Gutting and Skinning a Bear

[heatherdaddy]

I just want to know is it advisable to gut and skin the bear in the field or just gut it in the field and skin it at home or let the butcher skin it if they do that? Do some butchers skin the bears and deer for you for a price?
Just wondering every ones opinion on this?

[Richmond69er]

I gut it and skin it in the field and cool the meat as quickly as possible.
no sense in paying someone else to do it if your already there and put the effort in to kill the bear.

just my 2 cents :)

[Fella]

I did both in the field. Bring something to lay the skinned carcass on because it's not fun picking grass and dirt out of the meat. If it's warm out I recommend skinning to allow the meat to cool down.

[Gone_Fishin_]

I did one this past weekend in the field and in my opinion is the only way to go.

We had the bear down at 9:40am, gave it 25 to ensure safety. Had it gutted, hanged off a tree to skin, then bucked up by 12:00 and packed out by 1:00pm to the truck. Only thing left behind was the spine. I use a king size bed sheet underneath to keep it clean while gutting, hanged it up a tree with my small manual winch, skinned, then started from neck and worked my way up cutting and placing into game bags. We brought him home and butchered on my counter by de-boning and cutting into sizable chunks for the grinder while removing any unwanted fat.

All said and done... shot at 9:40 and had it in the freezer bagged up by 9:00 that night. 10 and a half large freezer bags of meat, few sandwich bags of steaks and some chunks for stew. I'm sure when we bring this to the butcher our costs will go way down being cut up ready for the grinder vs having them butcher it. For the amount of time it takes i would highly suggest doing this yourself.

Also... this was my first time ever gutting, skinning, and butchering a bear and my friend with me has never cut anything more then a steak on his dinner plate.

[300win]

Go gutless, unless you are keeping the hide//de bone easier to pack out IMHO!!

[rifleman]

Gutless method works great. Skin as soon as possible to allow cooling of meat. Butchers will not skin animals. The animal has to be as clean as possible before taking it in. You can just gut it in the field as long as you get the hide off ASAP.

[Wentrot]

Gutless method works great. Skin as soon as possible to allow cooling of meat. Butchers will not skin animals. The animal has to be as clean as possible before taking it in. You can just gut it in the field as long as you get the hide off ASAP.

Not true-sumas meats even advertises deer skinning for 30 bucks, although I don't know why anyone wouldn't skin an animal themselves.

We did the gutless method on the bear the other week, this was the first time trying it and it was amazingly simple. with no wasted meat and no mess.

[russm86]

Depends on where you are when you get something, the temperature outside, the animal, and if you have other hands with you to help. It's all about making your life easier while at the same time making sure you don't do anything to spoil the meat or anything. For smaller animals in cool temperatures close to home or camp I usually just gut in the field and leave hide on so when your dragging it to the truck the meat doesn't get full of sticks n dirt then skin it out at home/camp and give a good wipe down with vinegar-water. If it's a moose and I'm 2 hours from camp or home and a half km from the truck I'm doing as much as I can to get it cooled off quickly and make it as light as possible to carry/drag out. For a bear this time of year, I'll tell you the first one I got a couple years ago I did the same as a deer and just gutted it then skinned it at home but I think for bears now I would do it all at once especially if keeping the hide. It just comes off so much easier when its still warm and fresh.

[russm86]

Not true-sumas meats even advertises deer skinning for 30 bucks, although I don't know why anyone wouldn't skin an animal themselves.

We did the gutless method on the bear the other week, this was the first time trying it and it was amazingly simple. with no wasted meat and no mess.

Interior Cut-rite in Kamloops also will skin game for you.

[RobRuger]

I'm amazed how many people gut bears. I didn't think it was common practice.

[Gone_Fishin_]

I'm amazed how many people gut bears. I didn't think it was common practice.

For some reason i almost found the bear easier then a buck. Large enough it doesn't roll around on you, big enough with the chest split to get right in there and after i figured out the hard way trying split the pelvic bone (10" fillet knife instead) it wasn't that bad at all. No smell at all i noticed either.

Myself am one not to waste any meat at all when processing an animal, even pcs the size of a loonie i trim out and place into the sausage bag. So i gutted the bear like i would a deer and took everything home including ribs, which are acutally being marinated right now dry rub to go on soon and into the smoker for 12 hrs.. yummmm....

[Wentrot]

For some reason i almost found the bear easier then a buck. Large enough it doesn't roll around on you, big enough with the chest split to get right in there and after i figured out the hard way trying split the pelvic bone (10" fillet knife instead) it wasn't that bad at all. No smell at all i noticed either.

