JRD
06-15-2023, 04:34 PM
I don't know where else to ask this, and figured cast booliters are well rounded and some folks here would have some knowledge.
I'm going to have a rug made from the black bear that I took in Alaska a couple weeks ago. Originally my plan was for a cleaned and bleached skull and a simple flatskin tan as the most economical option. I figured on throwing the flat skin over the back of the couch or something.
Well I got lucky and took a really nice bear. It wasn't due to any special hunting prowess on my part, I just passed up a smaller bear and was rewarded by a big boar coming into the bait later on. After shooting him, my Alaskan friends up there essentially said stuff like "that's a BIG bear", "it has perfect fur", "I've never shot one that big", and "that's the black bear of a lifetime". The point being, the consensus was it was an exceptional bear for the area, had perfect fur that hadn't been rubbed, had a large head and thick neck, and white chevrons on the chest. Essentially my Alaskan buddies all said my bear checked all the boxes for stuff they are looking for in a bear.
So with the urging of my friends (enablers), I decided I'd spend the extra money and go for a full on rug (roughly 4X the flatskin price). It's not price I'm asking for advice on because I've already got the skin in the hands of a taxidermist.
My question is I need to decide on exactly what options I want in the rug. Mainly: open mouth and mean looking, slightly open mouth (panting), or closed mouth for the face. I don't think of a black bear as ferocious, so I think a snarling wide open mouth would look unnatural. I'm contemplating a closed mouth rug so it looks more natural, plus I'll be displaying the skull with actual teeth nearby. Also if I've got it on the floor, I worry about stubbing a toe in the mouth.
Other options to consider include sewn in D rings for wall hanging. Still I'll most likely display it on the floor (not to be walked on), or over the back of a couch or chair.
What so you folks? Does anyone have other input on what options to consider for a bear rug?
Jason
I'm going to have a rug made from the black bear that I took in Alaska a couple weeks ago. Originally my plan was for a cleaned and bleached skull and a simple flatskin tan as the most economical option. I figured on throwing the flat skin over the back of the couch or something.
Well I got lucky and took a really nice bear. It wasn't due to any special hunting prowess on my part, I just passed up a smaller bear and was rewarded by a big boar coming into the bait later on. After shooting him, my Alaskan friends up there essentially said stuff like "that's a BIG bear", "it has perfect fur", "I've never shot one that big", and "that's the black bear of a lifetime". The point being, the consensus was it was an exceptional bear for the area, had perfect fur that hadn't been rubbed, had a large head and thick neck, and white chevrons on the chest. Essentially my Alaskan buddies all said my bear checked all the boxes for stuff they are looking for in a bear.
So with the urging of my friends (enablers), I decided I'd spend the extra money and go for a full on rug (roughly 4X the flatskin price). It's not price I'm asking for advice on because I've already got the skin in the hands of a taxidermist.
My question is I need to decide on exactly what options I want in the rug. Mainly: open mouth and mean looking, slightly open mouth (panting), or closed mouth for the face. I don't think of a black bear as ferocious, so I think a snarling wide open mouth would look unnatural. I'm contemplating a closed mouth rug so it looks more natural, plus I'll be displaying the skull with actual teeth nearby. Also if I've got it on the floor, I worry about stubbing a toe in the mouth.
Other options to consider include sewn in D rings for wall hanging. Still I'll most likely display it on the floor (not to be walked on), or over the back of a couch or chair.
What so you folks? Does anyone have other input on what options to consider for a bear rug?
Jason