has anyone here hunted bear?

[mnstang]

i've been drawn in the lottery to hunt them this year. i've never done it before and have many questions about it and how to handle the hide and meat. i'm signing up for some clinic but if anyone has experience with this let me know.

[RNSF]

Wow, cool. Good luck and have fun.

Didnt even know it was legal.

[zachman]

I have a bit oc experience. I shot a 258lb sow with a bow.

[Stormwalker]

Wow, cool. Good luck and have fun.

Didnt even know it was legal.

lol city tard.

[mnstang]

I have a bit oc experience. I shot a 258lb sow with a bow.

was it real hot? i'm mostly worried about the meat and especially the hide spoiling. did you get a rug made? taxidermist recommendation for a good rug?

i'd also rather take the carcass in to a butcher to get cut up, did you do that or cut your own? i think i need to find a taxidermist first and ask them how they want it all handled and what to do. i'd rather leave the skull and all the paws in, because that part is really tricky.

i'll be bowhunting too. did you use a different broadhead for bear or just whatever you use for deer?

[lasered]

field points FTW!!

[Sasquatch]

i'm mostly worried about the meat and especially the hide spoiling.

I was a guide in the Chugach mountains several years ago. Our methods aren't necessarily what your taxidermist would want you to do, but it worked for us. Although it didn't get as hot as it does here, it probably got in the low 70s on a regular basis and got cold at night. The meat and hides didn't leave until the hunter left so we had to preserve everything the old-fashioned way. After skinning the hide we would take it back to camp and shave off as much of the fat as possible. Then we would lay it out, fur side down, salt the crap out of it (non-iodized salt), then roll it up. And yes, you are correct in saying that the paws and skull are tricky. If you're not sure what you're doing you can really screw up the hide, especially the eye lids.

As far as the meat, all the sheep, moose and black bear meat (never kept the grizzly meat) was quartered out, put in cheesecloth, and hung on a meat pole so it would dry and form a protective crust. It kept the inner meat fresh until we could get it back to the lodge to process. Although I never got botulism, it's probably not the most ideal method.

If I were you I'd quarter it and get it to the butcher a.s.a.p. If you debone it, it will expose more of the meat to air which will put more of the meat at risk of spoilage.

[Joe M]

is hunting Bear, a code for chasing fat cougars?

[xjfish]

is hunting Bear, a code for chasing fat cougars?

[bluchev]

I was a guide in the Chugach mountains several years ago. Our methods aren't necessarily what your taxidermist would want you to do, but it worked for us. Although it didn't get as hot as it does here, it probably got in the low 70s on a regular basis and got cold at night. The meat and hides didn't leave until the hunter left so we had to preserve everything the old-fashioned way. After skinning the hide we would take it back to camp and shave off as much of the fat as possible. Then we would lay it out, fur side down, salt the crap out of it (non-iodized salt), then roll it up. And yes, you are correct in saying that the paws and skull are tricky. If you're not sure what you're doing you can really screw up the hide, especially the eye lids.

As far as the meat, all the sheep, moose and black bear meat (never kept the grizzly meat) was quartered out, put in cheesecloth, and hung on a meat pole so it would dry and form a protective crust. It kept the inner meat fresh until we could get it back to the lodge to process. Although I never got botulism, it's probably not the most ideal method.

If I were you I'd quarter it and get it to the butcher a.s.a.p. If you debone it, it will expose more of the meat to air which will put more of the meat at risk of spoilage.

LOOK AT YOU>??

fucking bear hunter.

[zachman]

I had my bear in getting cut up within 3 hours after i shot it. I had a butcher do it for me. I only shot 50lbs with a thurder head 100 grain broadhead and it went straight threw.

[Sasquatch]

LOOK AT YOU>??

fucking bear hunter.

Yeah, I don't really look the part these days, but I did the whole hippie Alaska thing back in the day. I clean up well.

[Turbohwagon]

Bring a picnic basket, and the bears will show up.

[bluchev]

Yeah, I don't really look the part these days, but I did the whole hippie Alaska thing back in the day. I clean up well.

[USAlx50]

T'would be fun. I'm too lazy to bait all summer though. Good luck!