How Long Will a Deer Hide Last in the Freezer?

As a hunter or game meat enthusiast, you must process your game meat, including deer. Since deer hide is a significant good for artists, craftsmen, and hunters, it is essential to preserve the deer hide to use it for accessories, clothes, or home decor. So the ideal place to preserve your deer hide is in the freezer so that it can have its quality and longevity. 

But here, you must know how long a deer hide last in the freezer. The answer to the question depends on different factors. You must depend on the steps to prepare the hide for preservation, storage, and freezer condition. However, with proper maintenance, you can store your deer hide in a freezer for several years. 

How Long Is It Possible to Keep a Deer Hide in Your Refrigerator? 

Since the answer is not inevitable and the matter entirely depends on some factors, you should follow the factors attentively. If you don’t know storing the hide in your freezer appropriately, it can’t preserve the deer hide for use in creating taxidermy mounts or leather goods. In addition, when you store the deer hide improperly, it leads to ruin and spoilage of the hide. In this article, I will explore the guidelines for storing them. 

Prepare Your Hide for Freezing:

You must prepare the deer hide for freezing. So it is essential to clean the deer hide and treat the hide with the help of a preservative. After that, you need to stretch your deer hide.

Step 1. Clean Your Deer Hide: Since the deer hide contains blood, dirt, or other contaminants, you must clean it thoroughly before freezing it. You should use warm water and a bar of mild soap to clean the deer hide. After cleaning it, you must rinse the hide. Once rinse the hide, allow it to air dry. 

Step 2. Treat Your Deer Hide with a Preservative: It is necessary to treat the hide with the help of a preservative when you want to freeze your deer hide for an extended period. Treating the deer hide with a preservative will help you protect it from any damage, including bacterial growth. So use a preservative and treat the deer hide to protect it thoroughly. 

Step 3. Stretch Your Deer Hide: Not only deer hide but any kind of hide must stretch to prevent them from becoming wrinkled or stiff. So you must stretch your deer hide to free it from being winkled or stiffed. However, use a stretching device or frame, and with it, stretch your deer hide evenly. After stretching it, allow the deer hide to air dry entirely. After air drying, you may keep it in the freezer.

Keep Your Deer Hide in Freezer:

After preparing your deer hide, the task you must do is to keep the deer hide in your freezer. So here you must follow some crucial steps. However, you must choose the right temperature, wrap your deer hide, label, and organize your freezer.

Step 1. Select the Right Temperature: If you want optimal preservation of the deer hide, set your freezer to a temperature range of 0 degrees Fahrenheit to -10 degrees Fahrenheit. In celsius, you should use -18 degree celsius to -23 degrees celsius temperature. Remember that you should not change the temperature of your freezer frequently. Otherwise, it may lead to your freezer burning. 

Step 2. Wrap Your Deer Hide: After selecting the perfect temperature for your freezer, wrap your deer hide. So use aluminum foil or plastic wrap because it helps to prevent freezer burn and moisture loss. However, if you have a vacuum sealer, use it and make your deer hide vacuum sealed. 

Step 3. Label and Organize Your Freezer: After wrapping your deer hide, you must label and organize your freezer correctly. You need to label your deer hide with the date of freezing. In addition, include other relevant information on the label. After that, organize your freezer to keep the deer hide in the back where the temperature stays stable.

You can use these procedures to keep the deer hide long-lasting in the freezer. 

Important Note: However, After keeping your deer hide, all you need to do is thaw and prepare your deer hide for usage. You must throw your deer hide gently in your freezer so that it can’t be damaged. Remember that you must avoid applying hot water to throw the deer hide. Otherwise, it can be brittle or discolored. 

Now it is time to remove additional moisture. So slowly blot your deer hide with the help of a towel to remove additional moisture from it. But it is essential not to rub your deer hide because rubbing can damage the leather or fur. Again after this, you should soften your hide and then cut and trim it according to your need.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Possible to Store a Deer Hide in My Freezer without Removing Any Parts?

Yes, you can store a deer hide in your freezer without removing any parts. But you should remember that when you want to use the deer hide for any purpose, like tanning, remove the feet, head, and tail before freezing it. The process will help you to work with it later. 

Will Freezing Affect the Quality of My Deer Hide?

No, freezing can’t affect the quality of a deer hide when you store it properly. But ice crystals can form if you don’t store your deer hide properly. Again, the freezer can burn when you don’t keep the deer hide appropriately, affecting the quality and texture. 

Is It Possible to Store Multiple Deer Hides in the SAme Container in My Freezer?

Yes, you can store multiple deer hide in the same container in your freezer. But make sure to package or wrap the hides separately. Again, you must label each package on the date you have frozen it. In addition, include other relevant information on the label.

Conclusion

You can freeze a deer hide that has already been tanned even. But make sure the deer hide is free from any debris. In addition, you must make the hide completely dry. However, fresh deer hides are less fragile than tanned hides. So it is essential to wrap the tanned deer hide to prevent damage. 

When you want to check if the deer hide is still good or not after being frozen, notice any sign of freezer burn, including discolored and dry patches of the hide’s surface. If you notice the deer hide is slimy or has an odor, it is getting spoiled.