I guess you can call the manufacturer of the manikin, but they are going to tell you the same thing these guys are telling you. With many, if not most lifesize forms, sometimes a leg, head, etc. needs to be cut off of the manikin and re-attached after getting the skin on. There almost always has to be cutting of the manikin for fit anyway. Under no circumstances that I can think of would you ever cut the legs off of a hide to mount something, and if a taxidermist told you that you shouldn't let them within 100 feet of any skins you want mounted. LOL

lol in canadian bear camp its called ground shrinkage. i wouldnt poke fun. it happened to my best friend in august we sat by the fire all wk listening to him"school" us on judging bears he tagged out last and it weighed 61 pounds gutted! ALL THE WAY HOME IT WAS "I THOUGHT IT WAS BIGGER!" LOL I DIDNT MEAN TO OFFEND.

Unfotunatley cubs are legal in PA :(

i dont think anyone has intentionaly shot one. bears are extremely hard to judge! x10 if your new to it!

bears are very hard to judge in the field,like i said on crop damage tags cubs are legal. this one walked up to me while i was setting in a road at dusk. when i turn after hearing something walking up behind me,the bear was stand about 20ft from me. in the dark,at 20ft believe me,he looked bigger. so its a split second thing,do i shoot or not. i shot.

anyway,i called VANDYKES and talked to a taxidermist that has used the same form . he says the form comes cut in 2 for easier mounting and that it will go together without cutting my hide.

timberland,yes i've seen many forms get cut to mount bear ,but never a hide that had to be cut up like he was talking. thanks guys.