Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game how to hang bear rugs

I have two black bear rugs I want to hang. Both are double felt but do not have any type of attachment points already added. The wall will be sheetrock. What I am currently thinking is using roofing tacks on the upper, weight bearing side into the studs, and several long staples to hold everything else to the wall. I am worried about how strong the felt is though and whether it will pull out over time. I do not want to put anything through the skin.

Would appreciate any advice with pictures on the best way to wall hang a standard rug.

If you had D hooks I'd just install wall anchors and run screws in. With tacks or nails though it will work where you can get into a stud. Where you can't I'd still be tempted to find a way to use screws and wall anchors.

Morning chaps, when I hung my bear mount it had one hanger under the head, hung that first & then used a large staple gun to hold the rest (flat) . I parted the hair then put in the staple so the hair covered the staple. This was hung on a drywall, wall with paneling on top. Stayed hung for years until it started to get rather tattered & worn out. I thought they would last forever??? Maybe it wasn't done right??? It seemed like it had bugs at one time, didn't find any bugs but there were little shells all through it like something hatched??? Maybe I should have sprayed with bug spray? Maybe google it & see what the pros say. I was pretty bummed out when I had to throw it away. Lots of memories in that rug. Bill out. 🐾👣🇨🇦

They can get bugs. You have spray them with Raid when that happens.

You can cover it with a plastic bag and put a chunk of dry ice in it. It'll suffocate the bugs as it evaporates. You might do well to repeat it in a week or so to make sure you get any newly hatched larvae.

I use a staple gun to hang my bear rugs.
I’ve also helped a few others to hang their rugs.

On a double felt rug.
Just shoot the staples through the first layer of felt, the second covers the staples.

I believe I use 3/8” staples.
Take care.

Kodiak,

Same as Hammerdown, I put thumb tacks about 1/2" long between the felt layers so they can't be seen. I used quite a few of them to hold the felt from sagging.





To be on the safe side though, I used a few small finish nails with flat heads, about an inch long, on the legs and base of neck to secure the hide against the wall. The hair hides the nails unless you pull it back, like I did below. I know you said you didn't want to put a hole in the hide, but a few small nails does hold the hide very secure to the wall and are easily hidden in the hair.

Are y'all putting anything into the studs, or just the sheetrock? I guess it'd be better if it was on a log wall, maybe in retirement.

I did the same thing as Lonny except the finish nails and it has been hanging on my wall for 3 years now and I have not to touch it since.

Furniture tacks , large heads that are finished through the double felt have worked well the last 10 years

I was hoping for some pictures of the Actual bear skins on the wall.

Just Sheetrock.
Never had a problem.

I put 1" finish nails thru the hide into whatever they hit...wallboard with or without studs behind it. Around the head and feet I'll put a few outside the hide in the felt too. I've used this technique for 40 years without issue and through several moves. Doesn't hurt the bear rug at all...better than just in the felt.

Kodiak, if you really don't want to punch through the hide with nails, even finish nails, you could always take it to a taxidermist to sew in some sort of hanging bracket.

I've had a few rugs, a lion and a bear that didn't have any type of hanging hardware but after I had a wolf rugged, with the hardware, I took the lion and bear rugs in for the same upgrade. It works well.

I have never seen a bear rug that did not have hangers... pop top pulls can be sewn on easily and used as hangers.

I used small black flat headed finishing nails. I placed them through the edge of the skins as I thought the felt might give way over time. After about 4 years, the felt belt zebra hide and other hides are still hanging great.

Staples. Loads if them. Get help need few sets of hands.

I use a dozen or so 1" flat head finishing nails through the edge of the hide. A nail every foot or so around the top edges, they don't have to be in studs. The small nail holes won't damage the hide. The taxidermist didn't put any kind of hangers on the backing. This one is on a stair wall and has been there for about 20 years. I had it on another wall for the previous 20 years, and on another wall several years previous to that.

I prefer to have the head facing down to better see the face and mouth.

OK, so getting ready to get these out of the floor:




Here is the wall they are going on. It is a 10ft high by a little over 14ft long. I've got two layouts here. Either putting them nose to nose, or angling both head up. Not sure which way to go, but I only want to do it once.