This post is for all those who are booking Bear hunts this spring and in the fall. Outfitters and guides have a responsibility to provide you with a good hunt that you pay good money for. Part of that responsibility is to know field care of a trophy when you harvest your animal. That means proper skinning, correct methods of treating the hide and or fast freezing of the hide. This year as a taxidermist I took in a few hide that to say the least were poorly taken care of by a couple of outfitters. Bear fat is very unstable once the animal is dead. It is why you make sure you get as much off the meat as you can and then either process or freeze as soon as possible. The hide deserves the same attention. Both in the fall and spring warm weather is a friend to bacteria and bacteria is the enemy to any hide more so for bear. Once taken a bear should be skinned and cleaned of fat both meat and the hide. Before skinning there is one measurement that is most important from the tip of the nose to the front corner of the eye. Ask your taxidermist before you hunt for his or her needs to give you a great mount or rug. Skin the skull out if it is to be frozen and if it is to be delivered to a taxidermist within a couple of days it can be left in. Reason to skin before freezing is it must be thawed and depending on the size of the bear it can take days. The skin will thaw first and once again more time means more chance of bacteria and more chance of hair slip. Once skinned if you have no freezer available and you clean the hide of fat then it can be salted using non iodized salt, not table salt, not rock salt. Animal feed salt will work as will pickling salt. Again any outfitter or guide that takes their profession seriously will know what is needed to care for your trophy. Ask them what their methods are and if they do not adhere to the basics I have given above then talk to your taxidermist before you leave for the hunt or try another outfitters. Above all if not frozen do not but in plastic garbage bags, burlap or cheese cloth bags are best to give protection from bacteria, they allow for air to cool hide as plastic has an R value that holds in heat and promotes bacteria growth. Good Luck in all your Hunts in 2016.

The Wildlife Gallery

Would love to do a mount like this...

Photos from Taxidermy by Robert Beneteau's post

Buck set to dry,

Timeline Photos

I am a lucky man, my work is something I love to do!

Timeline Photos

Coming in April on the 16th I will be at this show with my work, Hope to see many of my customers and friends!

Photos from Taxidermy by Robert Beneteau's post

How I dremal nostrils before mounting using a cast as reference on a commercial mount.

Photos from Taxidermy by Robert Beneteau's post

Should be an interesting buck....

Photos from Taxidermy by Robert Beneteau's post

Just about done just a little feather work to do.

Timeline Photos

Working on a little freestyle pheasant taxidermy, what do you think.

CTA Forums - Index

I would like to promote the Canadian Taxidermist Association Forum to all Taxidermist, Tanners and Euro Skull Artists. Lots of great information and the ability to help others learn. Also if you are a Canadian involved in any form of this art including Sculptures, Photography and Carving please join the CTA. There is strength in Numbers. http://www.canadiantaxidermistsassociation.com/Forums/index.php

Rena

Timeline Photos

Lesser Canada goose I am working on today.