Piles..............

[Gussy]

Yep piles. To be exact, 2 large piles.

I have been avoiding shooting bears for a couple of years. Even let a couple walk by the muzzle of my Sharps.

But...... Last year they started doing quite a bit of damage to my old apple trees. Those trees are 130 yrs+ old. Original home steader planted them. I hate to lose any on my watch.

Last year I did a serious criss cross on their hiding spots and they moved on for quite a while. Bear season opened a couple of days back and I'm in no hurry as the temp is near 80 and that's to hot to deal with down game..even those varmints.

Piles??? How about flaunting it by putting a major one smack dab in the center of my drive way. Place a second on the side of the county road by my drive entrance. This weekend, my Sharps will come out of the safe and get a trial run on paper.

I'm not a fan of bear meat. Out of many, only one was really good eating. I don't really want to shoot one and have to deal with it. But....they are pushing the issue a bit early. I did not mention that I've seen 3 near the house in the past couple of months, and a neighbor has seen 8 different ones near his. Population is up and maybe why I've seen less fawns this year.

[SharpsShooter]

Gussy,

You could always donate the meat to someone who needs it and have the hide and claws done up for a rug and necklace. They are rough on the deer population.

SS

[dk17hmr]

Donating the meat is always good and you probably could sell the hide to a taxidermist. Or you could invite everyone over and have a bear roast.

[OBXPilgrim]

Gussy,

Sounds like a good auction item for the benefit of the CastBoolits site for the members here.

You'd probably make someones day here & keep your apple trees safe.

[scrapcan]

Gussy,

You need one more thing to do don't ya. You are now the bear guide for a benefit bear hunt. Jokingly as they say. But Pilgrim may be onto something for you.

Are your bear licenses over the counter or do you have to draw?

[Gussy]

Bear lic is a walk in and buy it (resident, bear/cougar tag $21.90; non resident $219.00)
don't get the idea it's that easy to get one.

Last year he only came into the orchard at night. Half of the ones I've shot were run into while deer hunting. The other half I was actually looking for. I've walked the canyon behind my house a 100 times between seeing one. 3 years back I didn't ever see one for the whole year. 2 years back I saw 4. Last year I saw 3. I've seen 3 already this year. I'm not talking hunting season, but the whole year.

They get into my trees........I WILL start looking a lot harder.

[yarro]

Bear ribs are primo eating. Roasts are good too.

-Yarro

[Echo]

We used to have a members bar-b-q at our local gun club, where folks would bring in their meat. Bear meat is great, when done right, as long as they aren't feeding on fish. Another delicacy around here is mountain lion. Yum! Or donate it... But a bear rug would be neat, if SWMBO allows.
No longer, though. Slick Willie managed to have the club shut down - some new neighbors complained about the noise, a survey was done (pure BS), and the range shut down. We are trying to get a new range started in another location.

[redneckdan]

Can i get you to ship me some bear ****? Jen needs to collect animal spore for her forestry class this semester. I think west coast bear **** would make a great specimen.

[waksupi]

Dan, with a good berry crop like we had this year, bear poop is not exactly "consolidated". May be messy shipping! Or maybe in a gallon jug.....

[Powderpacker]

Dan, with a good berry crop like we had this year, bear poop is not exactly "consolidated". May be messy shipping! Or maybe in a gallon jug.....

Wonder what the BioHazMat charge will be for that shipment .

[Gussy]

He's still nearby. Road kill deer (3 days back) was in a deep road ditch where a culvert crosses. This morning it was pulled out of the ditch and almost over the road. It took a big animal to pull it up and then drag it over. Problem was, he's bringing it my direction.

Second problem, if he's feeding on that, he won't be fit to eat!!! They get really foul when feeding on fish or dead stuff. I don't think my dog would eat it.

[Kuato]

Hey Gussy,

I'd be interested in the bear claws (not the pastry :P)..

Let me know if we can work somethin out..

[Blackwater]

Gussy, they killed off all the bear down here in SE Georgia, except for a few down really deep in the really big swamps, but here's a tip that might help if you get a bear. My wife's the chemist in the family, and she's told me that milk is one of the best organic solvents there is, and she began soaking my venison (whether it needed it or not) in milk many years ago. Apparently, it dissolved out the stuff that makes meats tast "gamey." Just make sure to penetrate the muscles' outer membranes so the milk can seep into the tissues and do its work.

Like I say, I've never tried it on bear, but an overnight soak in milk couldn't hurt before cooking.

Oh! One last tidbit - when you take it out to cook it after the overnight soaking, toss it in a hot pan with NO flavorings added (until later, of course), and as the milk and other liquids cook out, pour off the fluids. With them will go most of the "wild" or "gamey" tastes. At least it works that way with venison, and I have an idea it shouldn't hurt bear meat at all, either. I've only had bear sausage, or at least that's all I remember eating, but it sure was good.

Consider giving the milk a try. We've had folks here who "didn't like venison" who just RAVED about my wife's venison. We just didn't tell them it was venison until after they were through eating. A dirty trick, but we've had noone complain too bitterly so far.

Oh! And once the fluids cook out as above, you add back some butter/margerine (we use Smart Balance because it doesn't lose the buttery flavor when cooked) and whatever flavorings, seasonings you want. Onion, garlic, Worstershire, soy, etc., etc., etc.

If it works, can I come over for supper?

[Boerrancher]

My wife's the chemist in the family, and she's told me that milk is one of the best organic solvents there is, and she began soaking my venison (whether it needed it or not) in milk many years ago. Apparently, it dissolved out the stuff that makes meats tast "gamey." Just make sure to penetrate the muscles' outer membranes so the milk can seep into the tissues and do its work.

Consider giving the milk a try. We've had folks here who "didn't like venison" who just RAVED about my wife's venison. We just didn't tell them it was venison until after they were through eating. A dirty trick, but we've had noone complain too bitterly so far.

Thank goodness I am not a Jew, because I am going to give this a try. It did answer my question as to why kosher law states you can't cook meat in milk. If there was any toxins locked in the meat, such as chromates for example, that are harmless to humans, could be broken down into chromium causing the meat to be unfit for human consumption. I used chromates as an example, because there are a number of commercially produced beef feeds that use chromates as markers. I think the whole key to this is making sure you drain off the liquid as Blackwater suggested because that is where most of the bad stuff is going to be.

Thank you Blackwater for helping me answer a question that had bothered me for years.

Best Wishes from the Boer Ranch,

Joe

[Meatco1]

In my experience, Spring Bear is absolutely delicious. They are eating grass’s, not carrion

Fall Bear, on the hand, usually tastes like crap, to me.

JMHO,

Richard

[hornsurgeon]

most people keep bear meat that has spoiled and don't know it. bear meat itself spoils very quickly. then you have the thick pelt and thick layer of fat that hold in heat. after killing a bear, it must be IMMEDIATELY skun and cooled. in wisconsin, we are required to register a bear, with the hide on. once we get the bear out of the woods we pack the chest cavity with ice, and go to register it. we then hang and skin it, with the ice in it. then if it is cool enough that night, (under 50 degrees) you can leave it hang to be quarted the next morning. it sounds like a lot of work, but good bear meat is as good or better than venison.

[fourarmed]

This may start a flame war, but it has been my experience that the "gamey" taste that people report from game meat is caused by freezer burn and rancidity from not trimming the meat thoroughly enough, not wrapping it carefully enough, and not getting it in the freezer quickly enough. Fat, muscle sheath membrane, and air are the enemies of frozen game meat.

[Gussy]

Old dog raised cane all night. This morning a very fresh calling card right in the middle of my driveway and right by my orchard. He's baaaaack...............