Bruin Down

tigrr

tigrr

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
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Location
Burns Lake BC
Well I finally connected with a black bear boar. After seeing 30+ bears since opening day sept 10th. All of which were sows with cubs and neither can legally be shot. This bear and I have history together. When I was mule deer hunting he would follow me around for a bit. Then when I decided to try black bear he disappeared for 2 weeks. My friends said he was still around but hiding on me. I found where he slept and he left piles on the trail to taunt me. Just wouldn't show himself. Monday night at 6:30pm he made a fatal appearance. 270 caliber 130 gr Nosler ballistic tip and he jumped and went a few feet and dropped. Both lungs and top of heart. This bear fed on berries and grass so it should be good. The smell gutting and skinning was very much like processing a beef. Finished gutting in the bush at 8:30pm. I want to make as many roasts as I can with this bear.(insert out of moose roasts here)
I have the skull to later be bleached and hung in the man cave. Couldn't lift him by myself into the truck, so using the boat rack I got him onto the tailgate but the rough ride out and he slipped off. I tell you the noises in the bush in the dark, when your processing another animal, it can sure freak you out. Keeping the gun within reach can be difficult. Drove home and finished skinning at 9:30.
First bear ever so it is all a learning curve.
Length just under 60 inches long. I will measure the paws later.(10" heal to claw tip)
Shot from 110 yards as he was sauntering along. Both lungs and top 1/4 of heart. Jumped, took 5 steps and flopped.
I'm not saving this hide. Too many oops when skinning in the late evening. Bear fur isn't exactly soft either.
2 Of us processing next day at 10 am, stopped for lunch and he should be in the freezer in a couple more hours(4 1/2). Man bear butchering is hard on knives. All the sausage meat will be almost frozen before we grind it. Then refrigerate with spices and process later. I will have the softest hand for a few days. Due to the 3 inches of fat this guy had on him. The birds get the bear grease.
A few pics


roasts 42lbs of them


bear burger


25 lbs of bear burger ready for the freezer


LIG
 
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A number of years ago I shot a 6 point bull elk and another hunter shot a bear on the same day. The next evening we "open fire" bbq'd the elk tenderloin and a sizable chunk of a bear haunch. There were eight hunters in the camp that all eat as much as they could hold...there was elk tenderloin left on the grill but the bear was cleaned up.

I would compare it more to pork than beef ( I know people that smoke bear hams every chance they get). It was a little chewy-er than the elk but not enough to be classed as tough by any means.
 
silverfoxdj said:
Having never tasted Bear meat how do you describe it compared to regular beef?
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I find it sort of boring, not wild at all. I'm going to make some hams and try to jazz it up a bit.

I should put in the disclaimer that I only will look at grain fed bears, the salmon eating grizzly I shot would make a maggot puke and that was just skinning it.
 
Dogleg I was warned about fish bears. Tonight I will eat bear for the first time ever. The fat on this bear was snow white. My idea of a good feed is a 4 to 7 lb roast slow cooked on my woodstove at 225 or so degrees for 6 to 8 hours packed in the pot with carrots, potatoes, fresh crushed garlic and salt & pepper. Shoot, just had lunch and now I'm hungry again.
LIG
 
Dogleg said:
I find it sort of boring, not wild at all. I'm going to make some hams and try to jazz it up a bit.

I should put in the disclaimer that I only will look at grain fed bears, the salmon eating grizzly I shot would make a maggot puke and that was just skinning it.
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Lol. My dad and his hunting buddy were cleaning a Vancouver Island bear that had been heavily feeding on salmon. My dad was dry heaving and his buddy puked several times.

We shot a berry bear last year and he was very good eating. There is a bear I see just about every time I go deer hunting - he is feeding on alfalfa and clover. Maybe I'll have to shoot him. :)
 
Doogs said:
Tougher but almost beef-like taste. My wife made Italian meatballs for some company and they had no idea it was bear
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Indeed. I make mine into Italian sausage and other kinds as well, but the Italian sausage is my favorite. Best tasting sausage I have ever had. Just added about 20-30 percent pork fat as bear is extremely lean meat.
 
1899 said:
We shot a berry bear last year and he was very good eating. There is a bear I see just about every time I go deer hunting - he is feeding on alfalfa and clover. Maybe I'll have to shoot him. :)
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Whack him and report back.

OP, why are those few packages labeled "use first"?
 
Use first packages are twice ground. The meat came out really pink. The once ground is cherry red.
Well I am very pleased with the taste of mountain berry and grass bear. It was delicious. Those 3/4 inch thick back straps were cooked to 170 degrees and they were tender and juicy. I dusted them with garlic salt and onion powder as well as salt and pepper. There was 6 - 3 1/2 to 4 inch steaks and there is 1 left. Just the mrs and I.
So here is how I rate the meat in my freezer.
#1 Moose
#2 Bear
#3 Beef
#4 Pork
#5 Rabbit
#6 Grouse
#7 Deer That's my humble opinion. If you have a chance on a mountain bear that is no where near a dump or salmon stream, don't pass up the great meat.
 
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