Bear rug

[sgt_zim]

Be ready for a long wait, I'm over 2 years waiting on mine. I'm told not many people tan bear hides and with covid they are still recovering from that down time.

Had the skull done, it was finished in less than 3 weeks.

Good luck to you and your son! My only advice is don't pass on the first day what you would take on the last. Could have killed a much bigger bear on the first day. Killed mine on the last day of the hunt at last light. It was the first time my son went hunting and did not kill what he was after. It was a learning lesson for him. We had a great time, hope you two have a wonderful time.

That's a lesson I'm already well familiar with.

 

[CraigV]

Looking at the weather for first week of October, I'm tempted to leave my heavy coat. Is it worth it to bring fishing tackle, too? We get a 3 day fishing license as part of the deal.

Layers are your friend. Cool/cold morning and evening, nice in the day. If it rains, expect gooey, sticky, miserable mud.

I'd bring a rod and some lures. Don't take up much space, and so long as it hasn't rained and blown everything out, you'll be good.

I'm hoping the rain holds off till Nov... Trying to get my cabin up and dried in...

 

[Red Leg]

These folks do very good work. https://www.bbtaxidermy.com/

 

[sestoppelman]

Sestoppelman,

Have you seen the log deck at the old plywood mill? Went past there about 3 weeks ago, it was massive!

Haven't been there since 1976. I was working there when the Charles Bronson movie Breakheart Pass was filmed around there. They had the train used in the movie parked there for a time.
Fair movie with great scenery.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

That Erik guy, @gizmo is a bit far from Houston, but he could probably help you out.

 

[Werty]

The weather forecast cast be off by 15 to 20 degrees in the mountains, depending on elevation.

 

[sgt_zim]

The weather forecast cast be off by 15 to 20 degrees in the mountains, depending on elevation.

I figured as much. The base camp is about the same elevation as Hollywood, around 3300 feet, and they're only about 20 or 25 miles apart.

I think we'll be hunting between 4000 and 6000 feet, no idea where the spike camp is going to be

 

[chashardy]

Conroe Taxidermy just north of Houston has done all of my taxidermy for 5 African hunts. They can do a bear rug for you. They do great work.

 

[Pole Pole]

Most people have rugs mounted with mouth open but another option is with mouth closed with skull displayed as a conversation item that can be handled. Just me but it seems odd too have a mouth open mount and also a skull. Makes the rug seem fake, just me. It will take about eight months too be completed.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

I've used David Majors (https://www.majorcreationstaxidermy.com/home ) in Cypress, TX for several mounts and always been pleased with his work and turnaround time.

 

[gizmo]

We are in Amarillo but would be glad to help you. I have several clients in Houston and the logistics of getting it back and forth are quite simple if you’d like us to rug it for you.

 

[outwestidaho]

I've lived here in Weippe and Pierce my whole life. My wife was raised on a ranch on the Weippe prairie. I was raised in Pierce . We now live half way between the two on 15 acres. Crap tons of bears in this part of the world. I have a bait out less than a quarter mile from my house it has 9 bears on it right now. My daughter and son in law are headed up to sit on it this weekend. Where your going is a 2 bear area in unit unit 10. You will come through weippe and pierce go over and drop down
Into the North fork of the Clearwater river. If you can , bring a fishing pole as its some of the best westslope cutthroat fishing in the world. Just in case you have time. Have a great hunt.

 

[sestoppelman]

I've lived here in Weippe and Pierce my whole life. My wife was raised on a ranch on the Weippe prairie. I was raised in Pierce . We now live half way between the two on 15 acres. Crap tons of bears in this part of the world. I have a bait out less than a quarter mile from my house it has 9 bears on it right now. My daughter and son in law are headed up to sit on it this weekend. Where your going is a 2 bear area in unit unit 10. You will come through weippe and pierce go over and drop down
Into the North fork of the Clearwater river. If you can , bring a fishing pole as its some of the best westslope cutthroat fishing in the world. Just in case you have time. Have a great hunt.

Is the corner general store in Weippe still there? We cant remember the name of it.

