This section is from the book "Camping And Woodcraft", by Horace Kephart. Also available from Amazon: Camping and Woodcraft.
These beasts, too, are generally butch' ered on the ground. In skinning, begin the incisions at the feet, and leave at least the scalp, if not the skin of the whole head, attached. It i? quite a task to skin a bear, as the beast usually is covered with fat, which adheres to the hide and must be scraped free. All of the caul fat should be saved for rendering into bear's oil, which is better and wholesome than lard. The brain, liver, and milt (spleen) are good eating.
Owing to its greasiness, the skin of a bear is very likely to spoil unless carefully scraped, especially at the ears. Slit the ears open on the inside, skin them back almost to the edge, and fill with salt; also salt the base of the ears. The feet likewise must be skinned out and well salted.
 
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