bear rendering

[rabjr]

Right on...they say the best donuts you ever had would be cooked in bear oil and the lard makes the very best pie crust.

 

[necchi]

are there differances in oil/lard quality and taste with the various species of bear

Alot of that is going to be like it is with our current domestic livestock meats and dependant on the animals diet.
I could imagine there would be a little difference with species in your neck of the woods that have a large part of their diet consisting of fish, where as here in Minn the Black bear is pretty much herbivore and opportunistic scavenger/carnivor.

 

[Rick Son]

yea that stinkin bear keeps it from doin that~ :rotf:

An old feller that i knew used to mix it with beeswax to put on our boots,used muffin tins then kept it in a freezer..

 

[rabjr]

Actually last year I gathered bear oil from several members across the country, mine comes from either New Brunswick Canada or N.Y Adirondacks that I render. There were definite different smell, slight in most cases but boy the Salmon fed bear oil BB sent me really has a strong fish smell.

Whether that translates into a different taste or not I dunno. :idunno:

 

[dbutch]

1+ for Swampy's recipe low slow even heat.
bear fat /deer tallow = patch lube
The oil is the gold.
A Butcher shop in Northern Wisconsin processed 171 bears this season largest 515 lbs. The bears carried more fat this fall than last.
Shop owner said they hauled 5 55 gallons of fat away.
1/2 gal. cheery jars

 

[cynthialee]

Ok so a liquid at room temp bear oil is preferable to a bear lard that is solid at room temp for a shooting lube.

Why?

Wouldn't a product that is solid(ish) be preferable for the field?


Just trying to understand the why of things.

 

[410-er]

Both can be used.Lard or oil.Some mix bees wax in to stiffen it up.
Just took 4 5gal buckets and a large tub to the butcher.Told him to fill them.Half lard this year for baking and other half oil.

 

[necchi]

Why?

It's a science thing, Viscosity.

Viscosity is a measure of the resistance of a fluid which is being deformed by either shear stress or tensile stress. In everyday terms (and for fluids only), viscosity is "thickness" or "internal friction". Thus, water is "thin", having a lower viscosity, while honey is "thick", having a higher viscosity. Put simply, the less viscous the fluid is, the greater its ease of movement (fluidity).

So,
The oil and lard each has it's own viscous property. The oil's viscosity isn't as variable in temperature ranges as the lard is,, in other words it's "ease of movement" is the same in cold temps as it is in warm temps.
Yes, you could put the oil in the freezer and it will cloud up and seem thicker but it still maintains a better or more consistant "slippery" than cold lard,,
Get it, :hmm: :grin:

And as it is with any of the lube we use, the variable to each shooter is how much they use and how consistant the bore condition is as it applies to the shooter/rifles accuracy.

 

[Richard J.]

Have used it for baking, on the hunting boots, and for the flintlocks. Now I live in Florida that has bears everywhere but no hunting season. Protected down here and they are a major problem. So I will be going without bear oil.

 

[rabjr]

No need for that Richard, if I have it, all I ask is postage to cover shipping a bottle...

 

[Tony Logan]

Swampy I used your instructions last winter to render my first batch of bear oil. Thanks I love it and my guns and leather bags love it too. I brought in about 30-40 lbs of bear fat the other day and put it in the freezer cause I was too tired to mess with it. (I will post a story and pics later) Do you think this is oKay? I wish I had asked before I did it. I planned on rendering it on a pretty weekend at a later time.

 

[Marc Adamchek]

With all due respect to others here, the proven maestro of the black bear is, without a doubt, SWAMPY.

He has taken the science of rendering bear oil and made it into an art form. His methods are alchemical and like those masters of old, he is one who "just has the touch".

I've been lucky enough to get a nice amount of his bear grease concoction years ago, and most recently some crystal clear bear oil.

Whenever he speaks about this subject, the wise keep quiet and listen.

 

[Sean Gadhar]

So I'm thinking of a spring Bear hunt (and you guys are Not helping me resist the thought :surrender: ).

So I have 2 things to ask, If I do make meat, it will be 2 or more days from home. How do I keep the fat between shot & pot? Is Freezing ok?

2nd I know Spring bear have less fat, but dose spring fat work as well?

 

[rabjr]

T.O and Sean, it should be ok in the freezer yes. I only did part of what I got this August spring hunt, mainly because I was running low but the rest is in the freezer, figured it to be a winter project after deer season to finish it. I know I have froze it for 6 months before, took it out and let it thaw in frig a couple days before I was able to pull it apart to work on it.

 

[rabjr]

2nd I know Spring bear have less fat, but dose spring fat work as well?

Pretty much all I get is New Brunswick spring bear fat every year from a guide. Works great! Only had one fall shot bear since I started doing this.

 

[Sean Gadhar]

Thanks Good to know. I gotta get a bear, My wife has kill one & I have not. :yakyak: She :yakyak: never :yakyak: points :yakyak: that :yakyak: out to :yakyak: me :cursing:

 

[nit wit]

I cook it down over a wood fire outdoors, just keep adding fat. I remove the cracklins as they cook down then I run it through a screen strainer. KISS theory!
Nit Wit

 

[JBird]

ok so ive came in and out of this thread like 5 times the past week. and just to be sure im reading right you guys are using the Oils as lubricants and on patches? and the tallow on patches (it doesnt get very cold here)so i assume it would be fine year round.

Ive yet to kill a deer in my 5 years of hunting, and havent seen a bear. but at the very least i may try some of this with some racoons this year

 

[rabjr]

Some use straight oil, some like myself use a mix of oil and tallow (for patches). Works for me and makes the oil I have go further, lasts longer when I mix. I use oil to lubricate my locks and such. Bear oil or grease mixture I've read will not contaminate the powder charge unlike some modern lubricants. A very good hunting lube. At least my guns like it....

 

[Sean Gadhar]

ff Kind of off subject, but I remember from a book on FOX comp. in the Korean war, the American guns were frozen at -20 with petroleum based lube, but the Chinese guns seemed to do much better with a whale oil lube. Whale 54cal. PRB or 20 gage buck & ball? Kidding peta just kidding :stir: