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Author Topic: How bad did I mess up?!?!  (Read 21921 times)

Offline reagansquad

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How bad did I mess up?!?!
« on: August 12, 2012, 01:20:14 PM »
Today was the first time I've ever been hunting. Lots of scouting, lots of woodsmanship my whole life... Just never got around to taking the hunter ed class.

Anyway, 30 minutes in, I got a decent sized blackbear. It was down this super steep hill that was covered in blackberries, and a little over a mile in... I didn't skin it in the field. I think that might have been a huge, huge mistake. I got him out of the jungle by about noon, and back home, still unskinned and in a large cooler w/ 3 bags of ice at about 1. By the time I was home  he had got stiff and started stinking pretty bad, and the flies were pretty interested. How bad did I mess up?

If I messed up, no excuses. Just ignorance and a mistake I won't make twice. I'm going to feel pretty bad if I took this beautiful bear for nothing.

 :bdid:

Offline seth30

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Re: How bad did I mess up?!?!
« Reply #1 on: August 12, 2012, 01:30:57 PM »
You never took hunters ed???  How did you get a tag?
Rather be dead than cool.
Kurt Cobain

Offline billythekidrock

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Re: How bad did I mess up?!?!
« Reply #2 on: August 12, 2012, 01:34:11 PM »
If you got it today it should be fine. I would bet the smell will clean up with a good scrubbing with vinegar and trimming.

Get the hide off and get an experinced hunter there to help asap.

Any member close enough to help him out?




Offline h20hunter

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Re: How bad did I mess up?!?!
« Reply #3 on: August 12, 2012, 01:34:52 PM »
If he is old enough he wouldn't need to have taken it. Regardless......do you think it is a stinky bear or stinky meat? How long after the shot was he recovered?

Offline h20hunter

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Re: How bad did I mess up?!?!
« Reply #4 on: August 12, 2012, 01:35:27 PM »
Location? Have knives and can skin.

Offline Johnb317

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Re: How bad did I mess up?!?!
« Reply #5 on: August 12, 2012, 01:38:22 PM »
So he's butchered up and in the cooler now?  Does the meat itself smell?


Hindsight - always know what you're going to do with the animal before pulling the trigger.   
I don't hunt bear, but my rule with elk is get the hide off, animal quartered and hung ASAP.  If doing your own butchering and freezing, freeze in a cooler with dry ice (flash freeze), because depending on the amount of meat your freezer is going to take too long.   

Just read newer posts ... If now get the hide off!
Old enough to know better.
Young enough to go for it.

Offline benhuntin

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Re: How bad did I mess up?!?!
« Reply #6 on: August 12, 2012, 01:40:15 PM »
Alot of bears stink get the hide off quick and it should be ok if it is from today.  All dead animals will get stiff.  Good luck
If it aint broke, dont fix it.

Offline reagansquad

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Re: How bad did I mess up?!?!
« Reply #7 on: August 12, 2012, 01:42:10 PM »
You never took hunters ed???  How did you get a tag?

I took hunter's ed this season finally and got the tag.

Offline reagansquad

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Re: How bad did I mess up?!?!
« Reply #8 on: August 12, 2012, 01:42:59 PM »
Location? Have knives and can skin.

Edmonds, PM me I'd love the help.

Offline reagansquad

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Re: How bad did I mess up?!?!
« Reply #9 on: August 12, 2012, 01:44:27 PM »
So he's butchered up and in the cooler now?  Does the meat itself smell?


Hindsight - always know what you're going to do with the animal before pulling the trigger.   
I don't hunt bear, but my rule with elk is get the hide off, animal quartered and hung ASAP.  If doing your own butchering and freezing, freeze in a cooler with dry ice (flash freeze), because depending on the amount of meat your freezer is going to take too long.   

Just read newer posts ... If now get the hide off!

Negative, he's in the cooler, still not skinned.

I thought I had a good plan. Good plan isn't as good as I thought now that I've done it. WIll have a better plan next time.

Offline Goldeneye

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Re: How bad did I mess up?!?!
« Reply #10 on: August 12, 2012, 01:44:51 PM »
If the bear fit's in a cooler whole it's not that big of a bear.

Get the hide off.  Get the meat off the bone.  Start cooling the meat down asap.  If the meat does smell try wiping it down with white vinegar as mentioned earlier.  That will help if the meat is not too far gone.




Offline billythekidrock

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Re: How bad did I mess up?!?!
« Reply #11 on: August 12, 2012, 01:46:23 PM »
Regansquad,

I would take up H20hunter up on the skinning offer. An experienced hunter will be able to tell you what (if any) is bad and what you is salvageable.






Offline Johnb317

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Re: How bad did I mess up?!?!
« Reply #12 on: August 12, 2012, 01:49:20 PM »
Follow billthkidrocks advice skin, and cool the meat down quickly. 
Bone to the meat will expedite cooling. 
You can then butcher, package and freeze later.

 :yeah: on taking h20 help.   
  My experience is with elk not bear, and am in Bellevue (520 closed). But if need be......
Old enough to know better.
Young enough to go for it.

Offline h20hunter

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Re: How bad did I mess up?!?!
« Reply #13 on: August 12, 2012, 01:53:00 PM »
pm sent.....i can set the gimble up in the garage....get a fan going and get him skinned out....call me up and we can get it done as quick as possible

Offline h20hunter

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Re: How bad did I mess up?!?!
« Reply #14 on: August 12, 2012, 01:55:23 PM »
Gotta pull teeth as well.....first one back from the incisor I believe....

 


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