Bear Rugs, Life-Size and Pedestal Bear Mounts
Black bear and brown bear rugs with clean felt work, or a full life-size mount with the attitude the animal had.
Bears come to the shop from Wisconsin's fall season and from hunts in Canada, Alaska, and out west. Craig has mounted bears in every format: open-mouth rugs with felt backing, half-life-size wall mounts, full life-size standing and walking poses, and pedestal mounts that show the head and shoulders on a base.
A rug is the traditional choice and the most flexible. It works on a floor, over a railing, or on a wall. A life-size mount takes more room but shows the animal's mass and posture in a way nothing else does.
Out-of-state bears can be shipped frozen. Call ahead and Craig will give you skinning and shipping instructions before you leave for the hunt.
When This Is the Right Mount
- A rug for a cabin, den, or a wall where a full mount will not fit.
- A life-size or half-life-size mount for a room with the space for it.
- A pedestal mount when you want the head and shoulders without a full body.
- A bear taken out of state that you want mounted back home.
How It Works
- 1
Skinning in the field
How the bear is skinned decides what mount is possible. For a rug or life-size, call before you cut so the paws and face are handled right.
- 2
Drop-off frozen or fresh
Bring the hide and skull to the shop. Craig checks the hide, discusses rug versus full mount, and sets a completion month.
- 3
Tanning and forming
Bear hides are tanned professionally. Rugs get a lined felt backing and open or closed mouth. Full mounts are built on a form sized to the animal.
- 4
Finish and pickup
Face detail, claws, and final grooming. Craig calls when the bear is ready.
Field Care Before Drop-Off
- Call from camp before skinning. Rug and life-size cuts are different.
- Cool the hide fast. Bear hides slip quickly in warm weather.
- Keep the paws and head attached to the hide unless Craig tells you otherwise.
- Freeze the hide flat and bring the skull along.
Questions from the field? Call 262.818.9491 before you cut.
Pricing and Turnaround
Every animal is different, so Craig quotes each mount after inspecting it at drop-off. Hide condition, size, pose, and base all change the work. Call the shop for a quote or bring the animal in.
A 50% deposit holds your place in the queue. Cash or check only. The shop works first-in, first-out and does not offer rush service. You get a specific completion month before you leave, and a call when the mount is ready.
Full policies are on the pricing and policies section of the homepage.
Bear Rugs and Mounts From the Shop
Real mounts by Craig Reindl, photographed in the Kenosha shop.
Areas We Serve
Bring It to the Bench
Call the shop to talk through the animal, the pose, and a completion month. Craig answers the phone himself.
Call 262.818.94911422 72nd Street, Kenosha, WI 53143. Weekdays 8 to 5, Saturday 8 to noon. Cash or check. 50% deposit.