Bear skinnin?

[longcruise]

Will be setting off on the bear hunt morning of the 14th. My first dedicated hunt for bears. I'm not a trophy collector and in fact have only ever had one animal mounted (antelope), but if successful, would like to go the bear rug route.

For you experienced bear hunters; what procedure should I use in skinning the bear for a rug?

 

[rabjr]

If you have a taxidermist in mind, you might want to contact him/her and talk about that. Good luck! :thumbsup:

 

[longcruise]

Swampy, that's an excellent suggestion! Don't know why it did not occur to me? Duuuhh!

 

[rabjr]

Yep, I know my guy uses disposable scalpels and will give a handful out to guys sometimes if hes not going to be there to cape/skin the animal and will go over where he wants the cuts etc.

 

[longcruise]

Just talked to a taxidermist who lives right up the hill from me. Very helpful. Basically his description is pretty much the same as the way we skin an elk to de-bone it on the spot except keep the head and feet on the hide.

Says he has taken in a lot of bears this year and they are looking real good. Been a good year for them.

 

[BrownBear]

...except keep the head and feet on the hide.

That's real good advice unless you've seen the head and feet skinned for taxidermy. It's precise and fiddly (especially ears, lips, eyes and toes) in order to keep things just right for taxidermy. Lotta guys muck those parts up, leaving a mess that the taxidermist just might be able to fix. If the taxidermist would rather do those himself, that sezz good things about him.

 

[Ron LaClair]

Make a cut from the crotch to the neck,then cut from the main cut up the legs to the feet. Cut off the feet at the joints being careful to leave the feet attached to the hide of the leg. Then cut off the head at the neck, again leaving it attached to the main hide. The Taxidermist will skin out the feet and head. Roll up the hide fur side out and put in a cooler. If you can't get it to the Taxidermist right away then put it in the freezer.

 

[longcruise]

brown bear and NWTF, you guys both pretty much tell it just like the taxidermist told me. :thumbsup:

He invited me to his shop to watch him do some paws and heads, but I just don't have time since I'm leaving with the rising sun day after tomorrow.

Freezing won't be an option though. Not even going to mention it to the spouse. :shocked2: :shake:

 

[BrownBear]

Freezing won't be an option though.

Lay the hide out with the hair side down, then spread salt liberally on the flesh side. Roll it up with the salt in place, slide it into a gunny sack so it can drain rather than pool water, keep it cool, and go straight to the taxidermist with it.

 

[Dave K]

My taxidermist told me to take care of the ears. They are about the first to decay since they are so thin. They will be the first to freeze and the first to thaw while he is waiting for the rest of the hide to thaw out to work on it. So do a good job on protecting the ears or you will see hair slipping there before you know it.

 

[longcruise]

Thanks for additional tips, guys.

Brownbear, he told me not to use salt on it Not sure why. Seemed like a good idea to me.

 

[BrownBear]

Brownbear, he told me not to use salt on it Not sure why. Seemed like a good idea to me.

Salt has to be a PITA for him, compared to receiving a frozen hide. Up here most hides and capes are coming from remote camps, where I guy can go a week or more before it gets to the nearest freezer. That's plenty long enough for hair to slip and spoil the trophy. Guys end up doing a lot of their own fleshing along with the salting, too. You even have to do the feet and heads yourself too, if you're not getting out quick.

I bet at the same time he told you no salt, he also told you how long you could let it go without freezing. Not long, I'm sure.

 

[longcruise]

I bet at the same time he told you no salt, he also told you how long you could let it go without freezing. Not long, I'm sure

Yes, he did. Did not set a time specifically but said to get it out of the woods and into a freezer ASAP!