How do you transport bear fat from the field

[COJoe]

I'm about to go on my first bear hunt next week and I could use some advice. Should I cut the fat layer off the bear meat in the field or leave it on the meat until you get it home? I would think that I would want to trim the fat off in the field to help the meat cool down faster. Also, where do you put the trimmed bear fat, in the game bags with the meat or in a separate plastic bag, then in the game bag? Thanks for any input.

 

[ddd-shooter]

I cut off immediately. It goes in a spare game bag, or a few ziploc bags.

 

[peterk123]

Into a game bag. Best stuff to cook with, hands down.

 

[COJoe]

I cut off immediately. It goes in a spare game bag, or a few ziploc bags.

Thank you, I'll put a couple 1 gallon bags in with my game bags.

Into a game bag. Best stuff to cook with, hands down.

I am looking forward to many meals with it. I just made about eight jars of grass fed beef tallow this month so I hope to add jars of bear fat to my supplies.

 

[NeverSummer]

I put the fat in their own game bags and hang it while I'm working so it cools off, just like the meat. I pull the big chunks of fat off the meat while I'm quartering out in the field, but I don't go crazy. You'll need to trim a lot more at home (get all that fat off before you freeze your meat, it goes rancid quickly in the freezer, even worse than deer or elk fat, and the fat is much better rendered into lard). Most importantly get it skinned and quartered as quickly as you can in the field to get things cooling. Fall bears are insulated critters. Be sure to get those hind quarters opened up at the ball joint if it's warm, things can bone sour quickly. That fat on a berry/acorn fed fall bear is absolute gold, I've been rendering fat for days off a big boar I took in Sept in Colorado. Great in everything from peach cobbler to scrambled eggs. Good luck!

 

[COJoe]

That fat on a berry/acorn fed fall bear is absolute gold, I've been rendering fat for days off a big boar I just took in Colorado.

Congrats on your bear and the blessing of the meat and all that fat. I was up there in July scouting and there were a lot of rose hips around along with the berries and acorns. I set my tent up in a hurry while a rain storm was moving in and found bear poop five feet in front of my tent the next morning so I am hopeful!

 

[NeverSummer]

Congrats on your bear and the blessing of the meat and all that fat. I was up there in July scouting and there were a lot of rose hips around along with the berries and acorns. I set my tent up in a hurry while a rain storm was moving in and found bear poop five feet in front of my tent the next morning so I am hopeful!

Thank you. They are definitely moving differently in October compared to July. The feed has changed now, with berry crops largely tapped out at this point. I find they're moving a lot more in October than in late summer through Sept (I try hard to kill one in early/mid Sept when my patterning from August still means something). Just some things to think about, but still it's true, find the feed, find the bears, they are still gorging. Again, best of luck! Post some photos here if you get one.

 

[COJoe]

Well my CO bear season ended with no bear this year. I will take what I learned and noticed and apply it next year if I draw a tag again. I did not see a bear or any sign in October 15th week or in my 4th season elk hunt. 4th season was nice because of the snow and the ability to see track. I didn't see any track but saw lots of other animal tracks. In October, I looked for any remaining food for bear and found there was still a number of rose hips around. I would like to find some scrub oak on my mountain but haven't yet. Water is everywhere up there so that's not an issue. November hunt had a couple different days of snow with lows in the high teens. Do coyotes bother bear in any way or maybe cause them to go elsewhere because there were a lot of coyotes running around up there. I'm looking forward to next year.