Bear's Bear Headdress III

My favorite photo of the set.

My boyfriend’s vintage bear hide headdress is finally complete!

This project was a challenge for me in more than one way. To start with, I’d never mounted a bear before. Beyond that, the hide itself was NOT taxidermy-quality, and the tan was actually between 30 - 50 years old. In fact, most taxidermists wouldn’t even attempt to rehydrate a skin of that age, but I discussed the project with a few well-respected industry professionals, who helped walk me through a safer process for rehydration than merely soaking.


Once the hide was rehydrated, I had a hell of a time finding a form that worked for it. The one I purchased specifically for this project, which had the exact same measurements as the hide itself, ended up being a bad fit anatomically. So I had to use a different form, which required modification, but less so than the first. I had to extend the snout and completely re-build the eyes, but at least it looked better than the other form would have.

The ears were problematic, since the form I used didn’t extend far back enough for me to secure them to the foam (this bear was very strange in that it didn’t quite fit either traditional black bear heads I ordered from the supply company). They look a little funny when the headdress is laying out, but when worn, my man’s own head lends shape to them and they prick upright. This shouldn’t be an issue once the leather is completely dry.

Nose is original skin, but I’m thinking I may remove it and opt for a synthetic one if it starts to bug me.

Eyes were boar eyes, but they work equally well for bear - I actually like the paler tint, given that this bear is an abnormal coloration to start with.

NOTE: This hide came to me from a woman in Idaho who’d kept it in a cardboard box for years. I did not purchase it from a hunter or fur farm.