Deer Hide

Deer Hide is the most common hide in Skyrim, skinned from deer and elk and tanned into two pieces of Leather.

Deer Hide comes from Skyrim’s deer and elk, the skittish animals that sprint away the moment you draw a bow. It is worth 10 gold and weighs 2, and its real value is at the tanning rack, where one hide becomes 2 Leather. That makes it a solid early source for Hide Armor and for the leather strips every smith burns through. Deer are also a great way to practise Archery, since they never fight back.

How to get it

Hunting is the main source. Deer and elk roam the open plains and forests, especially around Whiterun and Falkreath, and they usually spook long before you get close, so sneak up or bring a bow. Unlike most hides, deer hide is not part of the regular merchant stock in the game data, so if you want it you will be hunting for it.

A few hides also lie around as loose loot: one each in Autumnwatch Tower, Dawnstar, the Goldenglow Estate basement, Druadach Redoubt Cave and the Shaman’s Hut in Skaal Village.

Tanning is quick and free: walk up to any tanning rack, pick Leather and you are done. Two pieces of leather weigh the same as the hide itself, so there is no carrying penalty for converting on the spot.

Smelting and tanning

1 Deer Hide → 2 Leather at the tanning rack
1 Deer Hide → 2 Leather at the tanning rack

Used to craft

Deer Hide appears in 2 recipes in the game files.

Weapons and other items

tanning rack: Leather (1), Leather (1)

The number in brackets is how many Deer Hide each recipe needs. Bold labels are the Smithing perk the recipe requires.

Good to know

Tan it right away: 2 Leather for one hide beats selling it for 10 gold.

Data from the Skyrim game files (Skyrim.esm and the official add-ons): value, weight, ore veins, recipes and merchant lists. ID 000D284D is the item’s form ID for the console.

Where to find it

Hunt deer and elk in Skyrim’s plains and forests
Loose: Autumnwatch Tower and Dawnstar (1 each)
Goldenglow Estate Basement, Druadach Redoubt Cave and the Shaman’s Hut in Skaal Village (1 each)

Crafting materials

Lore notes

Dropped by

Quest reward from

Where it appears

Autumnwatch Tower

Autumnwatch Tower in Skyrim: a dragon lair south of Ivarstead with the Marked for Death Word Wall, a boss chest, silver ore and Jornibret’s Last Dance.

Dawnstar

Dawnstar is the cold northern port of the Pale – a mining town plagued by nightmares, home of Jarl Skald the Elder, the Windpeak Inn and a Mythic Dawn museum.

Falkreath

Falkreath is the quiet forest town of southern Skyrim with a famously large graveyard – home of Jarl Siddgeir, the Dead Man’s Drink and a talking dog called Barbas.