What to do?

[Timmybob]

So I have a question to all you successful bear hunters out there. This will be my first year bear hunting. I mean, I always buy a bear tag, just in case. But this year I will be "Bear hunting" come Aug 1st. I have a spot picked out where I have seen a few bears(nothing big, but cool colors and markings). It is a Wilderness area (hike in only). My camp will be about 4 miles from the trail head and I will be hunting maybe another few miles deep during the day. So my question is, how long do I have to get the hide to the taxi for a rug (just in case I actually get one). I have never shot a bear before and other than the skinning part, I am not too sure what to do from that point. So from time I shoot, to the taxi, how long do I have before things go bad? Also after I skin the bear, do I just role the hide up, or after I skin it do I want to let it hang or? Any help to a newbie bear hunter would be much appreciated !!!
    By the way, I have been on this board for only a few short days, and I am really enjoying all your guys's past posts and pictures....Thanks again...

[BLKBEARKLR]

TimmyBob

First thing is going to be what is the weather like? If it is an extremely hot year you need to get it in to whomever your taxidermist is within the shortest amount of time possible. Some will tell you you have 5 hours others will say 2 hours. The best thing you can do is get it skinned out as fast as possible to let it start cooling down. If you are by a creek or something where it is cooler get it there so it will cool faster. As a taxidermist I can not give you an honest answer because I do not know what the conditions are that you will be hunting in, nor how long it takes you to recover and get it skinned out. Once you get it to the taxidermist of your choice they should be able to tell you if it is still ok. I wish you the best of luck this year with your bear hunting. To me there is nothing better.

Joe

[scroder]

Timmy,

I totally agree with BLKBEARKLR temp makes a big difference. Ask your taxidermist in advance to your hunt what he/she wants. Salt is an option if it will be an extended amount of time, but in my opinion try to get it in a cooler or to your taxidermist asap.

[Ray]

I shot one in the wilderness last fall in the morning. Maybe around 9 am and it certainly reached 80 degrees that day. Hauled it out about 4.5 miles inside of black garbage bags. That afternoon  I folded the hide and stuck it in the freezer over night. It did not freeze but it kept it cool. Dropped it off around noon the following day. The taxidermist seemed to indicate ithe hide was in good shape.

When I carved up the bear I left the paws on and the head I cut off and left attached to the hide. A big knife was useful (but not required) to tear through the cartilege in the joints between the feet and legs as well as seperating the spine. I got as much neck meat as possible. I also left some tail bone in the hide because I wanted to make sure I did not ruin the hide. Michelle had fun with that and ended up getting some stitches  

All the meat turned out good even though it was not cooled as much as I would have preferred. The ice melted fast. When I reached my truck I drove to get some ice. Shot time to getting the critter on ice was at least 3 hours. From shot time to home was at least 5 hours in the warm weather.

[jackelope]

don't forget to worry about getting the meat cool too...
maybe a little more important than the hide?
wouldn't want to waste all that good meat.

[Ray]

I forgot to mention that I never let my hide out in the sun hanging. I folded it like an S or Z with the head on top. This is the same way I left it in the freezer over night. I think leaving it out hanging in the sun would be a bad idea.

[Timmybob]

Sweet guys. Really appreciate the help here

Jackelope- I just assumed the meat thing was a gimme. I know what to do with meat and how to properly handle it..My uncle is/was a long time butcher and has taught me well..The hide was the only part of the process that I am a little unclear about. Thanks for the heads up though.....

The area I will be hunting will probably get into the mid 80's as it usually does that time of year.
   
Thanks again for the insight everybody. That totally helps. Take care..............Tim

[billythekidrock]

Like BLKBEARKLR said, it is hard to give concrete times. August is not the best time for rugs but it can be done if taken care of properly.

Take at least 2 game bags with you. You can lay the bear on them for skinning to keep the meat clean and then place the hide in one in the shade or a creek if possible. The bag will help keep the hide clean and the blow flies out. The other bag can be used for the rest of the bear as meat care should be the most important thing.

A small sharp blade is best for skinning and will make it much easier to remove the feet. The "ankle" joints are like like a series of "S" curves and a thin, sharp blade makes this part much easier. I would not roll the hide up until it is cool and if possible remove the skull as it retains a lot of heat.

[jager]

Two things you don't want to do are, get the hide wet it makes bacteria very happy or place the hide in plastic. It will retain the heat of the hide, thus making the hide slip.
Keep it cool!

[billythekidrock]

Two things you don't want to do are, get the hide wet it makes bacteria very happy or place the hide in plastic. It will retain the heat of the hide, thus making the hide slip.
Keep it cool!

Wet and cool are fine for the hide, same as meat.
We can have this discussion for the 100th time, but most that have done it will tell you that there are no issues. When in need, you do what you have to do.

Yes, the plastic bag is an absolute no-no for both the meat and the hide.

[BLKBEARKLR]

BTKR, I totally agree with you on the water part. I shot my Dall sheep in Alaska in August it was very warm out, was about 15 miles in no way was I getting it out that day. I submerged the entire thing under water and held it down with rocks. Got up the next morning pulled it out of the creek threw it in a game bag and walked out. That was in 1993 I still have it hanging on the wall with no issues. If I had to do it all over again I would throw it in the cold creek. And I agree and plastic bag or furthermore any type of bag that is restricting the airflow is a bad thing for a cape.

