spring bear fur

[kwasky]

I am wanting to get a bear rug this year and was just wondering if they have nicer coats in the spring or am I better off waiting until the fall. Thanks allot.

[elkdom]

spring bears usually have a high quality pelt, also their claws are usually long and undamaged, after many months of resting and not foraging they are generally not fat, but the fur is good! as it seems this spring is very slow in coming, temperatures staying cool and it appear that this late spring will have the bears keeping their coats longer than in some years when its very warm by April, as the weather gets really warm the bears will "rub" this makes the fur thin or patchy. this should be a good bear season, although it seems it will be late for many areas of BC.

[Elkhound]

I would rather have a spring bear coat. Early before they rub of course

[elkdom]

[quote=Elkhound;438653]I would rather have a spring bear coat.




PS: do not! repeat, do NOT wear YOUR spring "BEAR COAT"!

while hiking, camping etc between April 01 and June 15 :shock: heh heh heh

[Elkhound]

[quote=Elkhound;438653]I would rather have a spring bear coat.




PS: do not! repeat, do NOT wear YOUR spring "BEAR COAT"!

while hiking, camping etc between April 01 and June 15 :shock: heh heh heh


But the wife got me one for christmas...told me it was my new hunting jacket, then took out that life insurance policy for me.:shock:

[elkdom]

[quote=elkdom;438677]


But the wife got me one for christmas...told me it was my new hunting jacket, then took out that life insurance policy for me.:shock:


BWAHHH HAHA!,,, Im sure she LOVES you! :biggrin:

and I am sure YOUR new BEAR coat is rented!! :|

[wlbc]

Spring bear is definitely softer and longer. Before they rub it is a much nicer fur. The fall coats tend to shorter and more wirey.

[351BII]

Is it true that spring bears have worms and parasites in them???? Or is that just a story???

[wolverine]

It's quite possible that a spring bear can have parasites but then it's just as likely that a fall bear will have them too. It's quite normal and harmless in most cases. I'd be more concerned about ensuring that you don't get any ticks on you when you are skinning them out. Spring is a great time for ticks and once the host is dead the ticks cannot easily get a blood meal and will move on to a host that has a working cirulatory system.... like you! They get quite active after the host expires and start moving off. Check yourself carefully and don't worry about worms. If they have any they are ususally just under the hide and they are harmless.

[351BII]

Good to know...Guess I should get out there

[ydouask]

Bear hides can be rubbed early in the Spring on occasion. I once received a Black Bear hide , shot and skinned on Feb. 19. 1994.... yeah, no kidding. It wasn't in prime condition. It might have been flooded out in one of those mid- Feb thaws we used to get in the West Kootenay before all this Global Warming stuff took hold. I also skinned and had tanned a Black Bear from June 03, 1986... turned out to be one of the nicest hides I've ever seen. Suspect it all depends on their shape when denning up, dryness of den temp in den , etc.
Fall hides are inferior to Spring hides... not because of rubs, but because of the tanning process. For some reason , when the Fall hides are tanned and then shaved (skin side ) the hair follicles on the guard hairs are often cut. In time this results in those nice long hairs falling out. This doesn't happen with Spring hides . I'm guessing the connective tissue in Spring hides may be a little thicker than those of Fall.

[hunter1947]

Spring time is the best time to get a rug from a bear ,go get one.

[kwasky]

Thanks guys. Ill be out lookin startin soon.