At Manitoba Buckskin we make all natural brain tanned buckskin leather with whitetail deer, caribou, elk, and moose hides.  We use all natural materials and processes. Custom tanning by order. 

Deer, elk, bison and moose hides are all different, and each present their own challenges. As individuals, each animal is unique, and so also are their hides. Each hide has its own history and characteristics. Some are thicker and some are thinner, of a different size and weight, depending on where and how they lived, predators, age, season, and gender. We receive hides collected by the St. Malo wildlife association in Southeast Manitoba, as well as from Winnipeg and the surrounding area. Moose are from mostly Northern Manitoba, and Elk from the West. Some finished hides have more scars and blemishes than others, some have an irregular shape due to trimming around holes or poor skinning technique.  We usually have remnants or partial hides available, good for smaller projects.  Deer hides generally range from 8-12 square feet, elk from 13-24 square feet, and moose from 15 - 30+ square feet.   Because we trim the hides several times during the tanning process, and need to cut around excessive knife or bullet holes, the finished product is always smaller than the fresh skinned hide.

 Deer hide buckskin ranges from $17-$22 / s.f.,   Elk range from $23. -  $26. / s.f.,   and moose hide from $26. - $30. / s.f. finished.   Prices depend and vary according to the finished quality, consistent colour, softness, and holes or knife marks.  Deer hides tanned with the hair-on are $150. Pre-cut cordage or leather lacing is $1. / linear foot.

Manitoba Buckskin also receives furs for custom tanning. The furs must be in excellent condition, and cared for properly before we get them, to ensure satisfactory results. We have beaver, coyote, and bear furs for sale on a limited basis.

The Tanning Process

In the tanning process I use, the active ingredients are  hides, brains, hydrated lime or hardwood ash, natural oils and emulsifiers, pine, red oak, and cedar smoke, time, water and work. We scrape each hide by hand either when wet or dry on a frame. Each hide is smoked at least twice during the process, and stretched and softened until there are no stiff spots. The result is very soft leather which is strong and durable. Smoked hides have a range of beautiful colours from light gold to dark brown, and a smoky aroma that lasts for years.The smoke gives the buckskin its characteristic colour and also provides the unique quality of staying soft after repeated wetting and drying. The smoke permeates inside the skin itself and cures the hide, preserving it from any kind of insect or creature and also preventing natural decomposition.  The cleanest hides with the fewest blemishes and stains are kept naturally ivory white. These must be treated with more care, because they are more susceptible to stains, are not as washable, and will stiffen up more once they get wet. Any holes on all hides are  sewn closed. 

Notice to hunters and skinners:  For your general information and our benefit, please see the following skinning techniques for deer, elk, and moose:  Whenever possible, it is best and easiest to skin out the animal from neck to tail. Most often, hunters hang the animal head down. When it is time to skin it out, hang it by the head if possible, make the initial cuts down the inside of the legs, and then be careful with that knife! Do not use the knife unless you absolutely have to. The knife scores or marks in the hide, even if they do not make a hole at first, result in holes in the finished leather. Any weak spot or knife mark can result in a hole when the hide is stretched and softened.  Pull the hide down, neck to tail, peel it off by hand as much as possible. The hide will come off much easier this way. The hide is naturally easier to remove starting at the neck and working back.  Deer can be skinned out by hand easily. Moose and elk are more difficult for sure, but if you can get the animal to hang, the hide peels off head to tail better. If you can get a winch or a machine to assist, you can pull the hide off completely, and it will not take as much meat with it.