Joe

[SHANE(WA)]

bears can spoil fast, gotta cool them fast, leaving a bear overnight and looking for in the morning during august and early sept will likely be no good. Hide quality in august is very poor for wanting rugs

[Ray]

I agree plastic bags are not the best. It's my story and I am sticking to it though. It worked for me. I would also agree that placing the critter in water is ok as well. I would like to think I should seperate the skull from the hide but I'd rather not make a mistake so I plan on doing it that way every time.

[Timmybob]

Hmmmm. Never thought about the H2O thing. Interesting and good to know. Thanks again to everyone for the advice..I didn't think about the hide not being in good shape during August. Make sense though...Well, I will start my bear hunting in Aug and see what happens and how late into the season it takes me. Heck maybe I will get one in August and do a shoulder mount and get another one in Oct/Nov and make a rug outta that one.   One can dream right???

[BLKBEARKLR]

If there is no dreaming then there is no wishing, dream big, but always be satisified with what you get...

[littlebuf]

while were on the topic, im going to be hunting bear on the east side in September (got me a good spot) my plan was if i get one to get it down the hill to the store and pack the body cavity with ice for the ride home where i can then hang it up and skin it out, would be about a 2 hour ride home so add that to what it will take to get it out and break camp, it could be a little while and it does get warm where im going. so what do you say, yea or na 

[Ray]

Hard to say. I think you'd be best off carving it up in the field.

[BLKBEARKLR]

littlebuf.

I took a bear in last year that the guy shot in Eastern Washington he took it at 8 AM rolled down a big incline and landed by a creek he got it out of there approx 1PM, the only thing he did was gut it. He then got it into town packed it full of ice and drove all the way over here with it. I got the bear at approx 9PM when he put it in the truck he kind of tucked the legs and arms in it was so fricken stiff to move, but anyways the bear made it just fine, I just finished stretching it and will be rugging it next week sometime. If you are going to cape it in the field get with your taxidermist and just see how they want it cut. Hoped this help you. And once again every situation is different his bear made it yours may not. I myself personally would cape it in the field...

Joe

[littlebuf]

yea that makes seance, its why i asked. i know i can do a better job (cleaner) skinning it while its hanging in the garage was my line of thinking. but thats why you taxi's get the big bucks tho right? you were just telling me over the phone the other day how much you like to sew right joe  i still have that cape by the way, its gunna have to stay frozen for a little while 

[billythekidrock]

littlebuf -
There is some good info to your question but I would like to add that there are no concrete rules and situations very. What works this time may not work next time so it pays to be prepared.

We have had good luck with both meat and hides by leaving them in a creek up to a day and a half. (once had one start to sour after two days). And we have had great luck with packing them with ice for up to 20 hours then butchering at home.

That being said, if you can keep it cool and butcher in the field or in camp you will probably have better quality meat. We often have an extra cooler and boxes of gallon size ziplock bags with us during bear season so we can bone and trim the meat and pack on ice.

[SHANE(WA)]

I shot a bear several yrs ago at 8 am, temp for the day was 90, we couldn't get to the bear , took us 3 hrs to get over to him, gutted it and rolled it over , the side the bear had been laying on had Rotted from the heat being trapped , hide slipped too,:-( bears are like a pig same family, it can spoil fast

[Branden]

I also heard not to put the cape or meat in the water, but we never had a problem doing it with sheep capes in Alaska when we would wash the blood off. And it sounds like you want a rug so I would try to plan a hunt the beginning of October just cause the hide will be a little nicer.

[boneaddict]

I be tthat makes an already heavy hide a nice burden to carry. 

[Branden]

It was kinda nice when they only wanted shoulder mounts and not full body. 

[BLKBEARKLR]

Sheep submerged in a creek in the Wrangells in Alaska, when I borught it out was not that bad of a load, but just think of where the water and the residual blood leaked to, then it started drying, you get my drift I hope.

[boneaddict]

I was just realting it to a waterlogged moose hide after tanning my own moose.  A couple of bear I have carried out. Holy crap.   Yeah I can imagine that water. 

[bear]

Years ago blacktailer shot a bear and lost it.  He kept looking for it for days(it was a monster).  He found it about a week later, totally submerged in a creek.  He skinned it out and has a nice rug.  I think it's about 7 ft.  The water certainly didn't hurt him.  I hope my story is somewhat accurate(it's been a while).

[billythekidrock]

Yes, water can make a hide much heavier, but I remember one (Sleeping Bear) that the wet hide/game bag made for cool hiking. Basically had my own swamp cooler on my back.

[dirty.dan4]

I shot two bears last season.  Both were shot in high heat.  The first was shot in the evening and we gutted it and left it over night and skinned and packed it out the following morning.  The second one was shot in the morning and was skinned about 2 hours later.  Both had great tasting meat and the hides were in good shape.  Keep them cool and Good Luck out there.  Once you shoot one, you will be addicted for life.

[Houndhunter]

well for me to give good advice i need to know where your going and when your going to be there

[Houndhunter]

all joking aside, the only thing i'd add to what these guys have said is dont forget you can shove one into a snow pack to keep it cool if you get into trouble