Deer Hide

Deer Hide

Type	Hide
Source	Deer and Elk
Base Value	10
Weight	2
Tans Into	Leather

Deer Hide is the commonest hide in Skyrim and the one most players tan first. There are two of them: one drops from elk and one from deer, they look different, and the game calls both Deer Hide.

The Two Varieties

The elk variety and the deer variety are separate items with separate IDs and different appearances, which is generally agreed to be an oversight. The Unofficial Skyrim Patch renames the first to Elk Hide. Only the elk version turns up in hunter and general goods stock.

Notes

Deer Pelt is a different item entirely. Deer do not drop it, it is found as loot, and in the unpatched game it cannot be tanned or used in any recipe at all. If a pelt refuses to tan, that is why.

Tanning is done at a tanning rack, which needs no perk and grants no Smithing experience. The value is in the weight saved: a bag of pelts is heavy and the Leather it becomes is not.

The Two Hides

The patch renames the elk variety to Elk Hide.

Item	Dropped by	Sold by merchants
Deer Hide, elk variety	Elk	Yes, from level 1
Deer Hide, deer variety	Deer	No
Deer Pelt	Nothing	No, and cannot be tanned

Tanning

Both recipes sit at a tanning rack.

Image	Used	Created
-	1 x Deer Hide	1 x Leather
	1 x Leather	4 x Leather Strips

All Leather

Name	Weight	Value	Source	Item ID	Add-on
Leather Strips	0.1	3	1x Leather at a Tanning Rack	000800E4	Skyrim
Goat Hide	1	5	Goats	0003AD8E	Skyrim
Leather	2	10	Hides at a Tanning Rack	000DB5D2	Skyrim
Deer Hide	2	10	Deer and Elk	0003AD90	Skyrim
Netch Leather	2	10	Betty and Bull Netch	xx01CD7C	Dragonborn
Bear Pelt	3	50	Bears	0003AD52	Skyrim
Cave Bear Pelt	3	60	Cave Bears	0003AD53	Skyrim
Snow Bear Pelt	3	75	Snow Bears	0003AD54	Skyrim

Crafting Materials