Salting hides while backpack hunting

[Blackhawk45hunter]

Ok so I’m going to Idaho for spring bear in May and it’s my first time hunting spring bear. I will be backpacking in several miles and while I have my setup pretty well dialed in, I’m new to bear hunting and am unsure about hide care. I know most folks say to skin and flesh it followed by several saltings to dry the hide quickly, but most of the folks who say that hunt close to the road, or over bait and packing salt in isn’t an issue.

So my question is,
How much salt should I pack in?
And/or,
Is there a lighter alternative?

I figure on having an additional 10 lbs or so of salt back at the truck waiting, so I only need salt for the first application to start drying it while I pack the meat out, and I figure I can pack the hide out and salt it a second time once it’s back at the truck.


So what do you guys think?
Thanks a ton in advance!

 

[Soj51hopeful]

It won’t need salt immediately. You will have cooler temps in May. Figure the hide is about like the meat. It’ll be ok for a couple days if it’s in the shade and taken care of.

 

[Touchdown88]

Once you skin the hide, fold it hair side out and keep the skinned side together. This will keep the hide from drying out.

 

[Rob Patuto]

http://stickbowchronicles.libsyn.com/taxidermy-and-bears-dan-hooper

This will answer your questions

 

[Tim in Wa.]

http://stickbowchronicles.libsyn.com/taxidermy-and-bears-dan-hooper

This will answer your questions

Rob that was a great podcast

 

[PathFinder]

I let a fall bear sit in camp in October for two days once. I packed snow on it, but temps were ~40* night and day. Got it in a cooler, drove home 8 hours, and it turned out fine. If you pack it out quick after the kill and salt it at the truck, it should be fine. Just make sure it's completely done (fleshed really well, skinned to the last finger joint, lips/nose/ears turned) or the taxidermist will cuss you. Leaving the head unskinned could be ok in a cooler, the hide has to be attached to the head still to check it in.

 

[plentycoupe]

What is your experience level with the hide prep? Fleshing, getting to the last joint in the paws? If you are good with all of that I think 5 pounds for an initial salting would be good. Size of bear dependant of course.

 

[Blackhawk45hunter]

What is your experience level with the hide prep? Fleshing, getting to the last joint in the paws? If you are good with all of that I think 5 pounds for an initial salting would be good. Size of bear dependant of course.

Im pretty handy with a knife, I think I can do that much. From what I’ve been told by IDNR officers on the phone, where I’ll be at should still have a decent amount of snow so keeping everything fresh shouldn’t be too difficult.

 

[bearcreekbandit]

I wouldn’t bother Bringing any salt. Salting is a last resort in the field unless you turn lips, ears, eyes, and flesh completely...which isn’t easy without a beam. Salting the wrong way will do more harm than good. Let the hide cool, fold up skin to skin, and use the same care you would with the meat and it’ll be fine.


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[[email protected]]

Like said, the hide needs to fully fleshed before salting or you’re just causing a mess. Salting a hide that isn’t completely fleshed will also keep it from freezing completely when you get home, and it won’t last on its own if it not completely fleshed. If you do have the ability to full prep it, a bear will typically take 3-5 pounds of salt in my experience. Bear hides can spoil fast, so I’d pack one out and get it frozen personally.

Last year we did a fly in hunt in Idaho for bears, and so we couldn’t pack hides out. Luckily my buddy is a taxidermist so is more than capable of fully prepping a hide and salting it. We flew a bucket in with us and left 20lbs of salt at the airstrip. As well as some stuff to cool meat properly. Worked out great, and we kept the first bear shot in good shape for 5 days after shooting it in hot June weather. If properly fleshed and salted a hide will last for months at a minimum.


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[Wrench]

Larry Bartlett has a great video (2 or 3 disc set iirc) called wilderness taxidermy. It'll give you solid examples and is a good reference.

You will have plenty of snow to work with in may....just keep it cold and you'll be fine for several days.