Groundhog for moccasins?

[WoodsRoamer]

Wondering if I tanned some groundhog skins if I could make a decent pair of moccasins and if I can what would be the best style moccasin to make with it

 

[omarick1948]

I would think that ground hog would be to thin of a hide for good wear. Must be a reason you don't hear of it being used for moc's.

 

[WoodsRoamer]

Thanks was just wondering because that would be the easiest for me to get a hold of and I have heard it is a tough hide

 

[galamb]

From the "Ultimate Guide to Skinning and Tanning" by Monte Burch.

quote -

Groundhog, on the other hand, provides a very durable tanned leather. Groundhog was a common choice for rawhide with Native Americans and Settlers.

Groundhogs are almost always open-hide skinned.

unquote

Take if for what you will.

 

[Luke MacGillie]

Ive never heard of groundhog for mocs. Now they are the best for banjo heads, and if bark tanned, make really good shoestrings, but mocs, not so sure.

 

[WoodsRoamer]

I might try it in the future if I can get two that are big enough to do an eastern style center seam and maybe double sole or triple sole them if it is thin

 

[Capt. Jas.]

I wouldn't think groundhog would make the best pair but I have seen a pair in the Smithsonian back in the lat 80's supposedly of groundhog.

 

[WoodsRoamer]

Yeah I was just wondering what other people thought of it I was wondering because I don't know where to get better leather and I can't tan any thing bigger than groundhog

 

[Wes/Tex]

Rabbit appears to be just as unusable!
http://www.guy-sports.com/fun_pictures/bunny_slipper.jpg

 

[Billnpatti]

I have a friend who grew up in the hills of Kentucky. They were dirt poor and he said that the only shoes he had when he was young were moccasins made of groundhog hides. He said that they wore pretty well but he hunted groundhogs all the time and his dad kept hides on hand for moccasin repair and replacing the moccasins that wore out. He didn't say how often they had to be replaced but they must have served better than any other hides that may have been available.

 

[WoodsRoamer]

Thanks the moccasins that I use to squirrel hunt will need replacing probably this fall so I will either hunt some groundhogs or just get a couple that get ran over and just try it

 

[crockett]

So how thick is ground hog hide?

 

[bowkill]

Rabbit appears to be just as unusable!
http://www.guy-sports.com/fun_pictures/bunny_slipper.jpg

you owe me a keyboard.....I just spit pop all over mine.. :grin:

 

[Rick Son]

Depends on what you call him! :rotf: :rotf:

And whistle pig really ticks them off!! :rotf: :rotf: :surrender: :rotf:

 

[omarick1948]

I use ground hog all the time!...Good stuff!

 

[WoodsRoamer]

I like the look of that groundhog I'll have to give that a try maybe with rabbit this fall

 

[crockett]

I'll bring up the subject of ground hog gravy- sounds like something "grandpa on Hee Haw" had for super but I'm told groundhog meat makes the world's best gravy. Well I have no idea if that's true or someone is just funning me.

 

[tenngun]

Were they made in the past, cant say I've ever heard of it, but with respects to Claude rabbit was made in to moccs in the great basin with yucca basket soles. If you wanted a winter mocc that you couldn't authinicate you could use it with a two piece hardsole mocc. I made some out of rabbit with thick vegg tan leather soles and double sole and uppers. They were warm as toast. From an historic perspective I'm sure come cold weather the old timers made wool, fleece, treerat, rabbit or whatever to keep toes from falling off.

 

[WoodsRoamer]

Thanks I didn't know about the Paiute moccasins I've been thinking on how to make a pair of center seam moccasins for winter deer hunting

 

[Curt]

WoodsRoamer They make a nice huntin pouch .the back side of the hide would work better as it is thicker than the belly side.brain tan deer is more pc but use the hog hide if that's all you have and let us know how it goes
.my favorite pouch is ground hog and its tuff stuff.Curt