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Hunting & Fishing My first bear!

Q

Quickdrawn

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Minuteman
Oct 11, 2013
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Recently made it back home for the hunting season for the first time in 5 years since I joined the navy. I got permission from my neighbor to hunt on his property. Me and a friend were walking around the logging roads that me and my dad built years ago when we were logging the property (I don't like to hunt from a stand, I like to walk around and stalk/track my game) and were scanning for deer. Shortly after turning to go just below a ridge under the stone quarry my friend pointed out a black bear dead ahead of us. I had a bear tag this year and really wanted to fill it with my first bear. It was like magic, he walked within 50yds of us, had no idea we were there, and stepped out from the trees into the logging road broadside for me! I put one straight through his lungs with my 308. He ran for about 20yds before I put another round in him in almost the same spot while he was on the run. He went another 10yds or so and than laid down and die. Turns out he was a 328lb black bear, pretty good size for upstate New York! I've never taken a bear before so I'm really excited, I'm glad my family are all hunters because they knew exactly what to do with the animal and who to call to get it taken care of. Of course I gutted it myself but a friend helped skin it and we are getting it cut up as I write this. I plan to get the hide made into a rug. Again I'm totally stoked about this!

bear.jpgbear 2.jpgbear 3.jpg
 
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Fine animal, not a big bear meat fan myself, but that is one hell of a trophy to be very very proud of! Congrats sir.
 
Good stuff! Might be moving into the general area in spring. Good to hear that it isn't without some big game hunting options. I had always thought NY was shot gun only, but glad to see otherwise.
 
Nice Bear! Bear meat makes Great sausage. Get it cooled quickly, and either remove the fat, or freeze the meat within 48hrs of kill. (I debone the meat, and sort the roasts/steaks from the sausage meat, package the meat for freezing, and then thaw the sausage meat for grinding later.
Pot roasts and steaks are good too.
 
Nice Bear! Bear meat makes Great sausage. Get it cooled quickly, and either remove the fat, or freeze the meat within 48hrs of kill. (I debone the meat, and sort the roasts/steaks from the sausage meat, package the meat for freezing, and then thaw the sausage meat for grinding later.
Pot roasts and steaks are good too.
 
Thanks for all the congratulations! I dropped the bear off to get cut up Saturday night, same day I shot it. I plan to have a rug made but the dollar amount is pretty high I think it'll be worth it though, you don't get this chance everyday. The taxidermist wants $850 is that a fair price? Also, would you guys happen to know any good recipes for bear meat off the top of your heads?

ArmyJerry said:
What bullet were you shooting? Great bear for that area, congrats.
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I was shooting Winchester supreme X 180gr ballistic silver tips. The second shot hit his leg as he was running (was aiming for the lungs, his leg move in front of that area as I fired), mushroomed a little early, and made a cavity wound the size of a grapefruit on his right side. The first shot went right through the lungs and shredded the liver too. Nasty rounds, I was carrying them just in case I came across a bear and they stood up to what Winchester hyped them up to.
 
deadly_punk said:
Good stuff! Might be moving into the general area in spring. Good to hear that it isn't without some big game hunting options. I had always thought NY was shot gun only, but glad to see otherwise.
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What you can hunt with varies from county to county here. Closer to New York city is stricter, usually shotgun only or bow/muzzle loader. If you get really far up north near the Canadian border I hear there is sparse elk hunting. Bear and deer are pretty prevalent. Upstate everything is pretty lax, not so many regs and the DEC usually doesn't harass you as long as you follow the rules. Us upstate New Yorkers are more akin to those from Pennsylvania than the city dwellers down there.
 
Quickdrawn said:
What you can hunt with varies from county to county here. Closer to New York city is stricter, usually shotgun only or bow/muzzle loader. If you get really far up north near the Canadian border I hear there is sparse elk hunting. Bear and deer are pretty prevalent. Upstate everything is pretty lax, not so many regs and the DEC usually doesn't harass you as long as you follow the rules. Us upstate New Yorkers are more akin to those from Pennsylvania than the city dwellers down there.
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I'm headed to the general area of Watertown, so that qualifies as as upstate, I guess. ;)

I'm a Northeast Pennsylvania native, so I'm glad to be headed back into the general region. Spent a fair amount of time up in the Great Sacandaga Lake area as as well as camping on the Hudson near Indian Lake as a kid and loved it. Looking forward to getting re-acquainted with the region!

