text: MT spring bear
  Thread: MT spring bear
  I am thinking about hunting bears in the spring for the first time. How good are they to eat this time of year? Im a little concerned about shooting one and then having nasty table far given hibernation etc.
  I've had spring and fall. I've noticed no difference. All of it was sausage.
  02-09-2018, 03:03 PM #3
  I've killed and eaten three spring bears... all were delicious. Only thing I ever make into sausage are the front shoulders, steaks are delicious.
  02-09-2018, 04:05 PM #5
  Fin killed a spring bear and was pretty sure it had just come out of its den and he said it was inedible. I would imagine the more time elapses between when the bear leaves its den to when you kill it the better it will taste.
  It's like anything though, you never know how it will taste until you eat it. Some mule deer I have had were great, others we were sure to give it to "friends".
  Where was the bear taken? My bears were MT and ID. I would imagine a Coastal AK bear being a bit different.
  02-09-2018, 05:29 PM #7
  It was taken in MT during OYOA season 1 episode 8.
  Last edited by 375H&H; 02-09-2018 at 06:55 PM.
  02-09-2018, 05:36 PM #8
  Mine only spring bear was not very tasty. I still love tagging along with buddies in the spring, but I don't think I'll shoot another one since I'd rather use the freezer space for an extra deer or antelope.
  Mind me asking how you boys cooked up your bears?
  02-09-2018, 06:56 PM #10
  Additional question to you mate, how do you cook bear steaks? Is it even worth doing steaks on a bear given that they have to be well done?
  Last edited by 375H&H; 02-09-2018 at 06:59 PM.
  I have had bears that are fine in the spring but I have also had one that was eating a winter killed deer Before hitting my bait I think. Honestly because of that bear all my bears go to smokies. They always come out delicious that way!
  I've only got one bear but it was an early spring bear. Tasted great. Grilled loins. Brats from the front shoulder. Smoked hams from the rear quarters.
  Interesting to see the couple comments about spring bears not tasting so good. I have never had the desire to hunt bears. I have smelled way to many boiled bear skulls. The smell of boiled bear muscle and other assorted bear skull morsels is indelibly burned in my olfactory and memory.
  However, a co-worker brought in a lunch of spring MT black bear burger vegetable soup and "you never know how it tastes until you taste it" so I dished up a bowl - a few bites and nope.......
  About as meaningful as any other how-is-the-eating topic response, but was my experience. Also not a fan of duck, contrary to many many others tastes.......
  02-09-2018, 09:09 PM #14
  So I will preface this with my wife is a MD with a masters in microbiology and would never let me give us trich, you can cook bear medium rare with the sous vide method. Trich is killed at 137 degrees given enough time.
  Last edited by wllm1313; 02-09-2018 at 09:14 PM.
  02-09-2018, 09:33 PM #15
  My Mt spring bear tasted great..... oh how I'd like to have some bear roast in the freezer right now!