mauser06

ok...i have a decint idea of where to look for bear and if our plans fall through i will be bear hunting this season....but me or my dad know nothing about what to do afterwards...we will probally havea rug or a mount done of some sort...if i get one i know what im doing....a mount of it coming out of the wall with its arms out and mouth wide open like its attacking.....that would be a cool looking mount to me and thats what i want....big bear small bear it doesnt matter it will be my first if i am so lucky....but what do we do with it in the field? do we gut it like we would a deer? or just leave it alone until we get it to the taxidermist and see what he suggest we do or what?? ive heard some people gutting them and others that didnt but all they keep is the hide and skull....but i would like a mount i think....would it be best to keep it whole or whatt? weather will probally be around 40-50 at the highest unless we get a very warm spell but it wont be over 60...and we probally wont mess around..we will take it to get checked in and take it to the taxidermist i think....any suggestions? thanx alot....i rather be prepared then be standing over a bear one of us just killed looking dumb and clueless as what to do and i dont want to mess it up and have a crappy mount or anything.....thanx alot...

BareBack Jack

Mauser,
If you are planning to have a mount done contact your taxidermist,he can tell you how he want' s it done.If you are going for a rug you can clean them just like a deer.When you skin it skin all the way to the head,but leave an inch or two.Skin all the way down the paw to the joint and cut them off,but leave the hide intact.If you are doing a half body mount,cape it like a deer.
I hope this helps BBJ

noway

Mauser,
Like Bareback said, for a rug cut up the belly neck to tail. In the front cut from just behind the feet and out to the center of the chest.
In the back cut from just behind the feet up the leg to just just under the tail.

Use a saw to cut off the feet and head, leave them in the hide.
Keep the hide cool, get it off the bear asap.
Put extra ice around the head, keep it cold.
Get it to the taxidermist with in two days, one is better.
Take the whole hide, this will give you options if you change your mind on the mount you want.

Contact your taxidermist. Often they will have an instruction card you can take to the field with you. Or you can print it off from the internet.

Know your regulation for your state. Some states require proof of sex attached to the animal. Some states require you keep the meat from bears, some don' t.

If you are keeping the meat there are several options. You could pack the bear out whole, you would need to gut the bear.
You could quarter the bear and remove all possible extra meat.
You could bone out the bear, basically cutting the meat off the bones, this is the easiest and lightest way if you are packing it plus the cape.

Good luck on your hunt.