Butchering a Bear

[oneshotkill]

I am going to be going bear hunting for the first time with a friend of mine in August and I was wondering if you guys could give me any information on how to butcher it.  I have butchered several deer but don't know where to start with a bear.  Thanks

[GoldTip]

Essentially just like the deer.

[DeKuma]

Once the skin is off, pretty much the same. 

[robodad]

Once it is skinned and hanging it looks just like a person so do it just like you would any other person !! 

[bucklucky]

Bears will spoil quicker than a deer because of the marbling of fat , so it is esential to get it cooled as quick as possible and trim as much fat off the carcass as you can to expose the meat.

[DeKuma]

Once it is skinned and hanging it looks just like a person so do it just like you would any other person !! 

I almost said that, then changed my mind!  We are both sick Robo!!
They do look like a person once the skin is off, so why would you not treat it as any other human?

[robodad]

Once it is skinned and hanging it looks just like a person so do it just like you would any other person !! 

I almost said that, then changed my mind!  We are both sick Robo!!
They do look like a person once the skin is off, so why would you not treat it as any other human?

Yeah that is why you need to get a big one cause the small ones look just like children and that is just wrong !! 

[DeKuma]

 

[bucklucky]

Skinned out paws look like human hands too!

[billythekidrock]

I used to to mine like deer but now I just take the hams, neck and backstraps and make roasts out of them. The other large chunks I can and the rest goes into burger.

[coastalghost]

+1 bucklucky on the human hand thing.  That freaked me out the most.....lol

[billythekidrock]

+1 bucklucky on the human hand thing.  That freaked me out the most.....lol

[coastalghost]

   Nice pic BTKR.  Least it wasnt a fresh one 

[billythekidrock]

Yea, the beetles did a pretty good job on it.

[bucklucky]

SWEET!!

[Sideswipe]

By the time I got mine home last May, I was so tuckered that I used the neighbor's Sawzall.  Not a work of art but a lot quicker.  Cooled it, froze it, & pulled it out later to do the actual cutting.  The roasts & kelbasa has been great.

[LongTatLaw]

I used a 3 inch Kershaw pocket knife and a hatchet for 100% of my bear last fall...  keep the hatchet attached to my meat pack! knife in pocket.

I used the old heel to heel and peel the whole thing...that way...any mount I can think of is an option!

Next bear or 3 will be upright 1/2 body wall mounts...now that I got my rug...

i took every scrap of meat...ate all but about 10 pounds that went to catwithboost and wifey...many of u ate it at the spring get together! so u all are now wetarded too

People always discuss the butchering...many dont taxidermy...  If I wasnt gonna get taxidermy done... it would take like 10 minutes to quarter and start hiking...

we have two great taxidermists on here...Michelle Nelson and that Bucklucky guy   so theres plenty of reason to get it done up.

as for the meat...   lots of steaks...some stew meat...few roasts...and thats it...anything fancier and u better talk to Kelly_catwithboost!!!