this year i am hoping to have 3 deer skins to work with(me, my brother and my dad) and i am hoping to brain tan two skins and make them into buckskin, and another into rawhide, thoughts, suggestions? what wood should I smoke the hides with after smearing the brains on?

iknow, just didnt ant to write that

I don't like to use deer hide for raw hide, dog chews are much easier to get.  Soak them and unroll them, then cut into strips.  
 
If you are planning on making a shirt, tan that third hide, you'll need it for sleeves.  You may want to track down a fourth, that way, you don't run out of materials in the middle of the project.  If there is a deer processer near, they will usually let you have it for free.  Try to get one that only got shot once and the guy didn't use a magunum.  
 
And good luck to the three of you.  Bill
 
As far as smoke, the smokier, the better.  The old rotten damp stuff that is hard to get burning and won't stay burning unless you keep fooling with it is great.

wow raw hide must pretty versatile

no, the hides are purely for what i stated above, no shirt, just leggings

yes, i could have had chpmunk sinew today

hehe, i could have had squirrel sinew today, i love squrrell season