which is better for bear in your opinion

[scotty30-06]

A buddy and I are in a debate over first step after punching tag.....gut bear then skinning or skin him before gutting

[Fella]

Why not skin then remove edible portions? No need to gut and it's quicker which is a bonus when it's hot out.

[wideopenthrottle]

gutless method fans aside, it is normal to gut it where it drops but leave the skin on to keep it clean while dragging it out..way easier to skin it hanging on a meat pole especially if you are keeping the hide and want to avoid knife holes

[RackStar]

I will be trying the gutless method on my bear this season.
Only bears though.

[scotty30-06]

Don't you loose rib meat with gutless method...and if not...do you loose any meat with gutless

[Fella]

You can be as thorough as you want as long as you're taking the 4 quarters, loins, back straps, neck meat etc. Some guys go through the effort of taking the rib meat on bears, some don't. When it's late May and the temps are hitting close to 30 degrees all that matters is cooling the meat off and quick.

[RackStar]

Let's just hope this civil discussion and opinions doesn't turn out like the other thread with some idiot threatening people at "gunpoint" over not taking all the meat. Temps are ideal on the coast to harvest a bear with today 26 inland. Sunny rest of week and mid 20s last week. I'm going for a poke around. My good bear spot won't be ready till may though.
Good luck to everyone this year. Stay safe.

[RackStar]

Hope you get one Scotty, you seem egar. Best wishes to you.

[Fella]

Let's just hope this civil discussion and opinions doesn't turn out like the other thread with some idiot threatening people at "gunpoint" over not taking all the meat. Temps are ideal on the coast to harvest a bear with today 26 inland. Sunny rest of week and mid 20s last week. I'm going for a poke around. My good bear spot won't be ready till may though.
Good luck to everyone this year. Stay safe.
Well no one seems to be getting uptight yet :). Yep good weekend for bear, best of luck Rackstar!

[ramcam]

Rib meat, how hungry are you?

[scotty30-06]

OK so gutless method it is....and yea rackstar I'm stoked hahahha heading up this weekend in a really good spot in region 2 so I'm just pumped

[Ltbullken]

Skin gutless method, take hide off with skull and paws intact with hide (if you want a full rug), then start removing meat portions and finally gut out for the tenderloins. You can take off meat portions as you skin. One side skinned, then remove quarters, neck meat and backstraps, roll over, repeat. Keeping the meat as clean and free from debris as you can.

[Fisher-Dude]

Skin gutless method, take hide off with skull and paws intact with hide (if you want a full rug), then start removing meat portions and finally gut out for the tenderloins. You can take off meat portions as you skin. One side skinned, then remove quarters, neck meat and backstraps, roll over, repeat. Keeping the meat as clean and free from debris as you can.

^^^ This.

I've done both methods, and the gutless works well on a bear. Bear rib meat is better described as bear fat and sinew meat. I doubt you lose more than a pound of meat if you do a good gutless job on a bear. You can get all the neck meat this way too.

Take a cheap $3.99 Princess Auto tarp, and stack your clean meat on the tarp, and roll the bear over as Ltbullken described.

Cut the spine off below the skull and the paws off at the lower leg leaving them attached to the hide, and skin them out later (or let your taxi do it).

Good luck Scotty!

[kebes]

^^^ This.

I've done both methods, and the gutless works well on a bear. Bear rib meat is better described as bear fat and sinew meat. I doubt you lose more than a pound of meat if you do a good gutless job on a bear. You can get all the neck meat this way too.

Take a cheap $3.99 Princess Auto tarp, and stack your clean meat on the tarp, and roll the bear over as Ltbullken described.



It's a shame you have to take any of that greasy meat out on those calf killers ;)

[two-feet]

I cant wait for some bear pepperoni, and other such goodies

[scotty30-06]

Man you guys are worth your wait in gold....what a wealth of knowledge and experience.....thanks again guys really appreciate it

[boxhitch]

Skin gutless method, take hide off with skull and paws intact with hide (if you want a full rug), then start removing meat portions and finally gut out for the tenderloins. You can take off meat portions as you skin. One side skinned, then remove quarters, neck meat and backstraps, roll over, repeat. Keeping the meat as clean and free from debris as you can.Good except the gut out for inside loins is not necessary.
With the carcass slightly upright cut in behind the last rib and reach inside for the best meat on the critter. Its a small portion tight up against the spine but can be had without cutting into the gut bag if you are careful.
Roll to the other side to go in for the second chunk.

