Alaska bear hide sealing/bringing home?

[cornfedkiller]

Headed to Alaska in a few months on a black bear hunt. We get back to Anchorage on Friday afternoon/evening, fly out Saturday night, and I was told we would need our hides sealed before they can leave the state..

I know nothing about what "sealing" means.. I was told we could take it to AKFG, but they are not open on Saturday.. Can I just take it to any taxidermist? Does the hide have to be unfrozen?

How does everyone get their bear hide home from AK? I assume the cheapest option would be to put it in a wax box and check it on the plane, but can you do that? Or does everyone leave it at a taxidermist to be tanned and shipped home?

 

[207-12A]

The State Troopers (Tudor Road), or F&G office (Raspberry Road) in Anchorage can seal your bear. Be sure to try and get in there on Friday before close of business either way, or you can try and call on Saturday in a pinch.

Alternatively, you can take it to a taxidermist that is a authorized sealer. I know Knight's Taxidermy can do this, and they are open 1-4pm on Saturdays and Sundays in-season. That could be a fall back depending on your airfare.

Either way, the skull has to be fully skinned for it to be sealed. Good luck!

 

[Rwolf]

Try Arctic Wolf Taxidermy in Anchorage. He met us after hours to seal the skulls and we had him tan the hides. He is a tannery as well. He then shipped them straight to our rugger.

 

[wildwilderness]

As mentioned various taxidermists can seal- which basically means measuring the skull and taking a tooth. They then attach a metal clip to the skull and hide to show it’s been checked in. That’s why they want unfrozen. Also you can call an ALaska wildlife trooper in some places to seal it.

A box or waterproof duffle works. Beware the hair slipping if too hot. Talk to your personal taxidermist if they want you to salt it but then you should turn lips/ears etc.

There are some units where you don’t have to seal a black bear

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Put it into the tote that you are going to ship it in and freeze it. Keep the proof of sex on top and put a bright zip tie through it so it’s easy to find.

That way you don’t have to leave it thawed to get tagged they can just cut the zip tie off and tag it.

In case that wasn’t clear enough, don’t freeze it before you put it into a tote/box, you might not be able to make it fit, put it in when it’s unfrozen, proof of sex on top and marked with the zip tie so the trooper or biologist can just swap the zip tie for the tag even if it’s frozen solid. Seal up the tote or box and go back home.

And obviously, get the skull out before that and don’t freeze it, get as much meat off the skull as you can. If the skull is frozen then they won’t be able to get the tooth out of it.

That’s the way I’d do it. The skull will be fine getting frozen even a day or 2 later. The hide can slip quicker than you’d think so imo it should be mostly cleaned up and frozen ASAP.

 

[rayporter]

put a stick in the jaws as soon as you kill it so the jaws are open if rigor sets in or if you freeze the skull. if they cant get the jaws open they cant get the tooth out.

 

[colby12]

Some recent input

I used Arctic Wolf Taxidermy in Anchorage for spring bear in May. Dropped off after hunt to get sealed, tanned, and shipped home. Got it in the mail today. $650 to Arizona after tanning. I’m not an expert on hides but I think it looks good. For the speed, ease, and quality I will use them again in the future.

 

[wyosteve]

Thanks for the update. I left my hide and skull with Knight’s in Anchorage. They said about 8 months to get mine back. That was in early June.

 

[Rwolf]

This is the hide that Arctic Wolf tanned. It turned out great.