Bear Meat

[HUNTERTREV]

im planning on going black bear hunting this spring for the first time, ive hunted lots of deer before and i always eat all the meat off my deer by making sausage, pepperoni, steaks, roasts, ect. my question is what is the best way to utilize the meat from a bear, i hear the meat isnt alway the best but makes good pepperoni, any tips or info on what you guys are doing with your bear meat would be great, thanx.

[Marc]

I've had sausage, pepperoni, and salami made that all came out great. I've also cooked it as steak and roast. My wife prefers the bear meat to deer. I also ground a lot of it up for making spaghetti sauce and chili. Once you get over the "I can't believe I'm eating a bear" It's like any other meat.

[bigwhiteys]

I've had sausage, pepperoni, and salami made that all came out great. I've also cooked it as steak and roast. My wife prefers the bear meat to deer. I also ground a lot of it up for making spaghetti sauce and chili. Once you get over the "Two foot long nasty worms" It's like any other meat.


Fixed it for ya Marc! :biggrin:

Seriously though... If you get a bad bear, boil it up and make dog food with it... My dog goes nuts for it.

Carl

[yukon john]

Garden fertilizer, as has been said on here before it is better to eat your own feces than a worm infested bear. And just cause you dont see them doesnt mean their not there.

[Ambush]

Seriously though... If you get a bad bear, boil it up and make dog food with it... My dog goes nuts for it.Carl
What is your recipe and process? I'm sure more hunters would shoot bears if there was a viable use for a stinky old boar.

[HUNTERTREV]

how can u tell the differance between a bad bear with worms and a good bear?

[Pioneerman]

I have killed and eaten over 20 bears and never a bad one or any problems. I have heard these comments from many people who have it in their heads that every bear is full of disease and worms, but many just wont try it.

I had a bear roast in a slow cooker one day and my friends wife stopped by for coffee and had to try it because it smelt so good. she absolutely loved it and her husband would never shoot a bear because he said they stunk , dirty full of worms and you could not eat them. She liked it better than any moose or elk he had taken before. I still like Elk and moose better, but would be happy with a freezer full of good bear meat

I am more put off by having to handle a tick infested deer and have them crawling all over when you are dressing the deer or moose

[winchester284]

how can u tell the differance between a bad bear with worms and a good bear?

There is no such thing as a "bad bear" unless maybe if you've shot one off a garbage dump. Go for an alpine fall berry bear or a early spring bear and it's some of the best table fare you've ever eaten!

If you have a problem with a few worms in the meat, don't look too closely at the moose you're eating or you'll start calling them "bad moose". :lol:

[brandonhunter]

I have eaten lots of bear meat over the last few years, and never had a problem with any of it.

[~T-BONE~]

Save the trim for the fall and mix it with your deer, elk, moose... Or some bf/pk trim and do it.. I personally only take the hams and backstraps and do pepperoni with bf trim..

[elkdom]

Fixed it for ya Marc! :biggrin:

Seriously though... If you get a bad bear, boil it up and make dog food with it... My dog goes nuts for it.

Carl

a REAL good reason for getting a dog,,,,,,:lol:

a REAL good reason for starting a Garden,,,,,:wink:

[Steeleco]

The girls in my house are fussy eaters. But bear meat is the first meat we run out of.
Try one, if you don't like it, it will take but ten minutes here to find the left overs a new home.

[Ronforca]

I have eaten lots of Black Bear meat.The only problem that I can see with Bear meat is if it is a garbage dump eater or I got one near the Harrison once that had been eating salmon.It was not the best.As for the worms If it is frozen well or well cooked I just forget about them.Excellent meat for sausage,etc or roasts,stew meat ,mince or whatever you do with other kinds of meat.Excellent eating.Have fed it to people who said that Bear meat was disgusting.They loved it.Never told them what it was.

[tomahawk]

Some of the best eating meat you can find if you hunt bears that are not near GARBAGE or THE OCEAN. Medium size eaters are great for all cuts of meat, including cured hams from the rear legs. Best burger by far!!

[winchester284]

My wife loves baking with the bear lard.

Funny story, we have good friends who won't come over for dinner because they are afraid we will serve them bear meat.... We had them over for dessert the other day... My wife baked up a big apple pie. They loved it and even had seconds. We still haven't told them it was baked with bear lard. :lol:

[elkdom]

My wife loves baking with the bear lard.

Funny story, we have good friends who won't come over for dinner because they are afraid we will serve them bear meat.... We had them over for dessert the other day... My wife baked up a big apple pie. They loved it and even had seconds. We still haven't told them it was baked with bear lard. :lol:

SNEAKY , you really pulled the "wool over their eyes" :lol:

you should have also rubbed their boots and shoes with Bear Lard, as it is a very good leather preservative and waterproofing for leather!:wink:

[~T-BONE~]

Some of the best eating meat you can find if you hunt bears that are not near GARBAGE or THE OCEAN. Medium size eaters are great for all cuts of meat, including cured hams from the rear legs. Best burger by far!!

