Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Smelly Deer Hide - Can it be Deodorized?

I have a hair on deer hide from a piebald doe I shot about 20 years ago. It's been on top of my gun safe in the basement for the last 15 years or so and has some mildew on it and has an odor to it. I shook it out, vacuumed it and hung it outside for a day - still smells. I just did the room over and the wife doesn't want it back in there. Can hides be cleaned to eliminate the odor? Anyone else run into this?

My nephew had a coyote mount that had a terrible odor, he took it back to the taxidermist. Don't know what the taxidermist did, but coyote no longer stinks.

I'm sure there are professional products on Van Dykes website. I'd first try copious amounts of Febreze or other similar easily found odor eliminators.

Dampen the back and use some Boroxo,or wipe off with vinegar.

Good suggestion. I ordered some Mckenzie odor eliminator which seems to fit the description of what I need. I've always thought of Febreeze as more of a masking type of product and don't want a perfumy smell left over after it dries.

You want to kill the bacteria and mold.Using a fragrance just covers the smell up.Bleach would probably loosen the hairs.That is why I suggested vineger and borox.