Where to Farm Hides

In LOTRO, hides are used in crafting, either as is or after being converted to leather. Any character can farm hides, but only Foresters can convert hides into leather. Tailors, who use lots of leather, can significantly cut their costs by farming their own hides. So the real question is... where to farm hides?

There are a couple of factors to consider when farming hides. First only fur-bearing beasts drop hides - boars, bears and wolves, to name a few. Which type of hide a particular animal drops depends on its level.

Hide	Beast Level	Crafting Tier
Light	1-12	1 (Apprentice)
Medium	13-23	2 (Journeyman)
Sturdy	24-34	3 (Expert)
Pristine	35-43	4 (Artisan)
Exceptional	44-50	5 (Master)
Magnificent	51-54	6 (Supreme)
Extraordinary	55-65	6 (Supreme)

Choosing a Farming Location

You will find hides in every zone - take advantage of this while leveling. Kill some extra beasts before heading back to town if your bags aren't full. However, when you need a few hundred hides, look for a farming location with these characteristics:

Avoid mobs that are the objective of quests or popular deeds - competition for mobs will just slow you down.
Farm close to a vendor. The stackable loot beasts drop can add up to some serious coin, so being able to sell and use a mailbox when your bags are full is a big help.
Not too far from a stable master. Don't trek long distances on foot or horseback if there is a closer option available.
Finally, farming will go lots faster if the mobs are at least 5 levels lower than you. This usually means focusing on mobs on the low end of the level range for the tier.
Bonus: Advances a deed
Bonus: Shard dropping named mob nearby

Below are a few suggestions of where to farm for hides at the low end of each tier. There are many, many more possible locations.

Where to Farm Light Hides

Used in relatively small quantities for tier 1 crafting, level 1-12 hide dropping animals are plentiful in the racial starter areas in Bree-land, Ered Luin and The Shire. If you don't get enough simply leveling up, check the Auction House for Light Hides and Light Leather, which usually sell cheaply. If you are still a few short, a visit to the Yellow Tree (32.7S 48.0W) in Chetwood South (Bree-land), the Hunter's Notch (18.6S 100.6W) in north Ered Luin, Nen Hilith (29.0S 94.1W) in south Ered Luin or the Wolf Den (30.5S 72.6W) in The Shire will let you stock up quickly.

Where to Farm Medium Hides

Medium hides drop from beasts, level 13 to 23, in Bree-land, Ered Luin, The Shire, Lone-lands and North Downs.

Step out the West Gate of Bree and you are in prime medium hide farming terriority. With the revamp of Bree-land, there is no need to trek farther. Try the "boar pit" (27.5S 52.3W), the road area between Adso's Camp (29.3S 56.8W) and the Brandywine Bridge (31.4S 63.0W ) or the area between Thornley's Farm (25.2S 53.8W), Snarling Hollow (24.2S 54.7W) and the Old Greenway Fort (24.0S 53.1W).

Where to Farm Sturdy Hides

Sturdy hides drop from beasts, level 24 to 34, in Lone-lands, North Downs, Evendim and Trollshaws. You'll get some sturdy hides leveling through these areas. But for serious sturdy hide farming, North Downs offers better mob density at the low-end of the tier. Try the level 24-25 wargs and wolves in Haud Eglan (7.7S 49.5W) or the level 28-30 beast dens throughout Northern Kingsfell (8.2S 45.4W). The banker and crafting facilities in nearby Esteldin (9.6S 42.1W) are a bonus.

Where to Farm Pristine Hides

Pristine hides drop from beasts, level 35 to 43, in Evendim, Trollshaws, Misty Mountains and Angmar. With the steady increase in the number of hides required for each crafting tier, this is the tier where the serious farming begins.

Drauglad (35.0S, 13,9W), in Trollshaws, has great density of level 35-37 wolves and nearby vendors, mailbox and stable master in Thorenhad (31.7S, 15.0W). Unfortunately, it is a popular place to grind the Trollshaws Wolf-slayer deed (+1 Discipline) and there is a quest that goes there as well. Still fast and effective in off-hours. Bonus: A named wolf, Karnasht, spawns among the regulars and drops an adamant shard.

Nan Orngon (7.7S, 61.8W), in Evendim, has great density of level 36-37 bears and nearby vendors, mailbox and stable master in Ost Forod (7.4S, 64.3W). Although there is a quest that goes there, it is rarely camped. Bonus: A named bear, Grizzule, spawns atop the spire in the center and drops an adamant shard.

Caldwell Pool (22.6S, 1.2E), in the Misty Mountains, has great density of level 40-41 wargs. Unfortunately, it's a popular place to grind the Misty Mountains Warg-slayer deed (+1 Justice) and the vendor, stable master and mailbox at Hrimbarg (24.3S 6.9E) isn't all that close. If you need the deed, try this spot during off hours. Otherwise, skip it.

Where to Farm Exceptional Hides

Exceptional hides drop from beasts, level 44 to 50, in Angmar, Forochel, Misty Mountains and Sarnur. The suggested areas below are for the low end of the level range - faster kills means less time spent farming.

