Bear processing?

[icehole10]

Do you guys cut up your own bear, or do you bring it in to a locker?  I have done it both ways, and I have to be honest, I don't mind cutting up deer, but I am not a fan of cutting up bear. It is usually hot, and the flies are crazy. If I am fortunate enough this year to pull the trigger, either on my gun or my bow release, I think I am going to bring it in and let them cut it up, and then I can make sausage later on, after deer hunting. This brings me to another questions, the one time I did bring one in, about 10 years ago, I brought it to Clearbrook, but that place is closed now, and after my one  experience there, I wouldn't have gone back anyway. The question is does anyone have any recommendations for meat processing in that neck of the woods? Clearbrook, Bemidji, Bagley area. Thanks in advance.

[ClownColor]

We butcher our own deer also but never have done a bear cause of the temps...and it's all getting made into bear sticks!

[Boar]

I butcher my own as well, but yu might wann give niels meast in MacIntosh a call. they do prossesing of sausage but wont make it into sausage, i asked one time, but might cut it up for you.

[icehole10]

FYI, Neils in mcinstosh only takes trim, and they don't take any wild game till later in the season. Thanks for the suggestion though. I'll keep looking, or I guess i'll bite the bullet and cut it up myself. If I shoot one that is! 

[Boar]

fertile locker?

[B-man715]

ColdTrack on here does butchering as well. He's over in Squaw Lake.

[icehole10]

I found out that headwaters in Bagely is still open, for some reason I thought they had closed a few years ago. After getting some pricing from a couple of different places, I think I will opt to do it myself, if its not 90 degrees out.

[Coldtrack]

ColdTrack on here does butchering as well. He's over in Squaw Lake.

ColdTrack don't even like cutting up his own bear...LOL. I do however skin, quarter, and hang in a walk-in cooler for people.

[icehole10]

ColdTrack don't even like cutting up his own bear...LOL. I do however skin, quarter, and hang in a walk-in cooler for people.

If you were just a bit closer to where I hunt I would take you up on that one. That is our biggest obstacle is cooling them. I'm seriously considering building some sort of enclosed insulated trailer that we could hang a couple of bears in if needed. At least then, if it gets to be a late night, we could hang till morning.

[Boar]

I hear that, it gets to be a very long night when one gets one. I take a bear to the point where its quarterd, then into my freezer. and call it a night. its usually about 2-3 in the morn. then deboning after a little sleep catch up.

[Coldtrack]

I dread the call at midnight asking if I can skin one more...lol, especially after just getting done skinning 4-5 

[jerkbait]

I hear that, it gets to be a very long night when one gets one. I take a bear to the point where its quarterd, then into my freezer. and call it a night. its usually about 2-3 in the morn. then deboning after a little sleep catch up.

This is what I do also.

[icehole10]

I dread the call at midnight asking if I can skin one more...lol, especially after just getting done skinning 4-5 

How far out of Bemidji are you located? I should at least get your number, if for no reason other than calling you around midnight to say hi!!    

[Boar]

anybody calls me at midnight waits till morning for a reply uuugh

[Coldtrack]

I'm 50 minutes from Bemidji, north of deer river 27 mile on hwy 46, south of northome 25 mile on hwy 46. PM sent

[LindellProStaf]

It is hard to find anyone to do bears.  And then they want them skinned sometimes.  Then the work is already half done.  I gut them.  Then get home quick and skin them hanging in the garage.  Then I quarter and put each quarter in a garbage bag and into deep freeze. I use my sawzall to split them in half.  Works great.   I then thaw when I am ready to process.  It does get to be a late night.  If I get one close to home and like usual it is about dark, I get done with the whole process by about 11:00 pm.   Once you do it you get a routine down and it is not such a big deal.  If there was a place I could just drop my bear off at and get it all done I would do it.  I am lucky cause my wife likes to run the trail cams when I bait so she does help me with the skinning and quartering.

[Port.Winterhawk]

I get my Bear skinned and quartered within 3 hrs, and into the big ol Bear chest freezer. I like to take my trim in but if I am blessed to harvest another this year, I might save some to do on my own. Do my own vennie so why not eh?

[Thunderbird]

Garbage bags should not be used for food storage.

[Boar]

ive heard this before, elaborate please

[Thunderbird]

Boar,google 'food storage garbage bags'. There are some bad chemicals in those bags.

[LindellProStaf]

I use the big black leaf bags.  Didn't want the nice smelling ones to taint my bear meat.  I will google it too.  Thanks.

[charliepete]

I am what some people would call, 'Freezer Rich'. Anytime someone is giving away an old running chest freezer I take it.  I keep one at the hunting shack that is only used for bear and early deer seasons.  I plug it in a few weeks before the season and make sure it's running nice.  When I get a bear or deer in the early season when it's warm I just put them whole into the chest freezer skin and all (gutted of course).  By 11:00 am the next morning the bear is frozen enough to make it easier to clean, but not impossible to move.  I remember skinning bear in the back of my truck at midnight by lantern light almost too tired to move when I used to stay at a resort.  I also remember the stress of trying to raise the guy who owns the local walk in freezer late at night and not being able to get him.  The old school 20 cubic foot chest freezer is worth it's weight in gold when it's 11:00 at night and you have  250# bear on the ground in 75 degree heat.  With a partially frozen bear my buddy and i can have one skinned, quartered, boned, and separated into grind, steaks, and roasts in about 2 hours.  About an hour and a half longer than it takes to do a deer.