How bad did I mess up?!?!

[reagansquad]

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.

 

[seth30]

You never took hunters ed???  How did you get a tag?

[billythekidrock]

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?

[h20hunter]

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?

[h20hunter]

Location? Have knives and can skin.

[Johnb317]

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!

[benhuntin]

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

[reagansquad]

You never took hunters ed???  How did you get a tag?

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

[reagansquad]

Location? Have knives and can skin.

Edmonds, PM me I'd love the help.

[reagansquad]

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.

[Goldeneye]

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.

[billythekidrock]

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.

[Johnb317]

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.

  on taking h20 help.   
  My experience is with elk not bear, and am in Bellevue (520 closed). But if need be......

[h20hunter]

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

[h20hunter]

Gotta pull teeth as well.....first one back from the incisor I believe....