From Raw Hide to Refined Mount: The Intricate Journey of Taxidermy Tanning

Unveiling the Hidden Art: The Journey of a Hide from Harvest to Display

The Initial Triumph and Anticipated Wait

After a successful hunt yields a prized animal, the initial steps involve carefully preparing the hide and antlers for preservation. Hunters often take pride in delivering these trophies to a taxidermy studio, anticipating the eventual return of a magnificent mounted specimen. However, the subsequent waiting period can extend from a year to potentially three, leading many to wonder about the reasons behind such delays.

The Crucial Role of the Tannery in Taxidermy

The extended wait times are largely due to the meticulous tanning process, which is often outsourced by taxidermists to specialized facilities. Tanning is an art form requiring extensive knowledge, specific skills, and considerable time. The industry has seen a decline in large tanneries, with many smaller operations ceasing during the recent pandemic. Nevertheless, some major players, like The Wildlife Gallery, continue to excel in this field.

The Wildlife Gallery: A Leader in Hide Processing

Since its inception in 1994 by Brad Eldred, The Wildlife Gallery has grown from a humble barn operation into America's largest tannery. With multiple locations across Michigan, Texas, and Alaska, and a team of over 100 dedicated employees, the company processes hides from around the globe. Its reputation is built not just on volume but on consistently producing high-quality tanned hides that provide taxidermists with ideal materials for their work.

The Science of a Superior Tan

According to Jerred Peterson, Senior Vice President of The Wildlife Gallery, what distinguishes their service is the commitment to a tan that offers excellent elasticity, a gradual drying process, and minimal shrinkage. This focus on specific qualities ensures that taxidermists receive hides that are easy to work with and contribute to creating exceptional mounts.

Transforming Raw Hides: A Step-by-Step Overview

The journey from a fresh, unprocessed hide to a beautifully finished product at The Wildlife Gallery is a fascinating sequence of specialized tasks. The following sections delve into each critical stage of this transformation.

Receiving and Initial Processing: The Influx of Hides

At The Wildlife Gallery's receiving department, a constant stream of raw hides arrives daily, often numbering around a thousand. These come from taxidermists across the country via the company's dedicated transport, as well as through commercial carriers like UPS and FedEx. Being USDA-approved also allows them to accept international shipments, managing a diverse array of animal skins.

Identification and Tracking: Ensuring Authenticity

Upon entry into the tannery, each hide is assigned a unique punch code. This system involves a series of small perforations on the inside of the skin, acting as a permanent identifier for the originating taxidermist and the hide's owner. This method ensures that even if external tags are lost, the specific animal's skin can be reliably matched to its rightful owner, guaranteeing the authenticity of the final taxidermy piece.

Rehydration and Pickling: The Foundation of Preservation

After being categorized by species, hides undergo rehydration before entering the pickling phase. This involves submerging them in large drums filled with a precise blend of water, salt, and acid for several days. The duration of this process varies based on the hide's thickness. Pickling is crucial for setting the hair and eradicating bacteria, establishing a stable base for subsequent treatments. This wet room is where much of the initial transformative work occurs, including rehydration, pickling, and preparation for shaving and tanning.

Specialized Cleaning for Different Species: Bear Pelts and Beyond

Certain animal hides require specific cleaning protocols. Bear pelts, known for their higher fat content, undergo an additional washing stage in specialized paddle vats. This process efficiently removes grease and fat, ensuring the hide is optimally prepared. The team meticulously adjusts treatment methods for each species; for instance, robust hides from bison or moose demand significant effort to manage, while delicate skins from high-value sheep species necessitate extreme care.

The Art of Shaving: Precision in Skin Removal

The shaving department plays a critical role in removing non-tannable protein and excess skin. This stage requires immense precision, as removing too much can cause hair loss, while leaving too much can hinder the hide's stretchability. The Wildlife Gallery invests approximately six months in training each shaver to master this delicate task before they handle customer hides. Workers utilize specialized round knives, powered by motors under their desks, for precise removal, wearing Kevlar gloves for safety. An experienced shaver can process 30 to 40 deer capes daily, with team leaders performing rigorous quality control checks.

Handling Large Hides: Turning Machines for Efficiency

Not all hides can be shaved using the standard round knife. Larger skins, such as those from giraffes and other African game, are processed using turning machines. Brothers Josh and Jason Bigg specialize in operating these larger devices, which perform a similar function to round knives but on a grander scale. A giraffe hide, which can weigh between 200 to 300 pounds, can be efficiently processed in about 40 minutes using a turning machine, a task that would take several hours with a round knife. These machines are particularly effective in removing significant amounts of excess skin, as evidenced by the large piles of discarded tissue.

The Tanning Process: A Protected Art

Following turning and shaving, hides move to the tanning vats. Here, specialists like Adam Hastings and Cody Bergey manage the full-body hides of animals such as giraffes and rhinos. The Wildlife Gallery has invested heavily in research and development to perfect its tanning solutions, adjusting the immersion times for different species and refining the oiling process. The specific details of their tanning process are considered trade secrets, reflecting the proprietary knowledge that contributes to their superior hide quality. Chemists like Jerry Kappler and Jesse Wood meticulously monitor pH and salinity levels in the solutions, overseeing the critical pickling and tanning stages.

Drying and Softening: Preparing the Hide for Use

Once tanned, hides enter the extractor, a large machine that spins them dry, akin to a massive industrial dryer. Amanda Taylor and Krista Jackson are shown loading hides into this apparatus. Following this, finishers like Jeffery Main utilize a staking machine to begin the "breaking" process, stretching the hide to break down molecules and ensure a soft, pliable texture. Then, Amanda Taylor applies warm oil to the now-dry leather with a sponge, restoring its softness and suppleness. These oiled pelts are then hung in the finishing area for 48 hours, where temperature and humidity are carefully controlled to optimize the drying.

Final Grooming and Quality Assurance: The Polished Product

The final stages involve meticulous grooming and quality control. Aaron Lombard is seen stretching hides, maintaining their softness and workability for taxidermists. All pelts undergo thorough cleaning and grooming, especially crucial for species with long hair prone to collecting debris, such as mountain goats. Josh Malotke grooms a whitetail cape, ensuring its pristine condition before it is sorted and dispatched to the taxidermist. As Peterson states, the appearance of the hide upon return is paramount; it must clearly convey its readiness for mounting, reflecting the meticulous standards maintained throughout the entire tanning process.