Trad Gang

Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: wapiti792 on October 29, 2012, 10:49:00 AM

Title: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: wapiti792 on October 29, 2012, 10:49:00 AM
I got my full body bear mount back from my friend Dean Stallion at American Taxidermy Saturday. My great uncle has done all my other work but at 76 he decided that rolling around in the floor with a 7 foot bear was not do-able. He referred me to Dean, and he did a great job. I had gone to hunt at Stickflingers with Ryan Delago a couple of years ago and killed the bear of my dreams with my longbow. Here's the thread if you missed it:

 http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=104915

Evidently this mount was quite a challenge and it took getting a black bear form and deciding it didn't really fit and then ordering a small grizz form that seemed the best fit. It took an enclosed trailer to get it home from the 90 mile trip...on top of that the bear was supposed to be finished about the time our new house was done. The new house got held up by weather so this big guy gets to live in the 30by30 pole barn with the whole family until January, along with a bunch of whitetail mounts, mule deer mounts and various skulls of other ungulates. I have a great wife, and I know I outkicked my coverage when I married her. She is looking forward to the day when the barn is my full-fledged man cave  :)  

Thanks to the fine artist who did the work, Ryan the bear man for helping me realize a dream, and my brothers and sisters here who I enjoy living a hunting life with through their writing and posting   :campfire:  

 (http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r296/wapiti792/mount013.jpg)
*A full body mount takes up alot of room in 900 sq feet.
 (http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r296/wapiti792/mount012.jpg)
*I put the skull mount in part of the pedistal. It was done by our own Brad Harriman as part of the St. Jude auction. Thanks to Brad!!!
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: Duker on October 29, 2012, 10:54:00 AM
Very C  :cool:    :cool:  L  :thumbsup:  CONGRATS  :clapper:
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: KentuckyTJ on October 29, 2012, 10:55:00 AM
Awesome work! Looks great Mike.
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: rastaman on October 29, 2012, 10:56:00 AM
Very nice looking bear there sir!
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: yellow bow on October 29, 2012, 11:03:00 AM
:thumbsup:    :clapper:  

  :cool:
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: on October 29, 2012, 11:03:00 AM
Nice! I'm gonna getr my first crack at a bear on the Bear Quest hunt next summer.

Congrats ona great bear and mount.

Bisch
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: Manitoba Stickflinger on October 29, 2012, 11:17:00 AM
I dunno why you shot such a little bear Mike! Next year you don't get to take arrows in the tree with you till at least the 3rd night.

Congrats on such a great bear and taxidermy job. You gotta be happy!

Ryan
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: wapiti792 on October 29, 2012, 11:28:00 AM
HAHA Ryan, I am pumped. I keep staring at the mount and grinning like a crap-eatin' 'possum...In most camps I'd say that is a bear of a lifetime but after seeing what has come out of your area I am gonna "hold out" this May  :)  

Thanks for the kind words gents

  :notworthy:
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: Kip on October 29, 2012, 11:38:00 AM
Great looking mount Mike.I think brown phase black bear  really look good.Kip
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: Ragin Bull on October 29, 2012, 11:42:00 AM
Great looking bear!   :thumbsup:  

Good luck with your upcoming move.
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: Cwilder on October 29, 2012, 12:26:00 PM
Love it. Looks great
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: Tater on October 29, 2012, 12:27:00 PM
Wow..that turned out real nice.!
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: Steve O on October 29, 2012, 01:03:00 PM
STUD!

Looks great buddy.  Very similar to what I am doing with "Hot Chocolate"     :D
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: JamesKerr on October 29, 2012, 01:06:00 PM
Looks great!
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: Iowabowhunter on October 29, 2012, 01:42:00 PM
Looks great!!!   :clapper:
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: cacciatore on October 29, 2012, 01:52:00 PM
Great looking mount,congrats for this fine bear,also to Ryan.
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: YORNOC on October 29, 2012, 02:12:00 PM
Nice bear! My Dad shot a 500#plus in Alberta back in the 90's. The taxidermist didn't use the grizz form and used the smaller black bear form. What a disappointment, the mount is so small compared to how huge that brute was. Lucky we have pics of him to show his true size, the mount looks so small.
Yours looks great, good call on the grizz form!
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: Doc Nock on October 29, 2012, 02:31:00 PM
Yummmmm....CHOCOLATE!

Lookin at the grand rascal, I'd be stuffing Hershey Dark into my face all night! Bring on the insulin!