There are two good spots in Forochel, with great density of level 45-46 Sabertooth cats. Pynti-leiri (9.2N, 70.6W) is the better of the two, being closest to Pynti-peldot (11.4N, 69.8W), which has vendors, mailbox, stable master and milestone. If Pynti-leiri is camped, head down the road to Kissa-Sari (5.6N, 78.5W), another great spot. Paha-Peto, a named sabertooth, can spawn in either location and drops a beryl shard. Both locations advance the Forochel Sabertooth Slayer deed (+1 Fortitude) and the cats drop Lossoth of Forochel reputation items.

The High Pass (23.3S, 4.3E) area in Misty Mountains has good density of level 45-47 wargs, especially in the NE corner. As of Volume III, Book 1, there is a stable master and mailbox at Hrimbarg (24.3S 6.9E), making this a much better place to farm hides. The wargs advance the Misty Mountains Warg-slayer deed (+1 Justice). Keep an eye out for beryl shard droppers, Sulmog and The Antlered King, especially if heavy snow suddenly comes up.

The Gorothlad area in eastern Angmar has good density of level 46-47 cave-claws and wargs. Unless you are hoping to advance the Angmar Warg-slayer deed (+1 Determination), focus on the cave-claws around (1.4N, 24,2W) where the density is greater. Vendors, mailbox, stable master and milestone are nearby in Gabilshathur (3.6S, 26.4W).

Where to Farm Magnificient Hides

Magnificient hides drop from beasts, level 51 to 54 in Eregion and Moria. The small level range means there are only a few good places to farm these.

The Burnt Tor (49.1S, 10.1W), in Eregion, has great density of level 50-51 wargs. Unfortunately, only the level 51 wargs drop magnificent hides -- the level 50 wargs drop exceptional hides. Still the stackable loot here vendors nicely, making it one of the better gold grinding area in the game, hides aside. Vendors, mailbox and stable master are nearby in Echad Dunann (50.5S, 7.8W). If you have too much competition, there is a second set of wargs in Torech Andraug (50.7S, 9.6W) and even more south of the river bed. Bonus: Killing wargs advances the Eregion Wolf and Warg-slayer deed (+1 Confidence).

Katub-zahar (7.0S, 111.0W) in the Great Delving, also known as "the library", is the best spot for magnificent hides in the game from level 51-52 deep-claws. Unfortunately, this means competition and lots of it. Off-hours are best here. If it is just you and one other person, try to split the camp into upstairs and downstairs. If there are more than two people, consider killing deep-claws outside until someone leaves to sell (it won't take long). Vendors, mailbox and stable master are nearby in Dolden-view (8.5S, 112.2W). Try not to be contentious, just keep your head down and farm. If it gets to be too much, try another time or location. Bonuses: Rocktooth (mithril flake), a named deep-claw, sometimes spawns here. Also, killing deep-claws advances the Moria Deep-claw Slayer deed (+1 Tolerance). Loot includes IXP runes and Moria reputation items. What's not to love?

The southeast corner of Silvertine Lodes, informally known as the "riddle room" (12.6S, 111.1 W), has good density of level 53-54 dragonets and deep-claws if you run short of spawns. Vendors, mailbox and stable master are nearby in the Rotting Cellar (15.1S, 112.1 W), in the next zone over, The Waterworks. Bonus: Killing dragonets advances the Moria Dragonet-slayer deed (+1 Zeal). These guys also drop IXP runes and Moria reputation items.

Where to Farm Extraordinary Hides

Extraordinary hides drop from beasts, level 55 to 65+ in Moria, Lothlorien and Mirkwood. Because of the large level range and the high population of players at these levels, extraordinary hides can be pretty economical on the Auction House.

With its many zones and instances, Moria offers several opportunities for farming extraordinary hides. Although you can't control the mobs you get while running an Iron Garrison Crafting Instance, when you get cave claws, you'll get extraordinary hides. This can be a boon if you are collecting scholar materials, wood or ore as well. Second Hall (8.6S, 103.2W) in Nud Melek also has a good concentration of level 57-58 cave claws and dragonets (with some orcs and gobins mixed in), but is a bit of a trek from 21st Hall.

The best place to farm extraordinary hides is the Golden Wood area of Lothlorien. You'll need Acquaintance standing with the Galadhrim to enter. It is packed with level 58-60 beasts and well equipped with vendors, mailboxes and stable masters in several locations. If you have Friend standing with the Galadhrim, you can use the bank, auction house and crafting facilities in Caras Galadhon. It's really hard to go wrong here - just don't kill the protected beasts if you care about your Galadhrim rep. Bonus: Many rare mobs that drop mithril flakes in the area.

In the Mirkeaves area of Mirkwood, Fallug (16.7S, 61.8W) has great density of level 61 boars as long as you don't have competition from questers. The surrounding area has good density of level 61 wargs if you run short of spawns. Vendors, mailbox and stable master are nearby in Echad Sirion (15.3S, 61.2W). If you are running the daily repeatables, killing level 65 wargs in Naur-hoit (19.1S, 47.9W) advances a quest from Mithechad (17.6S, 48.2W) while you farm hides. Ok, not the low-end of the tier, but those wargs deserve to die!

Make LOTRO Gold with Hides and Leather