I tanned my first bear's rug myself this last winter. I salted, fleshed and pickled it over the course of about a month. Fleshing it all the way down to the follicles was way more work than I expected took me a couple weeks. I think it cost me about $20 for the vinegar and pickling salt. I did it in some plastic storage bins. I've never done anything bigger than a rabbit before and am fairly happy with how it turned out. I didn't want one of those fake heads with teeth in it or feel like spending $1200 on a taxi, but your route of going straight to the tannery is what I will end up doing in the future.