What's a good size spring black bear worthy of getting full body mount?

[Bearrugs]

If you get a chance to watch him for a while and get excited, then you'll probably be happy with the bear. If he's a good bear shoot him.

 

[Hotrod617]

I was told do not do a full mount standing. Black bears look skinny when they stand upright.

 

[calling4life]

Any size would be fine with me.

But the thing is, if you don't want this thing looking poor and being a reminder of a mistake every time you walk by it, you may want to expect this to be a $6k - $10k investment.

Mounts can be a tricky ordeal, even something as seemingly trivial as the distance between the eyes can throw the whole thing off.

Generally cats are the hardest to get perfect, meaning, I look for a taxidermist who has examples of cats that look great, they can likely do about anything else.

Again, the bear size/color/specimen in general would be a personal thing, I'd be fine regardless size.

But the right taxidermist isn't an option, this is where a great memory can be ruined, hit this aspect right.

Good luck to you, hope it all works out for you, should be a heck of a trophy to have.

 

[ofbandg]

I have only ever rugged bears but many of my friends went the half mount and full mount if they took impressive ones. The biggest bear I've shot was so full of scars and thin spots I didn't even bother to keep the hide. I only shot it because it was destroying a garden. It was an old timer with teeth worn down to nubs and grey all over its face. The size of the bear does make a difference when it comes to mounting, but the quality of the hide makes a bigger difference. Rubbed and thin spots show up plainly and can ruin the look. Some taxidermists make it even worse by stretching the hide a bit. To me, colour phases are the most impressive. I rugged one bear that was light brown with a darker feet and face and that turned out very well. A guy I was hunting with took a bear that shimmered red in direct sunlight but was just auburn once it was mounted, but still a pretty mount. The mounts that I am not a fan of are the ones where it looks like they are in mid attack, leaping at you. Unless it was really happening that way it just doesn't work for me.

 

[skipglo]

The one that makes you happy

Absolutely!

 

[sp6x6]

I think a big one looks best if full mounted.Thats the 7' area for me

 

[nralifer]

Going on a manitoba spring bear hunt in a couple weeks. If I shoot a bear, what would be the minimum size that would look good in a full body mount? Please share pics if you have any. Thanks

For me it would be the condition of the fur. I was lucky to get an Alaskan Coastal Black Bear on day 9 of a 10 day hunt. Is 6 ft and flawless thick fur

 

[Willybuck]

Here are some of my bear mounts. The one on the right over the drive out basement garage door and the one standing above the stairway were 6 foot bears. The bear on his back holding up the glass coffee table is a very useful way to decorate your trophy room.

 

[VLD Pilot]

View attachment 364608
Here are some of my bear mounts. The one on the right over the drive out basement garage door and the one standing above the stairway were 6 foot bears. The bear on his back holding up the glass coffee table is a very useful way to decorate your trophy room.

Very unique way to use a full bear mount. It'll go in my ideas for what to do with a future bear harvest. Great and useful mount with little to no room taken up using this form for the mount. Coffee table Bear...Pretty cool

 

[CMP70306]

Where we hunt in PA there aren't a ton of bears and out of almost 40 years hunting our friends property I have been the only one lucky enough to get one. He weighed 475 and is a bit over 7ft from nose to tail. Since no one else had ever gotten one and I was concerned about accidentally kicking the teeth with it laying on the floor since I'm usually barefoot I elected for a flat rug and the skull bleached.

I just recently moved it to the wall and he certainly takes up a lot of real estate. Now that he is on the wall though I do somewhat regret not getting the close mouthed head done just so people could see how big his head really is as the flat part and the skull alone just doesn't do it justice.

 

[dogz]

Totally a personal thing for sure. To me the trophy's in the hunt not the harvest but I totally get the desire for a mount. As a base I'd suggest a bruin that truly squares 6' or more, but that's just me.

I'd also suggest a closed mouth, not one of those silly ones where the bruin has his mouth open and is trying to look bad ***............but again that's just my preference....

Have a fantastic trip, you're probably sitting over a bait station so try to take your time and enjoy watching them. You can get some great pics and videos if you take the time!

I love anything and all to do with bears and can watch them for hours.

 

[cornshank]

Any average size , full mount standing on all fours with roller skates on , and a rope .

 

[cornshank]

Here's one driving a 1953 Willy's PU .

 

[Hotrod617]

Here's one driving a 1953 Willy's PU . View attachment 365044

Nice use of a Rug!!!!