Only reason to gut would be to get the absolute best bear fat there is from around the kidneys. Render this down for the finest pastry lard god created.
Well , ymmv , but I sure like it .

[Gateholio]

Something else to remember, about the hide. If you want to keep the hide, you don't want to roll it up while still warm. Many guys roll it up with the skull still in the hide and drop it in the freezer to deal with later or get the taxidermist to do it. If it's still warm, you risk the fur slipping around the head, as the inside of a rolled up bear hide will stay warm in a freezer for hours and hours.

[scotty30-06]

OK so spread hide out and cool....or could I wrap the hide around a bag of ice...just an idea?

[Fella]

OK so spread hide out and cool....or could I wrap the hide around a bag of ice...just an idea?
Seems unnecessary, spread it out in the shade or near a creek

[REMINGTON JIM]

Skin gutless method, take hide off with skull and paws intact with hide (if you want a full rug), then start removing meat portions and finally gut out for the tenderloins. You can take off meat portions as you skin. One side skinned, then remove quarters, neck meat and backstraps, roll over, repeat. Keeping the meat as clean and free from debris as you can.

YUP ! and you always need a DEATH tarp for any animal ! :wink: RJ

[scotty30-06]

And if I read regs right page 20 says don't worry about sex organs being left on anything

[BTF]

If you think you might keep the hide bring a bucket of fine salt, if your camped out you can spend some time cleaning up the hide removing the paws and skull and salting the heck out of it, the sooner the better and remove as much blood as possible as the bacteria will grow around the bullet wound/blood stains first and cause hair slip. An Ofla razor knife is great for removing these parts and you can get cheep feed grade fine salt from feed supply stores.

[okas]

oh ya like i said in the other information post.....face down head to toe skin out take the meat ... i like this hunting BC .. leave the guts in:) like 10 min. on to the next one.. :twisted:

[scotty30-06]

Yea it's pretty much going from kill spot to freezer only about hour drive

[tigrr]

Me I gut it out in the bush and take the rest home to process. Skin it and wash it all down getting all the dried blood off. let it dry and start removing meat. I am minutes from home as well.

[Fella]

And if I read regs right page 20 says don't worry about sex organs being left on anything
Exactly right. Legally you can take either sex (provided a sow isn't with Cubs. Make sure you're damn sure the best is alone before shooting)

[Gateholio]

And if I read regs right page 20 says don't worry about sex organs being left on anything

I would leave them on. It doesn't appear to be legally required but some CO's liek to see them.

[Fella]

I would leave them on. It doesn't appear to be legally required but some CO's liek to see them.
Interesting, I emailed a CO about this issue a couple years ago and was told it was not necessary. Guess it depends on the CO you encounter.

[okas]

Most make there own rules up ... now a days as lost there mall cop job ...

[Gateholio]

Interesting, I emailed a CO about this issue a couple years ago and was told it was not necessary. Guess it depends on the CO you encounter.

The reason I said this is from the experience of one of my friends that the CO said he wanted to make sure it wasn't a lactating mother with cubs. Whether this is valid or not is not really important to me, but if it's important to the CO, I'd rather go that route. :)

[MichelD]

"One of my friends that the CO said he wanted to make sure it wasn't a lactating mother with cubs. Whether this is valid or not is not really important to me, but if it's important to the CO, I'd rather go that route."


That is exactly what inspector Doyle told me when he stopped me with a bear in the truck near Squamish a few years ago.


It was kind of funny, because my buddy had shot the bear and and while gutting it and skinning it he said "What about the parts?"

I told him we didn't have to keep them on the quarter, but there was no harm in leaving them on so we did. And then met officer Doyle down the road.

[swampthing]

I would skin it and then gut it after. Keep the hide cleaner. Actually I don't gut anything, especially bears. I went gutless when I started backpacking and never looked back. You will loose the ribmeat but whats that, 2lbs ??