What to do?

[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