Bear dressing and processing

[Yellowfin]

I'm gearing up for the season which is less than 2 months from now and it looks like bear are going to be an option and a probable occurrance anywhere I go for deer. I'm a meat hunter first and foremost so if I get one I want to be able to eat it and I want it to be good or I'm out of luck on getting the Mrs. to eat it. My sources tell me that it spoils fast if not handled swiftly and properly, gutted and skinned and iced as soon as possible. Getting the fat off is crucial because that's what sours, but save it because it's the best waterproofing for leather that exists. OK, so that's the rules. Now to figure out how to go about following them.

First of all, how fast are we talking? Minutes, half hour, an hour, two? In warmer weather I know that the skin will come off fast and so that's not too bad a problem. But how do you ice down a 200+ lb animal with any acceptable speed if hunting alone? And what do you fit it into? Do I ice down the fur too, in a garbage bag separately? I'm guessing it's going to be substantially lighter after gutting and skinning, but it's still not a mouse. How much ice will do the job? And how tough are bear to gut compared to deer? Are the organs bigger, smaller, or about the same?

These seem to me to be better to know ahead of time, as there's more than enough variables to juggle as it is just finding the quarry, hauling my gear, and so on.

[RoostRider]

I would not suggest hunting bear alone, unless you can access the take with a truck or four wheeler with a pickup back (think Gator or Rhino)... even then, have a plan for getting it in there.... bears are not light! even when dressed out it took 3 guys to move the 450+ lbr I took in the Boundary Waters... and that was dragging on a tarp after gutting.... getting him in a canoe was a whole 'nother issue....

Gutting a bear is just like gutting a deer essentially (slightly different body makeup), open up the belly, reach up inside and cut the esophagus, cut out the a.n.u.s. (prohibited word???) very carefully so as not to spill it's contents and then carefully pull it all out. Should be a snap for an experienced deer hunter.

My bear kept for 3+ hours in ~50 deg heat after gutting, loading, paddling him out, checking in the take, skinning, and then finally quartering... expect those times to go drop substantially if the weather is notably warmer (i.e.- not the Canadian border in the fall).... you would do better to skin him right away to get heat out, but I was nervous about wrecking a trophy cinnamon brown black bear hide and the weather was good.... No meat spoiled at all.... and it tasted great.... if you pack the carcass with ice, you can do much longer than that... just fill the gut, but keep it in bags if you can, and set the carcass so the water can drain. Water can wreck meat too!

The fur can be frozen right off the carcass with no cleaning or prep work before hand.... fold it up in a plastic bag and dump it in the deep freeze..... which will be a relief when you finally get done taking care of the rest of the bear (they come in the evening primarily, so it might be a REAL late night for you)... you can then take it to a taxidermist, or deal with it yourself when able.

I might suggest a great book by Dr Ken Nordberg "Do It Yourself Black Bear Baiting and Hunting".... I had never gone after a Blackie before and that book told me all I needed to get several bears in range, and to deal with the carcass after... invaluable....

GOOD LUCK.... bear tastes great if taken from the right areas (dump bear are HORRIBLE)

[tango2echo]

I have spent a number of years as a bear guide in Ontario, Canada. Gutting a bear is not much different than a deer, just bigger and messier. You need to treat it alot like pork. It will spoil quickly, so the quicker you can BLEED your bear, gut it, get the hide off, and remove the majority of the fat, the better the meat will be. Above 50f you have about 1 hour to 1.5 hours, and packing the carcass with ice is very important if you want quality meat. Below 50f you can push that to 3-5 hours, but similar care is needed. I still suggest packing the carcass with ice or snow above 32f for the best tasting meat. (3 or 4 20# bags of ice will do fine) I also suggest a big can of course black pepper to sprinkle on the meat to keep the flies off. Bears draw flies worse than anything else.

Also, bring enough gun and know how to shoot it. A bear that dies instantly will taste much better than one than is pumped full of adrinaline and suffers as it dies. Shoot for the vitals, and wait for a slightly quartering away shot or directly broadside shot. If you are not sure of the shot with a bear, don't take it.

Good hunting,

t2e

[kanook]

so who's gonna tell him that when a bear is skinned it looks alot like a person?

[RoostRider]

shhhhhhhhhhh