Myself am one not to waste any meat at all when processing an animal, even pcs the size of a loonie i trim out and place into the sausage bag. So i gutted the bear like i would a deer and took everything home including ribs, which are acutally being marinated right now dry rub to go on soon and into the smoker for 12 hrs.. yummmm....

There is no waste going gutless, the rib meat can also be removed.

[russm86]

There is no waste going gutless, the rib meat can also be removed.

I don't personally know anyone that uses the gutless method and I've never seen anyone do the gutless method hence why I've never tried it myself. Can you still get the tenderloins out?

[BearSupreme]

There is no waste going gutless, the rib meat can also be removed.

Ya there is waste doing the gutless method, you obviously dont know where the tenderloins are if you think theres no waste. Id love to see you get the rib meat out of an animal with the guts in, russian roulette anyone? Dont knick it dont knick it dont knick it BAM guts on your meat. Ill take the extra 10 minutes to gut an animal, instead of worrying about if my knife is an inch too deep.

[HarryToolips]

Too warm this time of year, from my experience gut/skin ASAP, and obviously, when ya hang it to skin it do it in the shade..

[tigrr]

Nobody mentioned the flies!!!!
Skin and bag as fast as possible.

[r106]

Depends on where you are when you get something, the temperature outside, the animal, and if you have other hands with you to help. It's all about making your life easier while at the same time making sure you don't do anything to spoil the meat or anything. For smaller animals in cool temperatures close to home or camp I usually just gut in the field and leave hide on so when your dragging it to the truck the meat doesn't get full of sticks n dirt then skin it out at home/camp and give a good wipe down with vinegar-water. If it's a moose and I'm 2 hours from camp or home and a half km from the truck I'm doing as much as I can to get it cooled off quickly and make it as light as possible to carry/drag out. For a bear this time of year, I'll tell you the first one I got a couple years ago I did the same as a deer and just gutted it then skinned it at home but I think for bears now I would do it all at once especially if keeping the hide. It just comes off so much easier when its still warm and fresh.

Thats pretty much what I do as well. The conditions, temperature and the distance I have to go to get it in a cooler dictate what I do. This time of year I would be getting the hide off and get it quartered and wrapped in a bed sheet or cheese cloth for the drive home

[r106]

Too warm this time of year, from my experience gut/skin ASAP, and obviously, when ya hang it to skin it do it in the shade..

Yes. A shady spot next to creek works great for hanging to skin and will be couple degrees cooler. And a nice place to clean up after

[cole97]

First I do the gutless method skinning the bear for a rug and remove meat as you go all I take is the four quarters backstraps neck roast and brisket for bacon every thing is bone out to save wait packing it out make sure you cool and flesh the hide quicky

[Wentrot]

Ya there is waste doing the gutless method, you obviously dont know where the tenderloins are if you think theres no waste. Id love to see you get the rib meat out of an animal with the guts in, russian roulette anyone? Dont knick it dont knick it dont knick it BAM guts on your meat. Ill take the extra 10 minutes to gut an animal, instead of worrying about if my knife is an inch too deep.

You clearly have never tried or seen video of it being done. The tenderloins are easily removed with the gutless method.

[cole97]

for tenderloins just go in like a elk doing the gutless method not hard at all just dig in with your hands and get a grip if you can and start making cuts toward the back just make sure you don't cut the gut like I did the first time aha don't know if you would take the rip slap mostly fatty

[buck nash]

I go guttless now. Tried it for the first time 2 years ago after seeing a YouTube vid. Got the tenderloins out with ease the first time. I wont go back to gutting.

I bag up the meat in game bags then get it to the closest creek. Then it goes into heavy trash bags and cools in the water for at least an hr. Running water cools your meat down faster than anything.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Also easy to remove the heart doing gutless.

SSS

[Brizz]

Any bear specific links for videos? I only see Elk videos for gutless...

[Wentrot]

Any bear specific links for videos? I only see Elk videos for gutless...

Exact same concept really.

[Fella]

Also when skinning, an olfa knife will be your best friend. I've also heard the havalon piranta is great too.

[Wentrot]

Also when skinning, an olfa knife will be your best friend. I've also heard the havalon piranta is great too.

I got one of the havalons as a birthday gift last week, it is scary how sharp it is. Damn near cut myself just looking at the thing. Should work very well.

[VancouverSkiBum]

Heres some good videos ive been using.

http://www.helpinghandhangers.com/videos#bear1

[Wentrot]

I am not seeing anything about butchering on there? Just taxidermy stuff.

[swampthing]

The gutless method definitely works for me. I have probably only gutted 2 out of the last 20 animals. I think its the new wave. Gutting has its place but I think its old school. Kinda like slittin the throat to "bleed it out".

[boxhitch]

http://www.outdooredge.com/v/vspfiles/photos/SwingBabe-1.jpgPerfect for whittling ribs