Bear taxidermy

[the_prophet]

Hi everyone with spring bear season in full swing I thought I would start a thread with some questions I've had regarding bear taxidermy. Feel free to answer some or all of the questions with the knowledge you've gained but please keep in mind there's more than one way to skin a bear

Here are some questions I've had and would love if someone could share some answers.

What is the standard price of a bear rug or mount, and what have you paid?
How long did you wait to get your bear back from the taxidermist?
What's the best way to skin a bear for a rug?
Any tips on property treating the ears and paws when skinning/ fleshing?
Has anyone ever done their own bear rug?
If you're a taxidermist do you do bears? I've had many tell me they don't.
Is clean skinning a bear doable?
Do you prefer a bear rug on the wall or floor?
What would you say is the average lifespan of a bear rug?
If you can shoot multiple bears a year what are you doing with all those hides? I would run out of space.
Any recommendations or tips for treating the hide before getting it to the taxidermist? I find they often are covered in bait/mud.

If anyone has any other questions on the topic add them to the thread.

 

[156821]

My first piece of taxidermy was a bear rug. It was like 12 or 1300… about 12 years ago. Usually they charge by the size of the bear. My great grandmother received a grizzly rug from her father on her wedding day. It’s still around today. So they can last a long while if cared for.
The down side of rugs is how much space they take up, like the whole wall.
If you aren’t confident in turning the head and paws just leave them in for the taxidermist. Nothing worse that ruining a hide because an eyelid was taken off. Paws need to be skinned down to the last knuckle.
I wouldnt put a rug on the floor. Too great for chance of damage. Just some random thoughts.