company, they have everything to lose by not putting out a superior product. I talked with them about a hide my partner got. I told them that it has two holes, an entry and an exit. We got it off the animal in great shape, little or no meat/flesh on the hide and put it in the refrigerator, then freezer in short order. They claim that if they were to put any holes in the hide during the tanning process, they will fix it, but that they treat every hide "like it was their own". Is it $200 better than RMT? Who knows.

Forgot to tell you that the $350 was leather tanned, HAIR ON. That does make a difference in the cost! I don't know what Crazy 3 charges for just leather tanned.

RMT butchered an antelope hide for me last year. I was in a hurry the day I picked it up at their place, and didn't inspect it before paying. To say I was unhappy with their work is an understatement. I would never recommend using them, regardless of price.

I did turn the hide into RMT last week. The lady there said they are now sending their hides to Minnisota for tanning - used to be San Francisco(?).

Turn around time is 4-6 months. Hope I have better luck than you did, Reflexman. I'll let you know next year.

Thanks.

We sent ours to Crazy 3 this week. Maybe we can compare when they come back!

I have used rocky mountain tanners a number of times over the years, I've had 3 elk hides with hair on and at least 4 elk hides done in leather only. all of them turned out great and yes you do get your own hide back.

I would recomend them to anyone. There is always a risk no matter where you take your hide that something could go wrong. The first hide I took to RMT about 1994 (which at that time was run by different owners) was my daughters first deer, it came back looking like it got caught in a machine and was shredded.

I've got enough leather laying around so my last elk I just left the hide in the woods, but if I decide I need another one tanned I would have no concerns about taking it to RMT.

RMT does great work at a fair price. They also sell hides (from all over the world) that folks have not picked up... absolutely gorgeous.

I was pleased with RMT for a moose hide I took to them. They had a Spanish lady connection who I had make gloves from the hide for about $7/pair. They turned out really nice and made great Christmas presents for friends. All scraps were returned, too.

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