Bear Hide

TerynItUp · Sep 28, 2016

Not sure what to do with the bear hide I have and could use some help. I thought I would do a rug with a soft tan until I saw how expensive it is, about fell over after hearing how much that costs. Is it worth doing anything else with for a couple hundred bucks? If not I am just going to find someone who wants it and give it away or sell for cheap.

Any ideas?

Hunt Hard. Shoot Straight. Kill Clean. Apologize to No One.

nmhntr · Sep 28, 2016

LAST EDITED ON Sep-28-16 AT 10:23AM (MST)[p]You can get it straight up tanned for like $150 plus shipping from Moyles in Idaho. There are mailorder bear rug places too that look pretty affordable. http://www.taxidermy.net/suppliers/rugs.php

JJhunt · Sep 28, 2016

I just tanned mine and have it over a chair in my office... Not too expensive and looks good

TerynItUp · Sep 28, 2016

That is what I was thinking, just droop it over a couch or something. I guess I am confused on what types of tanning services there are and need to do some more research. Someone told me that to do a soft tan is upwards of $1,000 and that seemed crazy to me. My wife would tan my hide.

Hunt Hard. Shoot Straight. Kill Clean. Apologize to No One.

live4muleys · Sep 28, 2016

My bear rug was not cheap at all, but it does make a great trophy.

I was looking at that link above and the second one on the list the Andrea's, says it does bear rugs up to six feet for $250, that sounds super low to me, but worth a call and a drive to Arizona for that price.

nmtaxi · Sep 28, 2016

The ruggers only do the "rugging". Taxidermist will send them the mounted head with tanned skin, and the ruggers stretch, trim, and sew on the backing.

Bowdeadly · Sep 28, 2016

If you're talking a completed taxidermy rug open mouth then yes your looking at $1100 plus depending on the liner foot of the bear. Now if you just want the hide tanned with no head or feet then your looking at about $300 to get it done.

Bowdeadly · Sep 28, 2016

Now if you wanna save yourself money and have an entire weekend available then get a knife and remove every inch of fat and membrane off the entire hide. Remove the toe bones to the last digit and flesh out all the head area to include turning the eyes,and ears. Now go buy 100 lbs of non iodized sat and coat entire hide and leave at a slope for 24 hours. Repeat a 2nd time. Then let air dry for 24 hours. Box up and send to a tannery. The feet are always fun those should take you a good hour or so per foot. Or you can always take it to a professional taxidermist and get it done. Let us know how it goes when your 5 6 7 8 hours into it.