Full Life-Size Bear Mounts – Dramatic Displays, Expert Craftsmanship
A full life-size bear mount is the most dramatic and impressive way to display your bear harvest. Floor-standing and commanding, a life-size mount showcases the full size, stature, and presence of your bear in a way no other mount style can match.
At Stehling’s Taxidermy, we specialize in custom full life-size black bear mounts built to capture every detail of your bear’s unique body, color phase, and personality. With over 45 years of experience and thousands of bears completed, our second-generation taxidermists Aaron and Austin Stehling deliver museum-quality results on every mount. Explore all of our bear taxidermy options including half mounts, rugs, and skull mounts.
Life-Size Pose Options
A full life-size mount gives you the most flexibility when it comes to pose selection. We offer a wide range of poses to suit your vision:
- Walking: A natural, relaxed stride that captures the bear in motion — one of the most popular and versatile poses.
- Standing Upright: The bear stands on its hind legs, showing its full height and power. A true showstopper.
- Charging / Aggressive: An intense, action-packed pose that conveys raw power and energy.
- Sitting / Relaxed: A calm, natural pose showing the bear at rest — great for a more approachable display.
- Custom Poses: Have something unique in mind? We build custom-sculpted forms to bring your exact vision to life.
Mouth Expression Options
The expression on your bear’s face sets the entire tone of the mount. Choose from:
- Closed Mouth: A calm, natural look.
- Panting: Lower jaw slightly relaxed — a relaxed, warm-weather expression.
- Open Mouth: Alert and engaged, showing teeth.
- Open Mouth Charging / Aggressive: Full intensity — perfect for an aggressive or charging pose.
- Custom Expressions: We can match any reference photo or create a specific look you’re after.
Full Life-Size Bear Mount Pricing
Full life-size bear mounts at Stehling’s Taxidermy start at $5,000+, depending on the size of the bear and the complexity of the pose and habitat base. Custom habitat bases with rocks, logs, and foliage are available at additional cost.
For a full breakdown of all bear mount options — including half mounts ($2,500+), rugs ($350/ft), and skull mounts ($275) — visit our pricing page or our main bear taxidermy page.
We also offer flexible financing and payment plans so you can get your bear mounted without delay.
Our Process – From Your Bear to a Masterpiece
Every full life-size bear mount at Stehling’s is completed entirely in-house by our team. Here’s what to expect:
- Consultation: We discuss your preferred pose, mouth expression, and display style.
- Custom Form Work: We sculpt and modify the form to match YOUR bear’s exact body shape and proportions — no generic one-size-fits-all forms.
- Mounting & Finishing: The tanned hide is fitted, eyes are set, and every detail — from ear position to lip line — is refined to be anatomically correct and lifelike.
- Habitat Base (Optional): We build custom bases with rocks, branches, and foliage to create a natural scene that brings your mount to life.
Field Care Tips – Protect Your Trophy
Proper field care is critical for a quality bear mount. Bears have thick hides that hold heat, so you need to act fast:
- Skin your bear as soon as possible — heat causes hair slippage quickly.
- Keep the hide cool, out of direct sunlight, and avoid letting it sit in water.
- For a life-size mount, the entire hide must be preserved — take extra care during skinning.
- When in doubt, call us before your hunt and we’ll walk you through the skinning cuts for a life-size mount.
Read our complete field care and pre-hunt planning guide, or check out our bear hunting tips article for more advice on getting from the field to the trophy room.
Ready to Get Started?
Whether you’ve already harvested your bear or you’re planning ahead for next season, we’d love to talk about your mount. Contact us today for a free consultation and quote.
Call or Text: 920-723-1224
