Size this bear

[ljsommer]

I know next to nothing about bear hunting, any guesses on size from this print and droppings?

[DOUBLELUNG]

That's a hind foot print, one rule of thumb is that the width of the front track in inches indicates what the hide will square in feet.  The hind print is slightly narrower than the front.  My hand is 4" wide, your hand and the hind foot appear to be equal in width in the photo, so I'm going to guess a 4 1/2"-5" front width - an average size adult, 150 lbs give or take spring weight, approaching 200 lbs fall weight.  Not a monster, not a dink - if there's no cub tracks a shooter in my book.

LOTS of speculation in that guess

There is some correlation between scat size and bear size, but it's very imprecise and depends a lot on season and diet.  The largest black bear scats I've seen are about as thick as a beer/pop can, and for volume can compete with a horse - which I assume is a big bear.  That looks "average" to me, supporting perhaps an average size adult.

@saylean what say you?

[pashok23]

Scat looks above avarage for sure. I've seen tons of bear poop in MT. Print is melted, hard to tell there, but not a big bear there.

[h20hunter]

Shoot it then we can play guess the weight.  Likely not huge but I'd likely punch a tag given the chance.

[mountainman]

That's a hind foot print, one rule of thumb is that the width of the front track in inches indicates what the hide will square in feet.  The hind print is slightly narrower than the front.  My hand is 4" wide, your hand and the hind foot appear to be equal in width in the photo, so I'm going to guess a 4 1/2"-5" front width - an average size adult, 150 lbs give or take spring weight, approaching 200 lbs fall weight.  Not a monster, not a dink - if there's no cub tracks a shooter in my book.

LOTS of speculation in that guess

There is some correlation between scat size and bear size, but it's very imprecise and depends a lot on season and diet.  The largest black bear scats I've seen are about as thick as a beer/pop can, and for volume can compete with a horse - which I assume is a big bear.  That looks "average" to me, supporting perhaps an average size adult.

@saylean what say you?

Width of front track +1" is approximate square in feet

[buckcanyonlodge]

"There is some correlation between scat size and bear size"

So is this a griz?

I agree on the medium size of your bear. the track has melted and the scat seems about average size. Still a shooter.

[Skyvalhunter]

That bear is 257 lbs.

[jasnt]

Front track width in inches minus 1 then x 80 lbs has been very close for the bears ive killed in Washington fall weight

[Jonathan_S]

Medium Size

[7mmfan]

"There is some correlation between scat size and bear size"

So is this a griz?

No. That there is a mess.

[boneaddict]

Never judge a bear by the size of his crap pile. 

[cbond3318]

"There is some correlation between scat size and bear size"

So is this a griz?

I agree on the medium size of your bear. the track has melted and the scat seems about average size. Still a shooter.

@Timberstalker medium blackie with a love for Busch Lite?

[DOUBLELUNG]

Never judge a bear by the size of his crap pile. 

That should be on a t-shirt!

[cavemann]

being there are no chewed up mace cans or bells, it's a black bear...

[Machias]

Never judge a bear by the size of his crap pile. 

That should be on a t-shirt!