Bear Bums – Bear Hunting

I’m definitely old school (carrying a pocket knife in my pocket at all times) so this topic seems odd.

Once the bear is down it has to be skinned out before the hair has a chance to slip or fall out. This is within hours if it’s hot or max over night if it’s cool. Most times bears are skinned for a bear rug mount or a life size mount which can be accomplished with the same technique. For me a bear is one of the easier animals to skin, life size.

The knife used has to be very sharp and will not stay sharp for the entire bear. This requires a resharpening or another sharp knife. I like small bladed knives and there seem to be hundreds of good brands. I’ve personally been impressed with the Canadian Grohmann knives

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and the good old Schrade Old Timer #152 (I’m not sure the Schrades are still made in the same place). Other good knives include knives of Alaska (cub bear), Buck, Gerber and the list goes on.

Don’t wait to learn your knife or how to use it until the bear is dead. When skinning, my hands and fingers tire easily so stopping 2-3 times to sharpen my knife or knives is a good break. Your buddy can hold bear parts for you as you skin or he can sharpen knives, but be careful.

I also carry scalpel blades I get from a veterinary supply or from my friendly MD connection. Be aware that most human use size scalpel blades are too little. Use blades approx 1 inch long or longer. The blades are disposable but I have a handle I keep. Mostly I end up using the scalpel blades back at camp on the fine stuff like the face, fleshing, doing lips and ears. I don’t think you can learn how to do a good job on a finished bear without doing it, but this stuff will help. Out at the harvest scene the finished product still has the skull and feet in it and the hide is fleshed poorly. Again I do the tiny stuff back at camp with good light and time.

I like two kinds of field sharpeners and I use only one type for camp or at home. At home I use the Lansky System (and so should you). In the field a small fold out diamond sharpener like a Diamond Machining Technology inc. sharpener or the round EZE LAP DIAMOND pocket stone is slick.

If you’re the guy with the cheap blade, no blade, or you don’t know how to use them you’ll end up missing out on this fun part of the bear hunt (or any hunt). If you’re the guy learning, remember, muscle help is great help also.

On our 2006 self guided black bear hunt four of us rough skinned out two big bears in about 90 minutes with the sun leaving and the tide coming and it was windy cold and very wet. I’d rather take 3-4 hours and have fun and talk a lot. Either way it’s important to do a good job—the bear deserves it.

Follow this link to see a step by step outline on skinning a bear (pictures included). Very helpful!

Below are the pictures of my favorite Bear Skinning Knives. Hover over the picture to see the name: