Chris Benson

I shot my first black bear the other night, unforturnaly the hide wasn't worth saving to make a rug. So, instead,

I cut off the four paws at the joint, is there anything I can do with them? One friend suggested I use the claws to make a neckless. How do I go about doing that? Is there anything I can do with a paw?

I also skinned the head out and want to have a nice skull to put on the desk, how do I go abaout doing that? I also have the "cape" from the head and would like to dry that out again, how do I do that?

I don't have the money to spend to take it to a taxidermist. I just want a few at home projects to do.

Kriesis

I'm planning my first black bear hunt this year--what happened to the hide that made it not worth saving?

MA Jay

I've never cured the paws of a bear before, but I have removed the claws which can be done with pliers and a knife, just be careful to protect the claw itself from the pliers so as not to crush it or damage them. I throw them in a coffee can and cover them with salt and shake the can once a day. Give them enough time to completely dry out and them drill a small hole through which you can lace them together on a leather strap.

Now for the skull, I have found no easy way to do it. Boiling, letting the ants eat it the flesh off .. they are all messy jobs. My buddys and I have settled on the boiling and then pulling with pliers .. and a twisted clothes hanger for getting the internal stuff out. Take your time and boil some more if it is not coming off easily enough. When it is clean.. or as clean as you feel you can get it, let it dry and work some more on it when everything is dry. From that dry state I add bleach to water in a 5 gallon bucket and leave it over night. The skull comes out white and it won't smell ever again. I suggest a little super glue on the inside of the jaw to secure the teeth as they will get lose through the process.

Of course the option of sending it off to be cleaned by beetles will seem a whole lot more worth it about 50 minutes into the cleaning process!

Good luck, and when you are done you'll have something to look at and remember your hunt from.

billythekidrock

To remove the claws "Do NOT use pliers" it will scratch/damage them. Take a sharp, thin bladed knife in one and and a claw in the other. Pull it out a bit and cut about a half inch above the point that the claw and skin meet. Cut straight down, then in a "S" curve to remove from foot. You will have a claw with a pad and some hair attached. Remove all claws and place them in a plastic bag with Borax. Shake and set aside to cure. After they are dry you can take a sharp knife and remove the hair and pad. Do not remove too much of the rawhide at the top of the knuckle or your claw will come apart. If it comes apart you can use epoxy to re-attach..

I do not reccomend boiling unless you are sure it will not need to be measured for a record book or if you do not have time to finish the project. Boiling not only shrinks the skull but will weaken it as well crack the teeth. If you boil or use bugs you will need to remove all flesh, eyes, brain before any process is started. There are many sites on the net that will tell you how to go about these processes.