I skinned and quartered mine leaving the head alone and took the cape with head attached to the DNR check station. They pull a tooth.

Either skin yourself or confirm the processor knows what the heck they're doing. You do want to get the meat cold ASAP.

 

You Need to Read the Bear Guide and explains what is required. You need to "Check" Your Bear I am not sure the Time Period Requirement last time I checked but that was 10 years ago when I was interested in Michigan Bear Hunting . But It is all in the Guide which you should have to know the Regulations as Checking a Bear, Baiting or Hound Hunting. It Spells all This Out.
Odd you have a Bear License and Aren't Aware of the Reg's???
Newaygo1

 

You can take the hide and head to the dnr station for registration. It does not have to be the entire bear. They will extract a tooth and put a seal on the hide.

It is not uncommon to take a bear to a cooler immediately after shooting. You can either skin it or take the entire bear. That is why they give you 72 hrs. Any processor will be familiar with what you need to do. It wont be as complicated as it seems.

Good luck!

Sent from my SM-S901U using Michigan Sportsman mobile app

 

I would like to keep the meat.

I've never shot or eaten bear , never intend to do either and have only seen a few over the years of birds hunting . But when bird hunting -

Years ago I was in a hunting camp in New Brunswick on a grouse and woodcock hunt. The camp also offered guided bear hunts. I casually asked one of the owners about bear meat and eating the same. He looked at me in disgust and said : "If you've ever seen a spring bear come across the remains of a moose carcass and the bear shoveling masses of semi-fluid rotten meat, insects and emerging bot fly larvae into its mouth you wouldn't dream of eating bear meat ."

Again, I'm only passing along what he told me.

9mm Hi-Power

 

I've never shot or eaten bear , never intend to do either and have only seen a few over the years of birds hunting . But when bird hunting -

Years ago I was in a hunting camp in New Brunswick on a grouse and woodcock hunt. The camp also offered guided bear hunts. I casually asked one of the owners about bear meat and eating the same. He looked at me in disgust and said : "If you've ever seen a spring bear come across the remains of a moose carcass and the bear shoveling masses of semi-fluid rotten meat, insects and emerging bot fly larvae into its mouth you wouldn't dream of eating bear meat ."

Again, I'm only passing along what he told me.

9mm Hi-Power

I think it depends on the bears diet. My black bears have been delicious. Like the donuts I fed them

 

I’ve harvested two bears, first one I shot after gutting it and back at the barn we filled the cavity with jugs of frozen water. It was cold outside so it stayed in my covered truck bed that night. Next morning straight to the check station, then to the processors cooler. He skinned it for a rug with maybe a small extra charge. Meat was awesome. Second bear didn’t require any tracking so had it back during daylight. Hung and skinned it immediately. Quartered it that night and all meat in coolers with ice jugs. Rolled up the skin and head in freezer after putting a stick in its mouth for tooth removal. Finished processing my self the following morning. That one was quite tasty too. As SS mentioned after a month of sweets it should be. Took hide and head to check station with in my 72 hrs. That one I had a head mount done instead of a rug so a Perfect job skinning wasn’t needed. Although I read now not to freeze. I didn’t have a problem. As mentioned cool the meat asap, makes for better tasting meal.

 

The ice jugs is exactly what I had done with my last bear. I was impressed how cold the meat was all the way into the neck.

 

Good luck on your hunt. With proper care of meat you’ll enjoy it. I vac pack mine so it’ll last in the freezer. I try to stretch mine out for awhile.

 

Confirm with your taxi where the cuts should be made to remove the hide so you know exactly, or can show the butcher if you have them do it.

 

Good luck on your hunt.
we kill bears and harvest crops.
thx

 

You don't need to take the bear to the butcher for skinning- do it yourself. I had never skinned out a bear but knew I could do it as well, or better, than somebody else. Watch some videos on YouTube, make yourself a diagram cheat sheet and put it in your butcher box. I laminated mine so I could use it again if I ever draw another tag. Take your time. Also hurry up lol and get that meat on ice.
Like others have said, the head stays attached to the pelt and you take that to the DNR for registration. I just made a phone call and they helped me find the closest station. Was easy.
Rugs by Nancy comes highly recommend by many on this site, and I include myself. I look at my bear rug on the wall every single day and feel a rush of gratitude for a successful hunt and beautiful bear.

