Post harvest hide care before returning home

[Chipz]

Going to NM in a few weeks to help out on a buddy's elk hunt. Thought about getting an OTC black bear tag for the unit. Now thoughts are going to if I actually harvest a bear:

1. What is the best way to preserve the hide while still out there? We will be truck camping for about 10 ten days, about 2 hours away from the nearest town. I would like to have the hide made into a rug. I've got a 70qt and 100qt coolers I will be bringing for the meat and hide. In addition it will be a 12 hour drive home after the conclusion of the 10 day hunt. One buddy has an elk tag and the other has a deer tag, we will be staying the whole duration of the hunt to help out.

2. Would it be better to find a local taxidermist in Espanola/Santa Fe to take care of the hide when out there?

Thanks in advance.

 

[christian1]

Following

 

[Coveyleader]

If you shoot one, skin as normal. Once skinned and you have it back at camp, hopefully at night it drops pretty cool. What you can do is lay the bear out so the skin side is up or out. Let it get cold for an hour or so. Once that skin side is cold, chilled, fold it back up skin to skin and place in your cooller with ice inside. It will last awhile this way.

Do not put a fresh warm cape in a cooler to “cool down” it won’t work.

We go through this every spring, hides have been fine for over a week.

 

[AKBC]

I would find a local taxi if you kill early in a ten day hunt and make the 2 hour drive (especially if it is warm). If you kill late in the hunt, I like Coveyleaders suggestion and would remove the the skull and feet to allow the hide to cool faster.