Is this the same bear?

[Scott CWO]

Unfortunately, this is typical for bear taxidermy unless you really stay on top of the taxidermist. The taxidermist put too small of a head in your rug. It’s easier to go smaller than bigger. Bigger is more work.

 

[Green Chile]

To be clear, I haven't picked this up yet. I've only paid for the tanning so far. Not the euro or rug.

 

[Raven]

The size of a taxidermied head, if a natural skull isn't used, usually depends on the taxidermist's skill and the prosthetics they have available.

I had a similar experience with a bust of a Kamchatka bear. The head turned out to be much smaller than it was in reality. I expressed my dissatisfaction to the taxidermist, but he said he simply didn't have any larger plastic skulls and used the one he had on hand.

As for the color of the fur, it can change slightly due to the chemicals used in the tanning process. The skin itself can also shrink. But the most disappointing thing, of course, is the smaller head size. After all, we hunt for a large trophy, and in the end, we still get a smaller bear.

 

[cwpayton]

It certainly doesnt look the same, width between the ears and ear shape is way off.

 

[Skshyk]

What Grok thinks....

Differences in Characteristics Between the Two BearsBoth images appear to show American black bears (Ursus americanus), which typically have dark brown to black fur, a similar muzzle shape (longer and less dished than grizzlies), rounded ears, and no prominent shoulder hump. Here's a breakdown of the key differences visible:

• Fur Color and Texture:
  • First bear (outdoor photo with antlers): Dark chocolate-brown fur, appearing somewhat wet or matted (possibly from blood or rain), with a coarser look. Lighter tan/brown muzzle.
  • Second bear (indoor photo, finger touching nose): Slightly richer, uniform dark brown fur that looks fluffier and well-groomed/dry.
• Muzzle and Facial Features:
  • First: Muzzle is lighter tan, eyes appear more open and glossy (possibly still moist), nose black and shiny.
  • Second: Muzzle similar in color but drier/matte finish, eyes look glassy and fixed (typical of glass taxidermy eyes), nose drier and less reflective.
• Condition and Pose:
  • First: Lying on the ground outdoors in grass, recently deceased (visible blood around mouth/neck area), head resting naturally, with deer antlers placed behind the ears (likely a hunter's joke/photo prop—bears do not have antlers).
  • Second: Indoors on a speckled floor (garage-like), head appears mounted or as part of a rug/taxidermy piece, with a human finger booping the nose. Pose is more upright and static.
• Eyes and Overall Vitality:
  • First: Eyes look natural and lifelike (recently harvested animal).
  • Second: Eyes have a slightly unnatural sheen and stare, common in taxidermy mounts.
• Size and Build: Hard to compare precisely due to angles, but both seem to be adult males of similar medium-large size based on head proportions.

Is It the Same Bear?Yes, I believe these are very likely photos of the same bear at different stages:

• The first image is right after the hunt (fresh kill, outdoors, with a humorous antler prop added for the photo).
• The second is after taxidermy preparation (head mounted, possibly as a rug or shoulder mount, indoors).

The fur color, muzzle shape, ear position, and overall head structure match closely enough to suggest it's the same individual. Hunters often take "fresh harvest" photos, then send the bear to a taxidermist for mounting, and later share "finished product" pics like the nose-touch one.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

I don't think so, the ears are way off, but thats just my opinion

I should clarify. I think the ears look the same, but the spacing between them is different --> he used a manikin that was smaller than the actual head. Possibly a hide measurement was taken without properly stretching the tanned hide.

 

[steve white]

I took a big cinnamon bear last year and wrote of it here. I got this photo today of the tanned hide with shell mounted head. I asked for more photos. What do you think?

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NO POSSIBLE WAY--THE EARS ARE TOO CLOSE TOGETHER. Nose is shorter and pointed. Someone needs a thrashing.

 

[deewayne2003]

I agree with what others said about the ear spacing and nose.

 

[Tgood1]

Not a fan of the taxidermy work, at all, but difficult to tell if different bear

 

[DaddyFlip]

I say either don't pay and scrap it or pay and live with it. Same thing happened to me when I wanted a head cover from Cuddle Clones made of my precious. This was their first attempt and we both hated it. I sent dozens of pics from every angle and they couldn't get it even close in three tries so I paid for their final attempt and said heck with it. She don't like it at all. I have seen some of their work that is excellent but they couldn't get my girl right.

 

[Red Leg]

It is your bear. I would find a different taxidermist.

 

[Wyfox]

100% your bear, taxidermy work is not stellar. Very common on bears, average size bears always look smaller after being mounted

 

[Hunt anything]

Looks the same to me. Since you said the same taxidermist did the rug and the skull he was just lazy. How hard would it have been to get out a set of calipers and measure the skull and then find the exact same size form for the head? He may have had to go slightly smaller since tanned hides may not stretch back to full size.
A good taxidermist could probably remount it for you. I had my bear rug remounted and it turned out fine.

 

[matt85]

Hard for me to tell with you sitting back behind the animal. Its giving it the "fishing photo" effect. Do you have a pic with something close to the animals head for a size reference?

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I think it's the same bear. Your pic from when it was taken, in natural light, and the pic from the taxidermist indoors is probably affecting the color difference we're seeing. The darkness under the eyes as well as the lighter color on the snout and how it fades going up and behind the ears matches. The tanning process may be also adding to a color variation.

However, as has been noted by others, the head has been to say the least very poorly done. Draw a line straight back towards the head from the eyes on the pic from when taken and that line doesn't even come close to intersecting the ears. Do that on the "stuffed" head and the line intersects easily the inner edges of the ears.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

To me the color looks off and the head/ear spacing looks grossly undersized. I don’t see any blonde in your trophy photo but the angles are a bit different. He also painted the nose different.

Was the taxidermist given a copy of your trophy photo for comparison? Have you compared the size of the hide/squaring from post kill to taxidermy? I know it can shrink a little but your bear was pretty large, to me the rug bear looks significantly smaller like he wasn’t stretched.

I’d be curious to know what @gizmo and some of the other taxidermists on here think/say. They might have a suggestion on what you can do.

 

[HUNTROMANIA]

Same bear! Taxidermist photo isn’t great ( angle etc)

 

[V.Veritas]

I took a big cinnamon bear last year and wrote of it here. I got this photo today of the tanned hide with shell mounted head. I asked for more photos. What do you think?

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If you think there could be a mistake, why don’t you ask the taxidermist to inform you about the location of the holes in the skin from your bullet? He can’t fake those since you are the only one who would know the correct answer.

 

[Spearhead]

Rug head looks like a younger bear. Shorter snout for sure compared to the photo with you in it. Subpar taxidermy. The work around the eyes is pathetic. This is bothersome. Sorry you are dealing with this…. Color phase bears rock!!!

 

[Uncontrolled_round_feed]

The first picture is a dream ursus americanus (love the color phase!)

The second picture reminds me of my Talky Teddy as a kid that you could wind a little coin thingie and it would play a lullaby

I’m on team same bear, crap taxidermist