Because a bear is a chunky animal the problem of cooling the carcass quickly is most important. The bear's coat is, of course, heavy. Get the bear skin off the bear as fast as you can. Some hunters save only the hams and tenderloins. If this is what you do make sure they are hung up so the air can circulate around them to cool them off. Remove all the fat.

Skin the bear by making a cut from the tip of the tail along the center of the abdomen right through to the lower lip. Cut the skin on the hind legs by starting from the inside edge of the pad near the heel, cut up the inside center leg until it joins the cut along the center of the abdomen (see figure). The front legs are cut starting at the front edge of the pad, through its center to the back edge, then up along the inside center of the leg and by the elbow to join the cut over the brisket.

Bear skins usually contain a lot of fat and as much as possible should be removed. But hunters must take care not to cut the roots of the hair which come through the hide to the inner side.

Hunters should take a good supply of salt with them so they can rub it on liberally, especially around the bullet hole or where there is any blood. Here's how to salt your hide. Cool it off first and then, laying it on the ground hair down, sprinkle salt over the entire flesh surface. It's better to use too much salt than too little. Apply the salt about one-quarter inch thick all over the hide. An average black bear will take about 20 pounds of table or pickling salt to do it properly.

After skinning your bear, cool off the hide, particularly the head. If you haven't skinned out the head it will retain a lot of heat. Some hunters roll the skin up with the head on the inside of the hide. This means it will take longer to freeze in the taxidermist's freezer and sometimes it may not freeze fast enough and it will turn bad. There is also a tendency for the salt to bleach the hair red. It’s best to fold the hide flesh to flesh so the salt do not touch the hair.

Cool your meat as fast as you can and cool off the hide, especially the head, before rolling it up and taking it home. Ears and lips require special care in splitting and skinning to prevent hair slip.

BEAR SAUSAGE

30 lb. Bear meat, ground
12 lb. Pork butt, ground
3 lb. Slab bacon, ground
7 ½ tsp. Pepper
6 tsp. Red pepper
15 tsp. Garlic salt
15 tsp. Salt

Mix all together. Fry in pan for breakfast sausage, good on pizza, and make little meatballs for hors d’oeuvres.

Joe Roberts
Duluth, Minn. 55811

ROAST SHOULDER OF BEAR

5-8 lbs. Bear meat (shoulder or round)
2 tbsp. Bacon drippings
2 large onions
3 ribs celery with leaves
1 carrot
1 tsp. Mixed herbs
3 cloves
2 bay leaves crushed
1 c. beef stock
1 c. red wine
salt & pepper to taste
flour

Heat bacon drippings in a large skillet. Brown meat on all sides. Season with salt and pepper. Place in roasting pan. Add vegetables and herbs. Add liquids. Cover tightly and bake in a 225/F oven for 8 hours. DO NOT UNCOVER DURING COOKING. When done remove roast to heated platter. Strain stock, discarding vegetables and herbs. Skim fat from stock and thicken for gravy. Serves 8.