# How to skin for deer hoof coat rack?



## 02outlaw (Oct 15, 2008)

I was thinking of macking a coat rack or gun racks out of deer hoofs, and wondering the proper process to skin, clean and anything else that may be involved. I have found the hoof forms online. I have eight right now, this would be my first attempt at any kind of taxidermy. Any help would be appreciated.


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## Bear Cove (Dec 1, 2008)

there is not much involved but it is complicated. Send me a pm and I can give you more detail.


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## neil duffey (Feb 22, 2004)

why go through the troubles of a pm... help the rest of the people who wonder and mak it a concreat post... post it here for all to learn


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## Mitchell Ulrich (Sep 10, 2007)

Yeah, what Neil said....don't be shy. We are here to help, not criticize.

Mitch


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## Trophy Specialist (Nov 30, 2001)

Here's how I did it. It may not be pretty, but I was just looking for some rustic looking, easy to make hangers in my bare bones camp. I first cut the legs behind the knuckle. I then soaked them in a strong pickle (acid) for a couple days, then soaked them in a borax solution for a few hours. Then I bent the joint 45 degress and used string to hold them in place. I then baked them in the oven for about 8 hours at 180 degrees until they were dry all the way through. I had some long screws (5") and I drilled two deep (5") pilot holes into the legs. I then drilled two holes for each leg through the boards used to mount the hangers on the wall. They were spaced the same as the holes in the legs, but those holes were a little larger than the scew diameter and countersunk. I ran the screws through the boards and applied epoxy to the threads and the base of the legs and drove the scews into the pilot holes in the legs. Any excess glue was wiped off and after curing, I screwed them to my walls. I've had them in my camp as coat hangers, gun racks, bow holders and boot dryers. The boot dryers are about 6" to the joint and the others were cut off about 4" from the joint. I've had them in my camp for over 10 years and have had no problems and my camp is a harsh envronment with huge swings in temp and humidity with bugs and mice being abundant at times. I must have about 20 of them by now and they are all big footed yooper hangers.


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## Mitchell Ulrich (Sep 10, 2007)

*WASCO* -- Wildlife Artist Supply Company
Home page for *WASCO*, the world's leader in *taxidermy* innovation.
www.taxidermy.com/ - 2k - Cached - Similar pages

*then look for this..*

Beginners Kits

*then click on..*

[SIZE=+2]Novelty Mount Taxidermy Kits[/SIZE] 
[SIZE=+1]Deer Foot Kits[/SIZE] [SIZE=+1]Deer Rump Kit[/SIZE] [SIZE=+1]Antler Mount Kit[/SIZE] 

*what Trophy Specialist said will work. However, this link is how many of us started.* Or just click on the link!

*Mitch*


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## Trophy Specialist (Nov 30, 2001)

I'd also like to add that I have done a couple deer leg lamps and gun racks where I skinned out the legs, fleshed and scraped everything clean, preserved them, and mounted them on leg forms. I still have a couple of them and they are now over 20 years old and look good.


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## 02outlaw (Oct 15, 2008)

Thanks for all replies.


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## Paul Thompson (Jul 16, 2007)

I have my druthers on "curing" any foot. Forms are $4.15 at a supplier.


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## Mitchell Ulrich (Sep 10, 2007)

,,,and like Paul mentioned, you can even find some forms where all you need is the skin itself . The toes are already molded in. A great option for those who cant get the hang of digging,cussing and fighting to get the last knuckle of the toe bone out of the hoof.

Mitch


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