Or near the river when eating fish all fall! Gross and greasy!!!!

[killer]

I have shot and eaten many bears none from a dump but all are good .I beleive you are supposed to freeze the meat for three months to get rid of any possible parasites.Only a couple weeks, going for a tour to horne lake to check out for sign right now.

[300H&H]

Most of my bears lately have been taken out of a friend of a friends orchard.
The COs have given permission for the bears to be taken any time of the year regardless of season. We can only use shot gun slugs.

They taste great after feeding on peaches/plums/apricots. Very sweet meat.
I get the hams smoked and a batch of pepperoni. The kids & I love it but my wife has this thing about eating bear. :cool: More for me.

[winchester284]

SNEAKY , you really pulled the "wool over their eyes" :lol:

you should have also rubbed their boots and shoes with Bear Lard, as it is a very good leather preservative and waterproofing for leather!:wink:

I do use it for waterproofing my boots. It works great and it's a myth that they smell.

By the way, the lard I use for waterproofing my boots is separate from what my wife uses for baking....:wink:

[elkdom]

Or near the river when eating fish all fall! Gross and greasy!!!!

yeah, their much better in the early spring season when they are emaciated,

DELICIOUS ! emaciated bear steaks, mm mmm mmmm

all the food value of worn out sneaker,,,

[elkdom]

I do use it for waterproofing my boots. It works great and it's a myth that they smell.

By the way, the lard I use for waterproofing my boots is separate from what my wife uses for baking....:wink:

what is a MYTH ?? that your boots smell ?, or your feet smell ?:lol:

NO, bear grease has no odor after it has been "rendered" ,

[winchester284]

yeah, their much better in the early spring season when they are emaciated,

DELICIOUS ! emaciated bear steaks, mm mmm mmmm

all the food value of worn out sneaker,,,

Last years spring bear had almost 2 inches of fat on his rump...

[elkdom]

Last years spring bear had almost 2 inches of fat on his rump...


so does my sister in-law,,,,

but NO way I would touch it,,, yeachk! :eek:

[winchester284]

so does my sister in-law,,,,

but NO way I would touch it,,, yeachk! :eek:

I won't touch that comment either..... :biggrin:

[bigwhiteys]

What is your recipe and process? I'm sure more hunters would shoot bears if there was a viable use for a stinky old boar.

http://bchuntingblog.com/blog/2010/05/31/black-bear-meat-dog-food-recipe/


Simple List:

Bear Meat
Carrots
Mixed Grain Rice
Celery
Sweet Potatoes
My dog gets a package two or three times per week. She loves it.

This year I am also going to render the fat per BromBones post http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=55211

I've been in on killing 5 Island Bears so far from a small young boar to a few big stinkly old buggers, all spring bears, all living up high in the mountains, away from garbage dumps, and many miles from a salmon bearing stream they were eating clover, grass, fireweed and other greens.

They all had worms, they all smelled the same... And why wouldn't they? They are the garburators of our forest. A bear without worms? Not sure that exists.:biggrin: I think it's more like people who weren't looking for worms or mistake them for stringy pieces of fat... Watch one of those two footers coiling itself around your knife and you'll know!

I don't really like the taste or the smell and soaking it in gasoline or some other concoction to make it taste like something else is not the solution for me.

If I have to bring the meat out I do want to use it for something and saving several hundred bucks on dogfood and boot grease for life is a good deal for me, I will also get to practice caping/skinning out the heads/paws because according to my Dad, I need quite a bit more practice around the lips/ears! My recent deer wasn't a total failure, but the taxi that gets it will surely be impressed with my fine handiwork :)

Carl

[elkdom]

bigwhiteys you dont need to waterproof your gum-boots with bear grease, they are waterproof from the store,,:-?

you just became too fussy, eatin moose and elk from reg 7b:biggrin:

[sarg]

it sound like its the VI bears that are full of worms, i've yet to find a worm in any of my bear meat that i've got so far. maybe im just not looking hard enough :)

[Pioneerman]

it sound like its the VI bears that are full of worms, i've yet to find a worm in any of my bear meat that i've got so far. maybe im just not looking hard enough :)

I was born and raised on VI and all but three of mine are from here and no worms at all, so it is not a island problem, just a perception of others that all bear meat is bad

[sarg]

I was born and raised on VI and all but three of mine are from here and no worms at all, so it is not a island problem, just a perception of others that all bear meat is bad
hey
did mean to affend anyone, it just seems like its mostly people from the island that talk about the worms in bears meat. but yes i to think its a perception of other that all bear meat is bad. like i said b4 didnt mean to affend u

[Pioneerman]

hey
did mean to affend anyone, it just seems like its mostly people from the island that talk about the worms in bears meat. but yes i to think its a perception of other that all bear meat is bad. like i said b4 didnt mean to affend u


No I was not affended and I did not think that at all, I was sort of agreeing with you that many people THINK it is bad from where ever, but you ar right a lot of islanders saying these things, I have never found this to be true in all the bears I have eaten, from here and the mainland :-)

