My dad has been bow hunting and black powder rifle hunting for my entire life. he only uses primitive arms because he says “it’s called hunting, not killing” and advanced weapons make it unfair. Most years he gets one or two deer. Some years he gets none. Sometimes he just sits in his tree and watches nature and doesn’t even pick up his bow. Sometimes he gets incredibly emotional when he gets a kill.

A few years ago I learned how to tan the hides because I’ve always wanted to, and because he was becoming more and more passionate about not wasting any part of the animal. You can do it with simple chemicals or you can use the animal’s brain!! (Unrelated fun fact, every mammal except the squirrel and the bison have exactly the right amount of brain matter to tan their own hides!)

I think it’s great if you’re doing it respectfully and consciously, and abiding by local conservation guidelines.

There’s an incredible Radio Lab episode called “the rhino hunter” that deep dives into this fact, and it’s honestly one of the most emotionally confusing pieces of media I’ve ever encountered. Highly recommend.

There’s also a New Boston in MA right over the border from Colebrook, CT