Bear Question

[GoldTip]

Michelle, the bear in your example could also be only one bear, spring versus late fall, as well.  Thats why I do not "square" a bear when I measure them for bragging rights.  But I understand your need for taxidermy purposes to square them.  I also don't care much for skull measurements.  The bear in my previous post is the biggest dead black bear I have ever seen, and I've probably seen well over 100 dead bears.  But by skull measurements, it was a average P&Y bear.

[billythekidrock]

Thats why I do not "square" a bear when I measure them for bragging rights.   I also don't care much for skull measurements. 

Then how do you "measure" them for bragging rights? By color phase?

[RubblesPH]

My experience is that bears are all over the place...just like humans.  Short, tall, fat skinny, long snout but narrow head, really short snout but unbelievably broad head, etc.  

The thing I run into most is that people tend to over estimate the weight.  We took four bears last year and three of them were over 6', but all within three inches of each other.  Most people guessed the largest one to be approximately 450lbs.  We weighed (Cabela's field scale) the bear with a field scale and it went 283 lbs with a full belly.  We weighed ourselves after the bear just to make sure the scale was close.  It had a 19" skull.  

The 6' 2" bear was only an inch shorter but almost 50 lbs lighter and had a 17 3/4" skull.  Just a younger bear that was going to have great potential.  

I shot a bear the year before that was 7'3" and had a skull that just missed 20" (broad head but unfortunately had a short snout).  The bear was unbelievably fat and measured 61" across the belly, skinned.  Based on a published article that had a length/weight chart for bears (similar to what pig farmers use), the bear was estimated to weigh 628 lbs.  I laid down next to it and it made me (6ft, 245lbs) look like a high school DB next to a professional O-lineman.  Wish I could have gotten him on an actual scale.    

All bears were measured from the tip of nose to tip of tail with the hide on the animal.  Some people measure from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail.  Never did square any of them out.

My opinion is that if it is over 6' and around 250lbs, you've done something in WA.  

[billythekidrock]

My opinion is that if it is over 6' and around 250lbs, you've done something in WA. 

Yep.

[RubblesPH]

Oops - correction in the weights.

the 6'3" bear was 330
the 6' bear was 300

Went back and checked my records since I thought those weights seemed a little low.

Still think the 6'/250+lbs is a bench mark in WA though.

[shawnrdavies]

I would have to say around 5ft or weight would run about 125-150lbs would be average after talking with my taxidermist. I shot a 6ft from nose to tail and it was 400lbs.

[RubblesPH]

Shawn...sounds like a great bear.  Got any pics? 

[Outfitter]

A big Washington bear on our property.

[actionshooter]

Boy that one looks fat!

[T-ROY]

nice, he would look good on the wall

[SHANE(WA)]

looks like a fat sow, no shoulders and a large rump, small gap between the ears very small skull, a large head on a bear the ears will appear to be small and almost look like they are on the side of the head.

[billythekidrock]

looks like a fat sow, no shoulders and a large rump, small gap between the ears very small skull, a large head on a bear the ears will appear to be small and almost look like they are on the side of the head.

I agree that it looks like a sow, but I think it is a very fat boar. There is nothing in the image for real size reference, but it looks to have a deep chest, fair sized frame and an extreme amount of fat. So unless someone wants to lift a leg and take a peek we shall never know.

[Outfitter]

Heres a picture from our trail cam on video.Small bears but cool.

[Outfitter]

I put up a sign here just for some funny pictures.

[PacificNWhunter]

Great pictures...looks like you have a nice piece of property there with lots a photogenic critters!