WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST?
Finished 1 of 2 deerskins into leather last week. This hide was from a doe down in the Wallkill Valley. Doeskins are normally thinner than buckskins. Making leather reveals in some part, the lives these deer lived. Scars from tick bites, barbed wire, and other debris these animals encounter in the elements are revealed. The photo below shows the neck area of this deer. The circular scars are most likely from tick bites. Near the rump or back I often find linear scars, perhaps from overhanging brush, fences, or barbed wire they often must “scoot” beneath. In any case, the hide tells a story of these forest animals.
May the Forest Be with You,
Ryan Trapani
Director of Forest Services
Catskill Forest Association