Hanging a bear to skin.

[Boar]

Always wonder what most of you do, I have skun on the ground when I could'nt hoist the bear on the gambrel, Bummer Huh? But have simply roped around the neck for skinning, but always woried about ruining the hide for a mount when doing so, havent yet but would hate to. What do you guys do? Boar

[bogwalker]

For skinning we hang the bear head down. We put a chain (you could use a rope) through the butt and out between the back legs connect the ends and hang it.

[HeviShot]

We found its easiest to skin one of the rear quarters out on the ground and then wrap a ratchet strap around the quarter and up she goes. Bog Walker- are you saying you put the chain under its pelvic bone and hang it that way?

[lichen fox]

I always have hung them head down too, using a gambrel...I just skin-out the back feet far enough get the gambrel in between the bone & tendon...just like hanging a deer...I use a version of bogwalkers through the pelvic bone trick too, (as I learned through experience that the tendon's on a bear don't always support the weight), I use a wratchet strap through the pelvic bone and secure it around the center of the gambrel, thus taking alot of the weight off the tendons. But you have to remember NOT to split the pelvic bone when gutting...my partner has a hard time with that as he has always done it on deer...I have to remind him every time....

[Boar]

Aha okeedokee then, thats a good Idea, but I too split the pelvic for gutting, my adrenaline gets flowing so hard I'm sure I'll forget. i cut my index knuckle pretty bad last year with the adrenal factor pumpin a gabillion miles an hour. I'm currently welding up a skinning gambrel pole that slips into my reciever hitch an cranks up with a electric winch, cant wait to use it. Baor

[bogwalker]

Why do you split the pelvic bone?

[Boar]

I guesse I always have, thats how i learned as a kid deer hunting, split the pelvic bone an pull the intestines thru. How do you do it? Boar

[HooknHorns]

You can also cut the inside of the lower lip and start to skin out the lower jaw. This will expose enough of the lower jaw to slip your rope under the tongue. That way you can tie around the skinned out chin. If your going to do a mount make sure you leave enough inside lip for the taxi to tuck. I did this last year but, my bear was on the small side so i didnt have to worry about hide weight too much. Probally not the best way, just an alternative

[harvey lee]

I have only skun 2 bear but I laided them on a cement floor and started cutting and rolled it to its side as I worked. I did cut the feet first.

Worked great and no rope marks or anything else.

HH, skinning the head out sounds like a great idea as long as they do not cut the ear butts to short and don't mess up the eyes or nose or lips.

[bogwalker]

I guesse I always have, thats how i learned as a kid deer hunting, split the pelvic bone an pull the intestines thru. How do you do it? Boar

Cut around the anus and pull the intestines inside (tied off first if you want).

[HeviShot]

Bogwalker, just wondering whats the biggest bear you have done so far hanging it from the pelvic bone with out it breaking? This sounds like an awesome way to do it, but have some doubts.

[hookset]

The locker I took my bear to last year tried to go through the pelvic bone while hanging my bear. I must have looked like a ghost when it broke and landed on its head from 13 feet in the air. Didn't crack the skull though.

[bogwalker]

Bogwalker, just wondering whats the biggest bear you have done so far hanging it from the pelvic bone with out it breaking? This sounds like an awesome way to do it, but have some doubts.

Since setting our self imposed minimum size, we have taken the whole bear to be skinned and butchered. I guess I had never really thought about it.

[Black Bear]

I have skinned/help skin 75 bears....we hung/winched them up by the UNSPLIT pelvic bone. No problems. I have skinned a couple of 300 to 400 pounders on a tarp on the ground and it takes double the time and it's alot more work.

[charliepete]

I usually skin mine in the bed of the pickup. It's messy on the truck, but keeps the twigs and dirt off the bear. It doesn't take me long at all. I paid a processor to skin and freeze my bears before I bought my hunting shack. He had a rack system and he'd pull them right off the pickup truck. It worked slick. He used 1 large hook in the ankle and that was it. He did my buddies 400#'er that way no problem.