Rookie Field Dressing Question

[209hunter]

Hey Guys,
Every season for the last 5 years Ive seen at least one shooter black bear here in CA but Ive always decided to pass on them in order to pursue killing a buck. This year Ive decided that if I get the opportunity to take a bear I'll give it shot. If I am privileged enough to kill a bear this fall, I have a field dressing question.

Do you guys prefer to:

1) gut the bear first, then skin and butcher similar to a deer?

2) skin the bear first, then gut it and butcher it?

3) skin the bear first, then go gutless method to butcher

I don't have any experience with the gutless method. For deer and pigs we've always gutted first then skinned and butchered. I appreciate all your input, thanks!

 

[Justin Crossley]

I skin and do gutless.

 

[ckleeves]

Unless you have a clean working area (tyvek or something like it) it's probably best to skin as you gutless quarter it. If you skin it first your going to pick up tons of dirt and debris as you go gutless. Everything sticks to bear meat.

Position the bear on its back, make your cuts ( assuming your doing a rug) then remove the 4 quarters and skin to where you only have the section of skin touching the ground left attached. Flip it over on its belly and skin the still attached strip going up the spine to the head. Atlas joint separation then the skin and head will be free. Then remove the back straps and tenderloins.

Basically your using the skin as a tarp as you gutless quarter it. Tyvek or a tarp really helps on bears. Good luck this fall!

 

[Justin Crossley]

Unless you have a clean working area (tyvek or something like it) it's probably best to skin as you gutless quarter it. If you skin it first your going to pick up tons of dirt and debris as you go gutless. Everything sticks to bear meat.

Position the bear on its back, make your cuts ( assuming your doing a rug) then remove the 4 quarters and skin to where you only have the section of skin touching the ground left attached. Flip it over on its belly and skin the still attached strip going up the spine to the head. Atlas joint separation then the skin and head will be free. Then remove the back straps and tenderloins.

Basically your using the skin as a tarp as you gutless quarter it. Tyvek or a tarp really helps on bears. Good luck this fall!

Your description is what I meant. I guess I should be more clear!

 

[Stid2677]

I like to do gutless,, less blood and mess to get on the hide.

Make sure to lay the bear out before rigor sets in,, very hard to get straight cuts when they die on their side and get stiff.

A few tools really makes it easier, small meat hook is a hand saver allowing you or a friend to safely hold a greasy leg.
Utility knife with a roofing blade will make nice straight cuts,, you want to make long cuts cutting with the grain of the fur to avoid cutting to much fur and each time you start and stop it will leave a jagged edge.

Make sure to follow on the back of the rear legs,, if you cut too far forward when you lay out the rug it will look like it has a big ole butt, if you cut in the middle of the rear leg.

Either salt of freeze the hide,, bear hides are very hard to freeze and can rot in the freezer, you have to keep rotating the hide to make sure it all freezes and loosely roll it skin out.

If doing a rug you can spit the foot pad or even remove it as they are not used for a rug,, you want to only split it if mounting any other way.

Hanging the foot from a rope aids in shaking the bones out of the feet, Remove up to the last joint the claws are attached to.

 

[gonhunting247]

Stid,
Great pics and directions. A lot of folks drop too low on the chest or leave too much skin on the back(butt) side of the hide when making a rug. The way you have it shown if great, as it makes the rug nice and wide on the sides and leaves minimal pleats on the front and back, that would have to be cut off anyway. Thanks for posting, I will tell folks to look at this thread when they ask.

 

[209hunter]

Thanks for the help guys. Th gutless method is very intimidating to me but I think if I take my time I'll be ok


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[Stid2677]

Thanks for the help guys. Th gutless method is very intimidating to me but I think if I take my time I'll be ok


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It is easy, don't over think it. Notice how the hide is used to keep the meat clean, the torso has had the quarters and straps removed.

 

[Clarktar]

It is easy, don't over think it. Notice how the hide is used to keep the meat clean, the torso has had the quarters and straps removed.

Stid, you are one of the reasons these forums are a gold mine. You always share your knowledge and have some of the best posts complete with pictures that really help illustrate your points. Thanks for being an active member and sharing your experiences and knowledge.

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[BRWNBR]

I vote number 3. Also don't let rigor scare you. You can work rigor back out of the muscles and skin them just fine just takes a little extra work flexing the joints again. Smaller bears are easier. Big bears...well 1000lb bears it's a lot harder. Lol

Stid I think your doing your feet the hard way...

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

Thanks, I had these same ponderings since I picked up a bear tag for the first time with the same thought of capitalizing if there was a good opportunity.

Stid I think your doing your feet the hard way...

Care to expand more for our benefit?

 

[Stid2677]

I vote number 3. Also don't let rigor scare you. You can work rigor back out of the muscles and skin them just fine just takes a little extra work flexing the joints again. Smaller bears are easier. Big bears...well 1000lb bears it's a lot harder. Lol

Stid I think your doing your feet the hard way...

Show me the way,,,, My least favorite part of the process, would love to find an better way.

I alway leave the feet and head in and remove back at camp unless I have time and a long back back.

 

[Craig Van Arsdale]

I skin one side and break it down then flip it and do the other side. I use gutless. It's not bad at all really.


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[beachbunny]

seeing how i never shot a bear, i never thought about it, thanks for the pics. if i ever do get to it.

 

[BRWNBR]

Ya dang stid that looks rough. Next bear I'll try to remember to take some pictures from the field for you. A foot from start to finish should be less than five minutes each.

 

[Rowdy]

I've done quite a few paws BRWNBR and I think I get better with each one but nowhere near the 5 minute mark, I'd love to see you put together a short video on getting through it a lot quicker. I'm always open to better ways and the two brown bear I did this spring took me significantly longer than that.

 

[BRWNBR]

I'll try to remember to video a foot on the next bear I get the chance to skin out. Have several bear hunts left this fall so hopefully i can get that done. My first few took forever and where very frustrating, but now I enjoy feet more than anything else! Lol

 

[Nick Muche]

I'd like to see this as well, Jake.

Nice pics Stid, it's all pretty easy. Just need 3 main cuts and you are off and running.

Here's a video from one of mine last spring.

How to skin a Bear in the Field - YouTube

 

[AK Troutbum]

Show me the way,,,, My least favorite part of the process, would love to find an better way.

I alway leave the feet and head in and remove back at camp unless I have time and a long back back.

Curious Steve, what do you have on the bottom of your tripod that is holding the foot?

 

[AK Troutbum]

Ya dang stid that looks rough. Next bear I'll try to remember to take some pictures from the field for you. A foot from start to finish should be less than five minutes each.

Please do, I'd love to see this (or a video) as well.