Bears - Trophy Rooms

[PablitoPescador]

Really nice rug. What taxidermist did this?

Not gonna promote him. He did a great job with the product but he gouged me badly and didn’t follow through on what he promised. He quoted me at a pretty hefty amount (which I was more than happy to pay for the quality) and then let me know right before it was finished that it was going to cost an extra $400 because he miscalculated the size by about a foot. He was a real jerk about it when I talked to him about it. This was the first taxidermy I ever had done and was a completely new experience to me. I was also in no financial position to fork out more cash as I was getting married the next year. He also told me he was going to attach hooks to the back for hanging on the wall, which he never did. In hindsight I wish I had been more diligent in checking competitor prices and being more assertive in the process. I was just a kid excited about his first bear and first taxidermy work. Sorry for the long winded response, just brings up a lot of negative memories haha

 

[MarvB]

Little chocolate phase boar. Only one I ever had rugged, not so much the size or even the color just was a very “unique” day in the bear woods to remember. (Cripe I sound like Piglet talking about Pooh)

 

[SaskHunter]

View attachment 176830

The real question.... who's got the beer mount?

 

[EYJONAS!]

If that's you... @SnowyMountaineer remark about us being related.... I think he may be spot on now..

That's awesome!

 

[Deleted member 16014]

If that's you... @SnowyMountaineer remark about us being related.... I think he may be spot on now..

That's awesome!

No joke. Did you see his slaw dog/Poutine feast? Basically the crunchy Gordita wrap of the north.

 

[SaskHunter]

If that's you... @SnowyMountaineer remark about us being related.... I think he may be spot on now..

That's awesome!

I'd never lie on HT!

Man I miss that Tacoma...

Ok, maybe I would lie, but not about Beers.

 

[Rhino Hunter]

The bear on the left, and the skull, are from my son’s bear. I bought him a guided hunt for bear in Michigan’s UP as a college graduation present. He ended up shooting a 457 pound (live weight) Boone and Crocket boar. It was officially scored at 20-1/16”. His first and only bear hunt (so far).

 

[jonny5]

Hoping for my first bear harvest this spring. Some great ideas posted here!

 

[Brentc]

The bear on the left, and the skull, are from my son’s bear. I bought him a guided hunt for bear in Michigan’s UP as a college graduation present. He ended up shooting a 457 pound (live weight) Boone and Crocket boar. It was officially scored at
20-1/16”. His first and only bear hunt (so far).

That's a huge black bear. It's a shame that an animal as rare as a 20+" black bear isn't considered an "All Time" entry. It really should be.

 

[Rhino Hunter]

That's a huge black bear. It's a shame that an animal as rare as a 20+" black bear isn't considered an "All Time" entry. It really should be.

Thank you. I agree. It took him (8) years to draw that tag. I told the DNR officer that checked his Bear in that it was my son's first Bear hunt ever. He told my son that even if he hunted every single year for the rest of his life in Michigan that he'd never even see another Bear that big, let alone shoot one! You should have seen the look on my son's face...Priceless!

 

[Brentc]

Thank you. I agree. It took him (8) years to draw that tag. I told the DNR officer that checked his Bear in that it was my son's first Bear hunt ever. He told my son that even if he hunted every single year for the rest of his life in Michigan that he'd never even see another Bear that big, let alone shoot one! You should have seen the look on my son's face...Priceless!

I've seen dozens of coastal and interior AK black bears hit the dirt and I've never seen a legit 20+" skull in any of them. Some were close while green, but they didn't make it after drying.

My AK taxidermist has seen and handled hundreds if not thousands over the last decade and can count on one hand the amount of black bears that broke 20" and I believe one of those was right near 21". That said, his sample size is limited to mostly interior bears. Not as many from Southeast.

There could very well be pockets in the eastern states that regularly produce 21" record heads, but they are hard to come by in AK. IMO 20" heads need to be "All Time" records.

 

[PablitoPescador]

Not to derail the thread but does anyone know how B&C determines how many inches makes honors or all time? I would assume when they set the bar they must have gathered a sample size of animals and determined that x inches and up represents the top 5% of animals or something of that nature

 

[Brentc]

Not to derail the thread but does anyone know how B&C determines how many inches makes honors or all time? I would assume when they set the bar they must have gathered a sample size of animals and determined that x inches and up represents the top 5% of animals or something of that nature

Me too. There are a few head scratchers. Some of the "All Times" are quite attainable. Others, not so much.

@406LIFE care to expound?

 

[406LIFE]

Me too. There are a few head scratchers. Some of the "All Times" are quite attainable. Others, not so much.

@406LIFE care to expound?

The Records Committee makes the determination based on a handful of variables including, but not limited to, rewarding symmetry and mass. I think the last time they made an adjustment was in the 90s. Getting into the book is congruent to an animal being the top 1%, and All-Time is similar to being the top 1% of the 1%. Populations and submissions play a role in this, and some categories are doable, but there are very few animals taken for that species. Some, like jaguar and walrus, may never change.

 

[Rhino Hunter]

I've seen dozens of coastal and interior AK black bears hit the dirt and I've never seen a legit 20+" skull in any of them. Some were close while green, but they didn't make it after drying.

My AK taxidermist has seen and handled hundreds if not thousands over the last decade and can count on one hand the amount of black bears that broke 20" and I believe one of those was right near 21". That said, his sample size is limited to mostly interior bears. Not as many from Southeast.

There could very well be pockets in the eastern states that regularly produce 21" record heads, but they are hard to come by in AK. IMO 20" heads need to be "All Time" records.

I understand and agree. I know what you mean when you say "legit 20+ skull." FYI-my son's bear was measured by a CBM (Commemorative Bucks of Michigan) official, five months after it was taken. They're the state record-keeping organization for Deer, Bear, Elk & Turkey.

 

[2rocky]

I'm a Pope and Young Measurer and I will be the first to admit that there are certain trophies that will not be rewarded by that scoring system. Most of those are admirable in their own right and don't need a score to be admired.

You don't see paintings or sculptures "scored" . Works of art are to be appreciated not scored....Some Racks and skulls won't fit the uniform standards set forth and that is fine. I find I get along better with people who don't introduce a rack or skull by its score.

 

[Garshark572]

This makes me want to bear hunt

 

[wyoboypt]

Got my rug back. Had the front paws mounted with the pads, but I didn’t realize that would make them look small on a rug. Also he shrunk 6inches. But his hair is still awesome and his head still looks pretty big. I will put him on the wall tomorrow

 

[Trap]

Not great pictures but my rug,half mount and 3 coat hangers of hides mostly bear

 

[Find Kill Stuff]

I thought this thread was about bears. This is a cougar...