bear oil

[bob in the woods]

I've been lucky enough to shoot a bear every year , always with my flintlocks, and the last few years, with my smoothbore.
I don't shoot them for any other reason than that they are very tasty      Here in Ontario, it's really simple. Buy a tag, and you can shoot a bear. Most of the ones I've shot have been on my property.  Closest one was around 8 feet away.  Last year's was 10 feet. He was sleeping on a beaver dam, and I paddled up on him in my canoe at sunrise. I was going to go closer, but thought better of it.  Bear roasts and stews are our favourites . The oil is about the slickest stuff I've seen. I use it all the time.

[OldMtnMan]

It's not so easy here. In my units there are about 250 bear hunters. 1 or 2 bears will be shot each season.

[Sweeney]

I've been lucky enough to shoot a bear every year , always with my flintlocks, and the last few years, with my smoothbore.
I don't shoot them for any other reason than that they are very tasty      Here in Ontario, it's really simple. Buy a tag, and you can shoot a bear. Most of the ones I've shot have been on my property.  Closest one was around 8 feet away.  Last year's was 10 feet. He was sleeping on a beaver dam, and I paddled up on him in my canoe at sunrise. I was going to go closer, but thought better of it.  Bear roasts and stews are our favourites . The oil is about the slickest stuff I've seen. I use it all the time.



Could you please share the procedures for your roasts and stews? I try to eat only meat that I hunt and it looks like bear may be in my future. I have eaten it many times but never cooked it myself. thanks for any info on cooking it
.

[Lobo]

Rendered bear fat is great stuff, you can put it in the pan for fryin stuff, it makes pie crust, you can lube your patches, put it on your boots and it even works to slick back your hair. I've also popped pop corn with it.

[OldMtnMan]

My Lakota friend uses it on his skin.

[Pukka Bundook]

Mike,
For bear squeezing, do you need a thing like an over-sized lemon squeezer?

Next question,...  oh forget it!

Hanshi,
Yes, you opened yourself up for all kinds of stuff with your last post!

H-Horse,

Yep, LOL!!

[Mike Brooks]

Mike,
For bear squeezing, do you need a thing like an over-sized lemon squeezer?

Next question,...  oh forget it!

Hanshi,
Yes, you opened yourself up for all kinds of stuff with your last post!

H-Horse,

Yep, LOL!!

Ever hear of a "bear hug"?

[OldMtnMan]

You can Bear Hug my Bear Rug anytime you want.

[hanshi]

Hmmm...Well, Hungry Horse, I guess I stepped in it, but for a country boy like me, that's quite normal.  I just figure that all creatures are just as intelligent as they need to be to survive - that, IMHO, pretty much leaves out Homo Sapiens.  Man has concentrated his on how to wipe himself out.   

The kid (me) has always been a hunter and a lover of the outdoors, critters and guns.  It doesn't bother me that others hunt bears & such; population control is usually a necessity.  There may even be a chance I'll do it someday, but probably not.  I've killed lots and lots of deer and always feel a bit of sadness for them but also thankfulness for their sacrifice. 

I encourage all to enjoy their bear hunts; I've enjoyed all my encounters with them immensely.  Also had a pet crow, once; and a squirrel.  So, Ahem, don't bother  with the pitchforks and tapers; I yield. 

[OldMtnMan]

We'll let you slide this time but don't tell us you like to hug trees.

[hanshi]

We'll let you slide this time but don't tell us you like to hug trees.

Uh oh; I'll need to be more careful. 

[bob in the woods]

For those who wonder , the main thing to consider when cooking bear meat, is to slow roast, cook, in plenty of liquid.
Hence our preference for pot roasts and stews.  Also, I remove all the fat that I can from the meat prior to cooking.
Bear oil is wonderful for keeping skin soft and we use it a lot on hands and feet during the winter.