I like the idea of craftable tent item. and the requirements could be different. say 5hides + 4 poles + 5 fibers. so the newbie will have to learn how how to gather fibers, wood and kill brahmins.
Requiring people to have the skinning perk in order to get the hides, would boost the price on brahmin hides, making skinning a viable profession.
Making it require a perk to do a certain activity in the game increases specialization and, in my opinion, would make new players more interested and immersed in the role that they choose. Be it a trapper, a shephard, a brahmin herder etc.
I agree with Ed. Need a perk to skin a gecko, so a perk should be needed to skin a cow. Too bad if it makes the game tougher - it makes more sense. In fact, if it makes the game tougher, great! Game is too easy as it is. If weaklings quit, let them go. No loss - anyone who quits over such an easy thing is not a strong enough fan to survive here anyway. You PK jerks are the ones who run off the new players - and you dare complain about people leaving? Insanity. Adding tent-related quests (or other ideas) also makes sense, but i cannot disagree with a RL butcher about obtaining cow hides. It is really hard work. Need an example? Watch the movie "Wyatt Earp" and find the scene with Bat Masterson where they are skinning cows (or was it Buffalo?).
Would be a harsher game for new guys, but no change for experienced players.