I shot a black bear last fall and had the butcher cut off the paws for me. I threw them in the freezer and pretty much forgot about them. I would like to pull the claws from them.

What is the best method to get the claws out of those paws? My wife did not get her bear rug, but she at least wants the claws.

Thanks, R F

thaw out and get out a sharp fine bladed knife.you can't pull a bears claws, you must cut the hide back to the 1st liont on the toe.there is a bone the claw grows from and is attached to.important for mounting for necklesses and such,claws sometimes detach from nail bed and can be reattached w/epoxy,good luck you will be a pro by the time you finish.maybe also start on the hind feet as claws aren't as pretty as fronts and the learning curve will provide for beautiful results w/ best claws

Thanks for the response. Does not sound like it will be all that easy. I will just have to try it.

and why didn't you save the hide?

I did not save the hide because it was not that big of a bear and the color was kind of mottled and I just did not think it was worth spending the money on.

The previous one I shot on that mountain a few years back would have made a better rug, but I had to cut into pieces to get it out of there.
But even that one had sort of dull hair.

My dad just got one back that he shot in Canada.
It is really pretty, solid black, and it just glistens.

Can you show us the claws when you finish?

If I every get the ambition to work on them. I spotted them in the freezer yesterday when I was getting some trout out of there for dinner, but there they sit. Pretty lazy, I know. I had some of the bear sausage for breakfast this weekend, it was pretty good, the steaks of it are really good.