How do you tan a bear skin, with the hair?

[JanetJ]

The government hunter is out thinning the ranks this Spring. usually when he gets a bear, he gives it to whoever wants it. He justs gives you a call and meets you with a warm, gutted bear.

Well... We got ours last night. Not very big, only about 175#, but I wanted to try tanning the hide anyhow. Does anyone know how to tan a bear hide with the hair on? We've already cut off the head and feet.

[barn-apart]

Try Tandy leather. They make tanning kits that I have used on deer hides with the hair left on. Be prepared for some work scaping the fat from inside the hide and then working the hide over a post to break the fibers to soften it. Good luck

[Highground]

We've already cut off the head and feet.

Why?

[cabe]

Hi, first thing you do not want to have anything on the hair side. Just leave it for now. You need to get a frame of soft wood, but I would not want pine it will get rosin on hair side.Next using poplar frame or side of wood shed tack this hide up using tacks every 2 inches or so. Now salt the hide all over skin side, and leave for 3 days. Scrape off all you can, then salt again. Pay very good attention to the edges.Scrape again after 3 days, then scrape getting all you can this time. Repeat the salting, and leave for a week.Scrape every tiny bit of fat, and tissue this last time. Now mix up some brine half water half salt 1 quart is fine and paint on hide.leave for a day then wipe off with warm water, getting as much as you can.Get you some hand cleaner such as Boraxo with lanolin or Go-Jo with aloe and cover skin side very liberal staying away from hair easy near the edges.Leave for a week and remove with warm water then repeat. Now your hide is free from any bacteria and will not rot and will stay supple. So far none I have done ever lost any hair, or smelled but it works good on snake skin too. You will need to work hide over a pole now and then , but it is preserved. Marty.

[JanetJ]

Hi Cabe,

Thanks for the good instructions. I spent all day yesterday working on that skin. I washed the blood out of the fur, then cut all the fat and meat off the flesh side that I could. My puppy and chickens really enjoyed that part. It's gonna have to wait untilt his afternoon for a little more work.

1) When you tack it up and leave it, do you leave it in the sun or in the shade or does it matter? I had read somewhere to leave it out of the sun. I guess you can't do it in the rain, and we may be getting some more rain today and tomorrow.

2) Tacks? Like thumb tacks or something a little bigger than that.

3) What do you scrape it with? Do I really need one of those spendy scrapper they sell for this or is there some handy little thing around the house that will do double duty?

Highground, we cut the head and feet off because 1) it was expedient and 2) we wanted it that way. We were able to get the bear at 7:00pm. We sat out inthe driveway and skinned it and cut it up in the worst thunder and lightening storm we've had around here for a while. If it turns out well enough, I'll want to put it on the bed. I really don't want something with head and feet on it on my bed.