lonewolf5348

field dressing a bear .I wonder how much is it different then field dressing a deer?
I seen a old big big bear this past week I wonder if I get lucky during the early bow I just may take a shot at him,man this guys is well over 450lbs but never did field dress a bear before,anything to know before you start?
I have passed on a few over the years this guy should make a nice but costly wall hanger don't think the meat would be to tender to eat

lonewolf5348

crokit

I've killed three bears in my life [ never again } and getting them out of the woods is no picnic. Picture trying to drag 250lbs of jello in a bag that holds 400lbs of jello. If the ground isn't flat, you got your hands full. Unlike deer, the short legs of a bear offer no stability when dragging; they constantly want to roll. The thing that really surprised me was how small the lungs are, compared to a Adirondack bucks lungs! Be prepared for the shock when you see your first hanging without the hide. Eerily like a human! As far as eating, the first bear I took was the best tasting wild game I had ever had, up to that point. You have to get ALL the fat off, as it is greasy, much like bacon. The last bear I got, you couldn't even stand the smell of it cooking.

Don't get me wrong, it's a challenge to target bear, especially without bait, and is very rewarding. I'm just not into the 6+ miles of work getting them out, without the option of motorized vehicle. Now, mature buck is a whole different story!

rem700man

lonewolf:
hope ya get a chance at that ole boy! I helped skin a bear years ago when i was a kid,,,and i remember it to be quite different or should i say more tedious than a deer,,,,do some research before season,,,i would hate to mess that mount up,,,if i can find the website that is somewhat of a "how to" when it comes to caping and caring for a bear prior to taxidermy,,,i will post it on here for ya. Good Luck

lonewolf5348

Rem: thank you

Phil from Maine

Make your first shot count as a wounded bear is nothing you want to mess with.. I had a freind shoot a bear one time and it fell at his feet. They can be nasty sometimes.. Also use to know a few bear hunters that would save the gall bladder to sell.. I am not sure if that is still legal now or not. They used to get around $50 for it.. Good luck on your bear hunt...

4evrhtn

Field dress the bear like a deer except not from butt to ribcage. Make the incision only large enough to remove what you need to from it to make it a little lighter dragging or carrying. For rugs the bear is split up the belly and inside of the legs finishing at the neck about 6" below the chin. For a full mount the bear is slit down the spine to just above the tail and then the hide is peeled off the back, tail then hips and rear legs followed by the ribs and shoulders, the legs are skinned down to the wrist/ankle and then the meat and bone are cut leaving the only body part attached to the hide being the head and foot bones. This is alot of work for someone who doesn't do it often. Most Taxidermists prefer you bring the bear in whole (minus innards) and then they can skin it faster but more importantly it will be done right. I skin many bear out a year... trust me it is not my favorite thing to do and it's worth a couple extra bucks to have the Taxidermist do it for you and reduce the mess and hassle for yourself.