Norco

I was wondering if you bear hunters eat the meat?? If you do,how do you prepare it and what's it like? Most provinces in Canada allow you to kill a bear and leave the flesh in the field, why would this happen?? What are the regs in the U.S pertaining to bear? Hope they're better then ours!
Cheers!!

bearklr

I know in alot of states here it is illegal to harvest an animal and leave the carcass in the field. I for one ate all the meat off of my bear. I heard that roasts done in a crock pot are excellent. However I have all of mine made into sausage, sticks, and balogna. The sausage is by far the best I have ever eaten. I can't imagine killing such a magnificent creature only to waste it.

ArcticBowMan

Sausage, hot links, steaks and roasts are the way to go with a black bear. I still have yet to try grizzly, but if I take a northern grizzly in Alaska, I've heard the meat is excellent so I don't plan on passing it up.

As far as the legality issue, during some parts of seasons, and some areas of the state, you are required to salvage the hind and front quarters and back straps off of black bears. The area that I hunted last year had an interesting rule. The season runs all year, but during the baiting season, which runs April 15-June 30th, you have to salvage the meat off of all black bears harvested up to May 31st, then after June 1st, you are only required to salvage the hide and skull. I'm not sure why it is broken up like this, but in my opinion, black bear meat is too dang good to leave out in the field to rot!

skeeter 7MM

Norco I have tried sask bear several ways and only had on a few occasion a pleasant meal I enjoyed. Although on the flip side i ate bear harvested in BC and it was very nice table fare. I believe the habitat and range they live in directly transfer to how they will be on the table. Since I primarily hunt bears in the spring and forest areas of sask, I think these are not noted as the best eating conditions for bear. So 100% honesty while every bear I have tried to eat the meat, most of it has ended up in the dogs dish...it just isn't my bag of tea and thus I don't hunt bears to fill my freezer. Although I do a lot more watching than harvesting when it comes to bears as well. I have no problems hanging an empty tag on the wall, as this has happened more often than on a bear in my case. I will continue to try and eat the meat on future bears I may harvest but as to this day I haven't found it to be the best meat that nature has to offer. So my options are don't hunt bears or be a spectator. I don't view this as wasteful and am quite comfortable I am giving bear a reasonable attempt.

Coastie

Bear meat is excellent, my wife usually makes it like a pot roast but only because that's the most convenient for her.

James B

I like it real well. I trim off all the fat I can. There is a lot of fat if your hunting in the Fall which I do. I liked it cooked slow and you can't beat the crock pot for the roasts. The steaks were good to. I had the two back Hams cure for ham which was very good. I wouldn't waste a bit of bear meat. The last one I got was a 500 lb one in SASK. I trimed two five gallon buckets of fat off up there when I cut it into pieces to put in gallon bags and pack in ice for the triop home. When I did the finish cutting I tyrimmed of another five gallon bucket of fat.

Tribal

My friend is a great cook, so I give my bear to him to prepare and then have me over for dinner whenever he cooks it. Its convienient since we are neighbors also. I kid you not the roast tasted just like the beef in Dinty moore beef stew.

Elkcrazy8

Bear meat is great on the grill or done in a glass casarol dish on a rack with bread on the bottom to keep the fats from splashing. What gives the meat a bad taste is the fat. Lean bear meat is one of the best. Get the fat on it and it is the worst thing that you will ever taste. Bear meat done right is great. I had a hound hunter tell me once all these different things to do. Spices temps etc. He told me to cook it on an aspen log. When the bear meat looked done. Throw the meat away and eat the log. I beleive that if you are not going to eat it. Then why kill it. I have even killed animals that I knew that I would not eat because my freezer was full, but I knew of people that were hurting for food and gave my animals to then. I did however know that the animals life would not go to waste.

RobinHood36

Very delicious, up at elk camp a few years ago I arrowed a good bear and cut the back straps off, and hung the bear in the cooler at our cabin. Now my dad barbecued some nice big juicy beef steaks along with the bear steaks. Everyone pushed a side the beef steaks and literally fought over the bear steaks, I kid you not!!

sawbill

As far as black bears go, the older and larger males are not too tasty. However the young and usually smaller females are great.