Congrats again on a great kill!
 
Very nice bear. And kudos for not having shot him over bait. I had relatives in upstate New York, went there when I was a kid. Beautiful country.
 
Quickdrawn said:
Thanks for all the congratulations! I dropped the bear off to get cut up Saturday night, same day I shot it. I plan to have a rug made but the dollar amount is pretty high I think it'll be worth it though, you don't get this chance everyday. The taxidermist wants $850 is that a fair price? Also, would you guys happen to know any good recipes for bear meat off the top of your heads?


I was shooting Winchester supreme X 180gr ballistic silver tips. The second shot hit his leg as he was running (was aiming for the lungs, his leg move in front of that area as I fired), mushroomed a little early, and made a cavity wound the size of a grapefruit on his right side. The first shot went right through the lungs and shredded the liver too. Nasty rounds, I was carrying them just in case I came across a bear and they stood up to what Winchester hyped them up to.
Click to expand...

Only way I have ever had it was a stew in a crock pot. Throw it with some gravy, potatoes, carrots, onions etc. Its kind of greasy but you can make anything taste good in a crock pot.
 
I am on the other side of the country but i think the last couple of years bear rug runs about $30.00 a foot. Some people really don't like bear, I think a lot of it has to do with prep. I like to get the fat off and hang it (weather permitting), for as long as I can. couple of weeks if it is cold enough. Helps to mellow the flavor and break down the meat (tenderize). Lightly dredged in flour and some type of seasoning salt, fried is excellent. One of our local "natives" said that if the meat is too rich (read fatty) it can be blanched for just a few seconds immediately before cooking and it helps get the fat out of the meat. I have not tried that technique and don't think it would work for the above mentioned stew (which sounds excellent). Enjoy and congratulations that is a good looking bear.
 
rookie101 said:
I am on the other side of the country but i think the last couple of years bear rug runs about $30.00 a foot. Some people really don't like bear, I think a lot of it has to do with prep. I like to get the fat off and hang it (weather permitting), for as long as I can. couple of weeks if it is cold enough. Helps to mellow the flavor and break down the meat (tenderize). Lightly dredged in flour and some type of seasoning salt, fried is excellent. One of our local "natives" said that if the meat is too rich (read fatty) it can be blanched for just a few seconds immediately before cooking and it helps get the fat out of the meat. I have not tried that technique and don't think it would work for the above mentioned stew (which sounds excellent). Enjoy and congratulations that is a good looking bear.
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$30 per foot? I think you may be mistaken, that's REALLY, REALLY cheap. I don't think I've ever seen someone offering to do a rug for that cheap, at least not a professional taxidermist. Depending on the length of the bear and considering taxidermy on the east coast is usually more expensive, I would say $850 is not out of line for a reputable taxidermist.
 
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Mark's bear this year hide is about seven feet long, with the skull done (of course) Is well under five hundred. I know the numbers don't add up but I quoted my taxidermist, not Mark's who is a little more expensive. I even called my guy before I posted because i wanted to be sure. I agree it is cheap, I was only quoting my area. Mark's is being done by Danny Benson (local guy), pretty sure he is googleable (yes I did make up that word, I think), and highly reputable. He has done a lot of African stuff for friends of mine, his work is excellent. My guy does excellent work also, would not call him professional, well, yeah, actually I would.
 
Nice bear and more important you got the atv right to him. They are a real pain to try to drag.
 
rookie101 I think thats just tanning the hide not a rug $ Danny Benson up to $175 per foot on a rug. Nice bear Quickdrawn.
 
Congrats,This season I was quoted 150.00 per foot in CDA Idaho, that seems to be a fair price. I was lucky this year in Idaho and if I new how to post pics I would post.I also used a 308 and it was DRT.Like others have said get as much fat off as possible,bear brats uuummm, also had some done in charizo breakfast sausage pretty good also. Google "coffee ground steaks" and sub the bear meat. Another one I like is roast in a crock-pot with lipton onion soup mix pretty good also. Again congrats and continued good hunting.
 
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