Great bear...wonderful mount.

David, sorry to hear about someone taking a short cut and defeating a wonderful memory of your Dad's huge bear!
Congrats on the bear, the mount and the incredible woman you married.
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: Big Ed on October 29, 2012, 02:38:00 PM
Very nice!!
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: joe ashton on October 29, 2012, 02:38:00 PM
out standing
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: Joeabowhunter on October 29, 2012, 02:40:00 PM
Very nice Mike.  You could hunt for many years to top that one.

Joe
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: Whip on October 29, 2012, 02:53:00 PM
Wow!  A full size bear mount right in the bedroom!  You are a brave man Mike!

Great looking mount.  It will look great in the new house as well  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: Doc Nock on October 29, 2012, 03:15:00 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Whip:
Wow!  A full size bear mount right in the bedroom!  You are a brave man Mike!

Great looking mount.  It will look great in the new house as well   :thumbsup:  
Sounds more like fortune than luck, Joe!  :)
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: bruinman on October 29, 2012, 03:53:00 PM
Great looking mount!
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: happy1 on October 29, 2012, 03:57:00 PM
Wow, that looks nice.    :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: TJK68 on October 29, 2012, 04:00:00 PM
Beautiful mount, very nice!!!!
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: A.S. on October 29, 2012, 04:21:00 PM
Looks fantastic!!
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: SAM E. STEPHENS on October 29, 2012, 04:30:00 PM
Looks great , mine is still in the works cant wait to get him now that I see yours....
,,Sam,,
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: mb bowman on October 29, 2012, 05:54:00 PM
Very nice! Hopefully Ryan actually puts you on a stand with an 8 ft  :)  this May.
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: drewsbow on October 29, 2012, 06:00:00 PM
Man that is great   :clapper:
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: SheltonCreeker on October 29, 2012, 07:17:00 PM
Mike,
Congrats! These pics are much more revealing than the text! I stopped buy to admire that guy in person but you wasn't home! Looks good brother. Hope you get one even bigger when we go next year! Id take that ones twin if Ryan can work it out! Absolutely awesome!
Dave
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: Guru on October 29, 2012, 07:20:00 PM
Very nice bud!
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: pamike on October 29, 2012, 07:32:00 PM
very cool - nice conversation piece!
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: fishmerf on October 29, 2012, 07:38:00 PM
That is very cool!
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: ti-guy on October 29, 2012, 08:12:00 PM
Very Nice!
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: Bjorn on October 29, 2012, 08:41:00 PM
That's a beauty! Congrats!!   :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: Shedrock on October 29, 2012, 08:46:00 PM
Very nice  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: wooddamon1 on October 29, 2012, 08:50:00 PM
Nice!   :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: Bill Kissner on October 29, 2012, 08:51:00 PM
Really beautiful mount Mike! I would love to come by and see it sometime!
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: elkken on October 29, 2012, 11:20:00 PM
That is truly awesome ..... congrats.
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: K.S.TRAPPER on October 30, 2012, 08:50:00 AM
Wow Mike! That came out great.    :bigsmyl:    

Love the color on that bear.

Tracy
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: Terry Green on October 30, 2012, 12:15:00 PM
:jumper:     :jumper:    :jumper:    :jumper:    :jumper:
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: buckeye_hunter on October 30, 2012, 01:14:00 PM
BEAUTIFUL!

  :clapper:
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: Longbow917 on October 30, 2012, 01:22:00 PM
That is way cool, my dream bear is a pig chocolate color phase.... nothing cooler in my humble opinion!  :notworthy:     :notworthy:
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: Longbowlogan on October 30, 2012, 01:22:00 PM
Looks awesome!
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: twowolvesarchery on October 30, 2012, 03:41:00 PM
Very nice Mike cant wait to share camp with you next year.
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: Jwilliam on October 30, 2012, 04:41:00 PM
Now that is really Cool !!!  :thumbsup:  Great looking mount.  :notworthy:  


Bill
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: Kc kreger on October 30, 2012, 05:04:00 PM
Sweet!!      :clapper:    :clapper:    :clapper:

K.C.
Title: Re: Chocolate Bear Mount
Post by: Ron Roehrick on October 30, 2012, 05:16:00 PM
Beautiful bear and hats off to you for giving Gods creature the respect it deserved. The moment together just you and the Bear thats truly what its all about, the traditional way. Heres to you my brorher of the bow.