Bears over 500#

[MooseZ25]

Just curious about how many Washington bears have been shot weighing over 500 pounds?  A good friend thinks he has one in his hunting area over 500. This would be his second bear over 500.  I didn't witness the scale on the first one, but I will be there if he kills the second one.   Let me know what you all have seen.

[luvmystang67]

HAHAHAH, maybe there are leadberries in your area.  That would help get a bear there.

But no...

[DOUBLELUNG]

Once a Washington bear reaches 400 pounds, its hide becomes a Kevlar-like bulletproof barrier.  Thus, although several hundred are seen every year by hunters, one is rarely if ever brought to the scales and weighed. 

[h20hunter]

HAHAHAH, maybe there are leadberries in your area.  That would help get a bear there.

But no...

Stang....post the link to last year's bear....that was a huge bear....but not close to 500....

[luvmystang67]

This one?
http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,138043.msg1832844.html#msg1832844

or the spring bear this year?

[D-Rock425]

That was sure a good time.

[tgomez]

I've honestly only seen one bear that was over 500 pounds and was definetly over 7' long. People get them here in Washington though its rare. Average bear 175 lbs or so, so when you see a 500 plus pound bear you will know it!

[Timberstalker]

I've honestly only seen one bear that was over 500 pounds and was definetly over 7' long. People get them here in Washington though its rare. Average bear 175 lbs or so, so when you see a 500 plus pound bear you will know it!

Was this bear on a scale?

[Jonathan_S]

I imagine there have been a few 500# taken near the Peninsula.  Anywhere that has constant food source and warm winters can produce some fatties, i.e. SE Alaska has warm winters and plenty of food.  400+ isn't terribly uncommon there.

Bears aren't measured by weight anyway, skull size and age are more interesting (and reliable) if you're talking trophy. 

I've honestly only seen one bear that was over 500 pounds and was definetly over 7' long. People get them here in Washington though its rare. Average bear 175 lbs or so, so when you see a 500 plus pound bear you will know it!

Was it near your 200" bucks? 

 

[h20hunter]

This one?
http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,138043.msg1832844.html#msg1832844

or the spring bear this year?

That was the one.....biggest bear I've seen in person dead or alive.

[RadSav]

We had one on the BumbleBee fish dock scales in Newport, Oregon tip 548#.  The bear running side-by-side with that bear was actually bigger!  Those are probably the only 500# bear I have seen.  I do have one here in WA that might push that at the right time of year and with a good berry crop.  Wife shot one of his offspring that hit 450# (scaled whole, field dressed and calculated for innards) so it's possible pops can reach 500#.  Just not sure there has been a berry year recently that would support it.

It's like a 400 bull elk.  They do exist, but most of us will never see one in person.  For me that's two, perhaps three, out of possibly 750-850 bear (not all Washington).

[snowshoes22]

I imagine there have been a few 500# taken near the Peninsula.  Anywhere that has constant food source and warm winters can produce some fatties, i.e. SE Alaska has warm winters and plenty of food.  400+ isn't terribly uncommon there.

Bears aren't measured by weight anyway, skull size and age are more interesting (and reliable) if you're talking trophy. 

I've honestly only seen one bear that was over 500 pounds and was definetly over 7' long. People get them here in Washington though its rare. Average bear 175 lbs or so, so when you see a 500 plus pound bear you will know it!

Was it near your 200" bucks? 

Haha you beat me to it.

 

[2labs]

Seabeck bear legit, google it. Just a few years ago.

[snowshoes22]

Were these bears in Lincoln County?

[Curly]

The one that made this might be 500 pounds:  http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,182914.msg2412660.html#msg2412660