When you get a bear from an outfitted hunt I assume they are mostly already skinned and fleshed. How about a guy who brings in a whole bear. How do you charge for skinning time. I've never done a bear and reqlly don't have the room to skin and flesh. Are they as messy as I think they are to skin and flesh.
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Well Jim,we're in the heart of bear hunting country here in Northern Wisconsin and I hate to tell you most all of them come in whole and quite frankly I prefer it that way.You can really screw up a rug or make for a lot of sewing on a mount if they aren't skinned properly.If we're going to mount it we don't charge for skinning.If they are taking it home we charge $50.00 to skin.Skinnings not bad,about a 30 minute job,but we're set up for it.We have a hoist that does the lifting for us.If you're going to handle very many of them it will save your back.We skin on the average of 100 a year.And you heard right,fleshing is a messy job.Greasy critters they are,and you smell funny for a while but your skin is nice and soft.I guess it all depends on your tolerance for certain jobs as to whether or not you want to do them.The hunters are so excited and so much fun that for us it's well worth it.
We ALWAYS get just the hide without the head removed. No one is going to drive that far with a lifesize bear to be cleaned and certainly not pay freight on having it shipped. I wish I had the luxury that Linda speaks of though. We get them in ALL conditions and 99% of them are bad.
if you do end up skinning it take your time, if you leave lots of fat on it it will seem way worse later. we do most of our skinning, if possible. and i agree no charge if they are having you mount it but if all you are doing is the skinning it is worth at least 50.