Making the most of an animal.
Here at Gourmet Hunters we are always keen to find uses for all parts of an animal. Recently I went hunting with a friend Ian who was very keen on obtaining not just meat but skins as well. I thought he wanted to make some floor rugs for winter. Not so. He had leather in mind.
The animals were humanely despatched after a good hunt and we set to work. Ian and I removed the skins and drained them.
Upon getting back to Sydney he placed the skins in a lime solution for a week. Once out the hair basically wiped off the leather. They were rinsed and then tanned in a non chrome vegetable tanning solution. The skins required agitation each day. Once tanned they were broken and Ian ended up with beautiful supple deer leather.
He had just bought a new deer rifle. A Tikka T3 in 270WSM. He needed a scabbard for it. Ian set to work measuring up a template to make his own.
I couldn’t believe it when Ian sent me the images the other day. The workmanship was fantastic and something to be proud of.
It is a great thing to use the animal to this extent. As a hunter there is a feeling of going full circle. I have enough floor rugs of my own already and I’m already thinking of some leather projects. Happy hunting!
