bear meat

[fishdog52]

I have had tenderloins from 2 different bears and was greatly impressed.  I have yet to kill a bear, but as I now know they can taste pretty good, it is on my agenda.
I have 2 questions, are fall bear ok, or the best for eating?  Is there a Max weight for a bear as far as eating quality (ie is one at 400# not likely to be edible)?
I will be in Newfoundland in Sept chasing moose.  It may be a great opportunity for a good bear, but I am only interested if it can become good tablefare. 
What do you think?

[nabob]

I've eaten enough bear to know my preferences, at least:

I like the meat of younger bears. Seems more tender and easier to work with. I don't know about spring vs. fall bear. In my state, bear season is in the fall. I've heard tell, though, that a spring bear, depending on what it has been eating, can be good or bad.

[BRL]

I've been interested in hunting Newfoundland myself. I vistit relatives in Maine quite often and thought about a trip there. Are you hunting with a specific operation/guide? Have you been there before? Let me know how it goes.

I tasted bear meat for the first, and only, time last year. I was pleasantly surprised too! This bear was shot in the fall in Maine and was estimated at 300 lbs. The person who shot it told me that it was his first bear and the guide handled the skinning, quartering and meat immediately; then hung it in a cooler for 2 days then took it to a professional butcher who cut it up. By the end of his 5 day hunt, he had nice steaks/meat all neatly wrapped, packaged, labeled and frozen waiting to be shipped home. I, and he, feel that this was critical in how good the meat tasted. Professional game care = great meat; mediocre game care = not so great meat.

Thanks

[pastorp]

Fishdog, Anywhere you have a salmon run the fall bears will have that taste. Spring bears will taste better because they don't have fish to eat. In areas where there are no significant fish runs available it will matter less. Small fat bears taste good. Remove the fat and render it down for cooking oil and cook the meat seperatly. Regards, Byron 

[huntmdown]

Hello,

I've never been bear hunting. I've heard the meat could be greasy but what does it taste like?