Tanning bear paws on progress pictures

[bjrogg]

I was given two bear hides last year. They have tags all legal and were skinned really well. they left extra flesh around sensitive areas. They basically skinned him so he could be stuffed and left paws on cutting them off at "wrists" leaving the rest unskinned. I couldn't seem to get a grip on the wrist to finish skinny by turning inside out so I made a cut from wrist through pad to toes and claws. Then I skinned out the rest of paws cutting toes at last knuckle joint. I cut all the fat off the pads and am pretty happy but there is still individual pads at base of each claw. Should I slit these pads and cut off fat from them to? I have him in picking bath righ now. He has to stay in there for at least 72 hours      (he's been in for 24) I can take him out to work on him and put him back in. I'm still not sure what I'm going to do with him yet but I'd like to keep his paws and claws on if I can.
Bjrogg

[Mounter]

For taxidermy purposes or a wall hanger, there is no need to flesh the toes. The pickle and tan will penetrate those areas and for the most part they will hold their shape when dry... For mounts or full rugs I pack clay in the toes after rehydraiting..

[bjrogg]

Thanks so much for the reply Mounter. I'm surprised by the answer. It seemed liked the pad was all fat. Sometimes I think I'd like to get into taxidermy. I just don't have enough time for all my hobbies.
Bjrogg

[Mounter]

18 years now bjrogg... It has moments when I still enjoy it.

Just to clarify... I do flesh the main pads just not each individual toe... Bones and meat are removed to the actual claw. Good luck... I finally got my bear out of the freezer from 2013 last year. Fleshed, tanned and open mouth rug mounted... It's been waiting to be finished for 6 months.. One of these days.

[bjrogg]

Pretty sure I know what your saying mounter. It's one thing to do it because you feel like it and quite another to do it because you have to. I do love fur and making as much use of animals as I can but it is hard work and some people might even say messy.lol. I'm sure there's faster methods and my fleshing beam really was way to small for Yogi but it took me most of a day to flesh and finish skinning him. How do you get the paws skinned when try cut off bone at wrist joints. I was tempted to screw a handle on the bone and use it to grip for turning inside out. Thanks again for your reply
Bjrogg

[Mounter]

For actual rug mounts I just remove the pads, they're not needed. Everything else, just like you did..Slice  around the outside of the pad and pull.  The pads are usually too thick and stiff to turn.

I have sharpened s hooks attached to an overhear beam I hook into the foot, gives you something to pull against. Still alot of knife work, I use replaceable scalpels.

[bjrogg]

Thanks again Mounter. I've skinned a lot of animals but not with paws attached and I've never done a bear before. Is there anyway to measure head for skull form after it's skinned? I see them in Van Dykes catalog and curious about measuring for one. Also do you sew felt on or glue it? Hope I'm not asking to many questions here but it seems like I'm talking to the right person.
Bjrogg

[Mounter]

I don't want you to get the impression that I'm a bear expert. I don't live in bear country, so only get 4 or 5 a year. Also there's as many ways to do taxidermy as there is to build bows, so I'm sure someone will read this and probably have different advice...


It's a bit of a guessing game. If it's in the pickle or even tanned it shrinks approximately 25%. Once rehydrated with water it will stretch if it's thinned properly. I'd wait to your done tanning, measure it flat and go one size bigger. If it measures 4inch, get the 4 1/2 in form. etc... that should be really close.  I generally have a few sizes to test fit, and that an option, order 2 sizes you think will fit and return the one you don't use.


For most of my rugs hot glue if they want flat felt... if they want a pleated look I send them off to be sewed at about $60 dollars a foot..😳

[bjrogg]

Thanks so much again mounter. That's  4 or 5 more than I've ever seen before now so I appreciate every bit of advice I can get. I wasn't planning on making a rug since I didn't shoot this bear anyway but maybe. From what I could see the fur looks great but I didn't see entire hide . Had one hole in the head that I don't think would be to hard to fix. Possibly even just stick together with pins and let dry? If not I can close it with about 3 stitches. I have some ideas for making stuff by cutting him up to. I've got another one in the freezer if I get this one done. I haven't seen it yet curious what it's like. I could see black through hide but not like root folicles when you scrape to thin. I did get one swipe with the fleshing knife to thin and could see hair.
Thanks again
Bjrogg

[bjrogg]

Just guessing but it seems like the leather might be similar to coon? Not as grizzly behind the neck maybe. It seems like it should soften up nice.
Bjrogg

[BowEd]

Good score BJ.You can get all sorts of nice projects done out of a decent sized black bear hide.Quite a jump start on something larger to make out of it compared to using tanned coon hides.Turning the eyes,ears,nose,lips,& feet are'nt all that necessary for projects for the hide itself.Just so the pickling has gotten through those areas good.
Usually fall hides will be thinner then spring hides leather thickness wise.At least it's that way with most animals.

[bjrogg]

Yup Ed a whole lot more hide to work with than a mink or muskrat that's for sure. I'm really not set up that's good for hides this big yet. I should make a lot bigger fleshing beam. Getting kinda  excited to see how it turns out.
Bjrogg

[bjrogg]

This has been a major project. I finally have my bear pickled, tanned and softening oils massaged in. He's been drying since Friday if I remember right. He's finally getting close to done. I have been working him over a 90 degree edge on a piece of steel and brushing with a steel wire brush stretching twisting working everywhere and special attention to places that are just the right moisture. The hide should turn white when stretching if right. To dry it turns stiff to wet it won't break fibers. It seems if you don't keep teasing it when it's wet it gets hard even when it's just right. the whole hide is never perfect at the same time and you have to keep working till entire hide is dry and white.
 
Here's some pictures Paws
Bjrogg

[bjrogg]

Hide as I'm working it's one spot to wet the other almost right.
Bjrogg

[bjrogg]

Not going to be able to finish him tonight so I turned him fur side out overnight to slow drying
Bjrogg