 

Check with your processor before hand. I make the extra effort to go to one an hour away. I just gut them and ice them. He does a great job, and is also a check station so no need to go to the DNR. This is Soderman's in Gladstone. Your processor may also be a check station.

 

I had a cold storage/processor on speed dial he was willing to meet me at his shop anytime as long as I called once the bear was tagged, he was recommended by my taxi, taxi gave me instructions on how to handle the hide as soon as it was off. Just make sure you know the hours of the check stations, I shot mine saturday night local check station closed until Monday, Had to make a two hour drive sunday.

Before you hunt
1) find your taxi
2) see if they can recomend a processor
3) ask how ro prepare the hide
4) Find out how many check stations in you area
5) Take head and hide to check station
5)Take hide to taxi

 

Both my dad and I both shot bears last year. Both were amazing table fair. It was hot so we had a plan. As soon as the bears were shot they were gutted in the truck and headed back to hang in a cooler. The cooler was over an hr away from were camp was and I don’t think there was 2 1/2 hrs between when the bears were shot to when they were in the cooler. The next morning after each bear was cooled off we took them up to get sealed. That place was 1/2 hr away so as soon as they we’re done back in the cooler they went. Don’t forget about the fat either. I rendered the fat from both bear down and I’m still using it today. It’s perfect for cooking.

 

The greatest concern from your taxidermist will be keeping the hide cold as bear hair slips more easily than deer hair and is hastened by warmth. Try to learn beforehand to skin out the feet too,You-Tube is your friend there,good luck!! BTW Bear meat is the most requested "second helping" meat at my clubs annual wild game dinner..........

 

In my personal experience taxi may prefer the cape with more detailed areas like skull and paws left in. They can finish the face and paws. But yeah if you're confident, it's not a bad idea to do yourself.

 

Not sure how true but have heard coastal bears taste nasty.

 

Hope one day I can find out. I'll post my experience.

 

Bear meat is excellent if properly cared for from kill to table. Our bears will be skinned, quartered and cooling in the barn fridge before we go to bed. You do not need to take the entire bear carcass to be registered - only the head.

They really are easy to skin and you can leave the paws and head intact if you want to have a bear rug made.

 

I shot one last year. Gutted it then pulled up youtube video to skin to make a rug. Worked out great. Put the hide and meat in the fridge at camp. Took the hide to the dnr the next day. Meat was great. Ate some steaks and we made our own sausage mixed with venison.

 

So the best advice I can give you is to have a plan. You have to get the meat and hide cooled down asap. Otherwise meat will spoil and hide will slip. Letting the meat spoil without putting in every effort possible or not taking the meat out of the woods is Wanton Waste and is illegal.

If your processor has a cooler get it to the processor asap. If it's a long drive use frozen milk jugs as suggested. If you're processor is closed because you get the Bear out of the woods late skinning will help cool the meat quickly. As a former taxidermist my advice is to leave the head and paws in for your taxidermist. The hide on the head is thin, and if you screw it up it may show in your rug. The paws are not easy to skin out if you've never done it.

In the past I used a processor that gave me his phone number to call any time, no matter how late so it could go in the cooler. Not all of them will do this.

If you skin it, quarter the Bear and get quarters, and hide in a cooler. If you don't have one damn big cooler, bring several or buy a big one before the hunt. If you get a big bear it is surprising how much space the head and hide will take up.

Alot of this will depend on the weather. I hunted Amasa a few years ago first season. Was in the 90s every day, and never really cooled off overnight. Every one in camp made a late night run to the processor to get their Bear in a cooler. Then picked up the next day to go to the Big D. I think, but don't quote me on this that you have either 48 or 72 hours to check your Bear in. That info will be in the guide. Good luck, hope you whack a monster!!!