BEAR HIDE

Submitted by RON on 09/05/2002. ( HULK7272@MSN.COM ) 66.161.148.242

I HAVE A OLD BEAR LIFSIZE THAT I SOAKED AND PULLED OFF OF THE FORM I WAS WANTING TO MOUNT IT AGAIN IN A DIFFERANT POSE, I HAVE TWO ? ONE WAS CAN I GET BONDO FROM INSIDE THE EARS SO I CAN DO THEM MYSELF, AND 2 IS WHAT CAN I DO TO RELAX THE SKIN BACK TO A WET TAN SHAPE FOR MOUNTING.

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You may

This response submitted by cur on 09/05/2002. ( wildart ) 64.196.208.10

Be able to introduce acetone between the ear skin and the bondo to soften it for removal. A safer product (relatively) is a commercial resin softener called "Attack". Rio Grande sells a pearl remover solvent that will not damage organic tissue. The degree of adhesion between the bondo and the inner ear will depend on how it was prepared and how wet the skin may have been at the time of application. Removal should be possible, how difficult the procedure, only experience can discern.

I assume your second questions deals with set in the skin caused by the previous form. Soaking the skin in a hide relaxer should allow you to reform the hide, assuming the tanning was properly done in the first place and that there is no dry rot due to age of the speciman. Again, that is a hurdle you will have to cross by fitting on the new form. Some "sets" may be impossible to remove, others can be amended by cutting and fitting.......Without knowing the variance between mannequins, or seeing the hide for myself, I can't add much more.....just try it and solve the problems as they arise.

Good luck


Field Dressing / Skinning Bear

This response submitted by Tom on 09/15/2002. ( ) 68.40.226.58

Bear's have been hitting the feed and I expect to kill one within the next week. Being first time, I'm not quite sure of the field dressing and skinning techniques. Some say to do the skinning first , then field dress while others say to field dress first. Bottom line is that I don't want to screw this up. Not sure of the type of mount that I want, but it's likley to be head/shoulder related. Any advise on website that shows these techniques?.


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