my gramps told me that every animal has nuff brains to tan itself... i get some beef brain and put in a blender and add nuff water to make it look like a strawberry shake..take the fleshed put up animal and coat with the mixture and roll up... wait till the hide has become soft and rinse the remains off,,, theb the hard part. take the critter and work the hide side back and forth on an old ax head till it reaches the deisred softness. i then add a lite coating of neatsfoot oil