So I've watched a couple of videos and read a few taxidermist pages on how to skin a bear for a mount. I will either want to do a rug or some sort of shoulder mount with front paws. The sketch at the link below does a pretty good job of explaining things, along with the words on another one of their pages.
http://www.holmantaxidermy.com/Skinning Diagram 2.jpg
I get confused about the front arms. Some things I've read says to cut to the elbow and the armpit, others say to stay away from the elbow and armpit.
I'd imagine for a rug, you would just try to go down the complete bottom side center of the arm.
1. Go from the center of the wrist (below pad) to the center of the INSIDE of the elbow joint.
2. Then you need to go below the white patch on the chest (if present).
3. The connecting cut from below the white patch to the center of the inside of the elbow confuses me. Do you:
a. Go from the center of the inside of the elbow to the armpit and then below the white spot, or
b. Continue from the center of the inside of the elbow, across the center of the bicep towards the shoulder, and then
across below the white spot?
I guess I cant visualize where the white spot will be on the animal and where to go if there is no white spot.
If I get a rarer bear, I might want to do a shoulder mount that incorporates the front paws. I guess then I should cut it as shown in the picture "head mount to save the rest of the hide". Would it be OK to skin it this way regardless and then just have the taxidermist cut it how he sees fit if I'd decide to do a rug? It seems like the front arm cuts might go too far towards the outside of the elbow to do a rug with this method.
Thanks for the help!
http://www.holmantaxidermy.com/Skinning Diagram 2.jpg
I get confused about the front arms. Some things I've read says to cut to the elbow and the armpit, others say to stay away from the elbow and armpit.
I'd imagine for a rug, you would just try to go down the complete bottom side center of the arm.
1. Go from the center of the wrist (below pad) to the center of the INSIDE of the elbow joint.
2. Then you need to go below the white patch on the chest (if present).
3. The connecting cut from below the white patch to the center of the inside of the elbow confuses me. Do you:
a. Go from the center of the inside of the elbow to the armpit and then below the white spot, or
b. Continue from the center of the inside of the elbow, across the center of the bicep towards the shoulder, and then
across below the white spot?
I guess I cant visualize where the white spot will be on the animal and where to go if there is no white spot.
If I get a rarer bear, I might want to do a shoulder mount that incorporates the front paws. I guess then I should cut it as shown in the picture "head mount to save the rest of the hide". Would it be OK to skin it this way regardless and then just have the taxidermist cut it how he sees fit if I'd decide to do a rug? It seems like the front arm cuts might go too far towards the outside of the elbow to do a rug with this method.
Thanks for the help!