[Island Redneck]

hey
did mean to affend anyone, it just seems like its mostly people from the island that talk about the worms in bears meat. but yes i to think its a perception of other that all bear meat is bad. like i said b4 didnt mean to affend u

I have skinned out several hundred Black Bear on Vancouver Island and I would say that almost all adult BB. on VI. are infested with worms. ( I dont know about the rest of BC. ) It is far easier to see the worms in the Bear meat in the Spring, quite often they go unoticed in the Fall, because the meat is covered in fat.
Also I have skinned many BB. in early Spring that still have a strong, puetred salmon odor that lingers in the meat and fat from the Bear feeding on salmon before hibernation. I have had to throw clothes away because we couldnt wash the salmon stink out of them

[tomahawk]

I was born and raised on VI and all but three of mine are from here and no worms at all, so it is not a island problem, just a perception of others that all bear meat is bad


IMHO You nailed it right there!!. Other then the odd bad bear (or deer or moose or elk or bison or well you get the picture) most of the negative stuff comes from guys who carry along the family's or friends perception that it is terrible meat. Just shows how many hunters are misinformed or have closed minds or are too stubborn or for the most part are not knowledgeable enough about bears. Those of you that are not tainted by others idea's and are open minded will try a good bear and enjoy it. Plain and simple!

And with respect to the worms in meat, try going to a slaughter house and have a look at freshly slaughtered pork if you want to find worms!!

I have been eatin bears and every other game meat that exists in BC for over 40 yrs and only one had a few worms in it, the rest have all been squeeky clean!! I've also had one moose that had worms crawlin in it so maybe I should slag moose and stop eatin it, I don't think so.

[sarg]

:Dback to what to do with bear meat:D, i usually get the hams smoked some roast done and of couse sausge. it really good so dont let other opinions ruin it for u.:D try it first then have your own opinion.

[BCBRAD]

Roger's in Prince George does a good job of the ham's and we especially like the bavarian meatloaf, smokies are good too.

[Pioneerman]

I have wanted to try the hams, does anyone know a place on the island or Nanaimo that does them ? I thought someone told me the place up in coombs smokes them.. lol Yes I know they smoke a lot of other stuff there too, but I mean butcher wise

[sarg]

it is well worth smoking the hams. my last year spring bear hams cost me $20 to smoke them and it was well worth it.:)

[yukon john]

Guess what if your bear doesnt have parsites its because you dont know what they look like, I have skinned 50+ bears from the mainland and they all have parisites

[winchester284]

Guess what if your bear doesnt have parsites its because you dont know what they look like, I have skinned 50+ bears from the mainland and they all have parisites

Why do you keep going after bears if you keep finding parasites?

Apparently you are very unlucky. I've never had a parasite/worm in a bear but I have had them in moose. They actually cook up quite nicely..... :lol:

[elkdom]

Guess what if your bear doesnt have parsites its because you dont know what they look like, I have skinned 50+ bears from the mainland and they all have parisites

lol, x2

some people pic their nose and eat it !,,,,,

dont mean it is good for you, or that everybody else is gonna like it!:lol:

[fearnodeer]

I have shot and eaten bear meat on several occasions and found that i do not like the steaks but the sausauge and burger is okay

[killman]

Bacon???.............................

[farside]

Gunthers in Black Creek did up my bear for me. Had 40lbs peperoni, 60lbs garlic sausage, and 40lb smokies, done up and it was very very good. Brought the one hip home and did it into jerky.

To me a bear is for processing into all the stuff I would not dream of doing to fresh moose/deer/elk without weeping.

Spring bear, yep had worms in the guts, no bad smell to it at all.

Have you ever seen the worms in halibut. Now that is some nasty stuff!!! If you botched that job once you will never miss filleting it properly again

[Marc]

From my experience so far with bears on the Island late May the bears are to me the best eating. No fat at all a this stage under the hide just meat and they've had all of April and May to sort their systems out after hibernation.

The two bears we took early April 2009 the flesh smelled like the grass you find rotting under your lawn mower. They tasted awful and I attribute it to taking the bears to early after leaving the den and not having sufficient time to purge themselves. Anyone else experience or think this way?

[winchester284]

I agree. I've always harvested my bears after they've probably had at least a month to feed on the greenery. As you suggested that probably purges their systems and the meat is sweet, no smells, no parasites.

[Ride Red]

End of April, they're good to go. Doesn't take them long to restart their system on that fresh grass. I've tried bear many ways, but never a bavarian meatloaf as in a previous post or should I say a bearvarian meatloaf. Sounds dam fine to me. I'll be trying that one soon. 8-)

[Cdn-Redneck]

.

They all had worms, they all smelled the same... And why wouldn't they? They are the garburators of our forest. A bear without worms? Not sure that exists.:biggrin: I think it's more like people who weren't looking for worms or mistake them for stringy pieces of fat... Watch one of those two footers coiling itself around your knife and you'll know!


Carl

I think that would do me in. I don't know if I could eat one after that. I have never hunted bear but am thinking of doing it this spring, hams and sausage, would be the plan.