 

[Ridgewalker]

Bear hunting is a hoot! Makes no difference whether spot and stalk, over bait (easiest way to tell sex and size), or calling (most exciting I’m told…I’m still trying this!)
Everyone who sees my rug tries to talk me out of it!
Best of luck to you and your son!

 

[outwestidaho]

Is the corner general store in Weippe still there? We cant remember the name of it.

Durants building is still there ,but has been closed scince the mid 80s I believe.
The cash way on the other side of the corner was tore down in the late 80s also.
Mary Ann's grocery was just sold to the Kloninger bros from Kamiah and they are going to level it and build a newer better grocery,fuel etc stop.

 

[sestoppelman]

@outwestidaho,
Thanks for that, Durants, thats the one. We left in '76 so everything after that we dont know about. Loved that store, all manner of stuff to ogle.
I bought a real nice elk hide vest there, still have it. Buddy of mine and I were in there all the time trying to buy up .22 ammo for plinking and gopher shooting.
Got car work done at the Chevron across the road. Probably long gone too.
We lived out at Schmidts Mill in one of the old houses there.

 

[outwestidaho]

@outwestidaho,
Thanks for that, Durants, thats the one. We left in '76 so everything after that we dont know about. Loved that store, all manner of stuff to ogle.
I bought a real nice elk hide vest there, still have it. Buddy of mine and I were in there all the time trying to buy up .22 ammo for plinking and gopher shooting.
Got car work done at the Chevron across the road. Probably long gone too.
We lived out at Schmidts Mill in one of the old houses there.

Benny Durant had everything in that store. His bacon he made and sold was top notch. I bought my first 22 pistol from him brand new for 39.00 bucks.
Charlie's chevron as a gas station is gone but the building is still there and is a meat cutting place now.
Schmidt's mill is long gone and is now Deyo Resivoir. Only one house remains there. You must have lived there when the local game warden Gene Eastman lived there. My wife babysat his kid when she was young. She grew up on the Molloy Ranch. Which was less than 2 miles from Schmidt's road.

 

[sestoppelman]

Benny Durant had everything in that store. His bacon he made and sold was top notch. I bought my first 22 pistol from him brand new for 39.00 bucks.
Charlie's chevron as a gas station is gone but the building is still there and is a meat cutting place now.
Schmidt's mill is long gone and is now Deyo Resivoir. Only one house remains there. You must have lived there when the local game warden Gene Eastman lived there. My wife babysat his kid when she was young. She grew up on the Molloy Ranch. Which was less than 2 miles from Schmidt's road.

Yep, on the GW living there, he lived at the bottom of the hill next to a couple of buds. I lived near the top across from the newer house that sat there, it belonged to the outfitter I worked for, Lyle and Dolly Phelps. His sons were Randy and Ross. Randy was killed in a car accident on the Pierce highway if I recall in late '75 or early '76.
Friend of mine named Rick and I were forever plinking and shooting whatever birds flew by near our back porches, and one day GW comes up when he hears us shooting again... he says "hey guys, I get you are having fun and all but when the birds you guys are shooting come and die in my yard, I figure its time for a chat".
Wild and wooly times nearly 50 years ago.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Yep, on the GW living there, he lived at the bottom of the hill next to a couple of buds. I lived near the top across from the newer house that sat there, it belonged to the outfitter I worked for, Lyle and Dolly Phelps. His sons were Randy and Ross. Randy was killed in a car accident on the Pierce highway if I recall in late '75 or early '76.
Friend of mine named Rick and I were forever plinking and shooting whatever birds flew by near our back porches, and one day GW comes up when he hears us shooting again... he says "hey guys, I get you are having fun and all but when the birds you guys are shooting come and die in my yard, I figure its time for a chat".
Wild and wooly times nearly 50 years ago.

@sestoppelman
Ah how times have changed and not always for the better. Things in places we knew are long gone and places we used to shoot are now gone.
My home town was a great place to grow up in. People didn't even lock their doors when they went out or on holidays. Now I wouldn't live there if you paid me. My home town grew into a city shithole and they say that's process. Well progress sucks at times.
Bob

 

[sgt_zim]

I started walking around my new (we built and closed on it in August of 2020) house and realized...I really don't even have a place to put a bear rug. How do I have a 3300 foot house with no place for a bear rug?