wouldya

[boneaddict]

take this one?

[Machias]

Probably

[boneaddict]

45 yards.

[NWBREW]

1st tag yes....2nd tag no.

[PolarBear]

Next year

[danceswitharrows]

Yup...first legal one in bow range is a dead one

[saylean]

Im with my bow this year...so yes. Absolutely. Obviously, with any bear, you make sure they are free from cubs before you shoot.

[hoyt5199]

Oh yeah!!

[HuntingFanatic]

heck yeah!!!

[840dc]

For sure

[follow maggie]

yes

[KillBilly]

I wouldn't take it. It looks like there may be a cub in the picture

[bowhunterforever]

Yep

[boneaddict]

WELL DONE AL!

[boneaddict]

I suspected after she stood there for about 10 minutes.  I REALLY suspected when she started popping her jaws.  I wondered how many folks would have shot as there were no cubs seen or heard.  She had two of them.

[boneaddict]

Too small to make it if mom was shot too.

[Machias]

   Tricky, plus no with a bow at 45 yards from that angle, but I don't think you were originally asking about taking the shot presented.  Nice looking sow, I would for sure pass.....I don't really care how big the cubs are, I don't shoot sow with cubs.  Thanks for sharing the photos.

[boneaddict]

After the cubs showed up I wondered how many folks would have killed her.  There are a lot of people out there that get so hyped they'll plug anything at any oppurtunity.  I would have passed on her right off because of her size.  I'm not a big bear eating fan.  I eat what I kill, but just am not excited about it.  I try to only shoot boars.  This one was young enough I really couldn't tell.  When she started snapping her jaws at me, I assumed there were cubs nearby.  That alone would be enough to ellicit bullets from many.  I just stood my ground and pretty soon one popped out, then another and off they went. 

[MADMAX]

cool picture

[follow maggie]

I still can't see the cub in the first picture.  Without a cub, I'd shoot, with a cub I'll pass.

[boneaddict]

It wasn't in the first pic FM.   She stood there for about 10 minutes at about 45 yards at an angle most folks could have punched her.  Her cubs were probably up a tree out of sight.

[Ray]

I've shot smaller!

[ICEMAN]

I admit it, standing there for a long while with no sign of cubs nearby, I would have shot her. I am a meat hunter and not a trophy hunter. Freezer is on my mind and I would have shot.

Doug, nice exercise. You just may be teaching me to be more patient and look more carefully. Nobody I know wants to shoot a mama with cubs nearby...

[boneaddict]

I've shot smaller!

Me too.

Thanks Ice.  Thats why I did it, not to sound like some know it all or pass judgement.  Trying to share a lesson that thankfully I didn't have to learn the hard way.   I've yet to have to gut and skin a bear with babies looking on.  I've heard stories though.

[follow maggie]

I think maybe I should try to be more patient, also.

[carpsniperg2]

yeah makes a guy feel good when he holds off the trigger just to make sure. then when the cubs show up its almost a reward to know you did the right thing. i would never take any sow i knew had cubs, unless in self defense situation. not saying it can't happen or won't but i try my hardest not to shoot a sow.

[Jamieb]

I'm not a expert at judging bears by any means so tell me if I'm close.
The thin face says sow
From the Micky mouse ears and looks of the body shape I'd say smaller bear, about 125LB's.
Even close?

[carpsniperg2]

looking at the build on her, and the face/head says sow to me. if i just saw that bear standing there without the cub i would be 90% sure it is a sow, by the way she looks standing there. as far as weight i can guess then pretty close, if i can see a side shot of them. the hardest andgle to judge weight is a frontal view for me and most hunters. bears are very heavy in the backend and that shows me the size of the bear as well. she looks pretty sleek in the brisket. but i would say your guess is not to far off of what i would think she would way.

[boneaddict]

Shes about 95 give or take an ounce or two.

[h20hunter]

I say for me, first picture yes, picture with cub no. I am still looking for my first bear and to me the first pic looks like an OK first bear. The pic with the cub is a pretty cool shot. Looks like a little tiny cub.

[boneaddict]

Yep, they were little ones.  Mom was doing a good job for being such a young gal.  There will be some big ones showing up soon, so I am glad she is getting her belly full now. 

[KillBilly]

I still can't see the cub in the first picture.  Without a cub, I'd shoot, with a cub I'll pass.

looking at the build on her, and the face/head says sow to me. if i just saw that bear standing there without the cub i would be 90% sure it is a sow, by the way she looks standing there. as far as weight i can guess then pretty close, if i can see a side shot of them. the hardest andgle to judge weight is a frontal view for me and most hunters. bears are very heavy in the backend and that shows me the size of the bear as well. she looks pretty sleek in the brisket. but i would say your guess is not to far off of what i would think she would way.

Although I used the term picture, my initial thought process was the same as carpsniperg2. It looked like a sow and I would have definately waited to see if cubs appeared. In addition, knowing Doug, I assumed that there was a lesson attached to his question and there was only one correct answer. Thanks for the pictures and the lesson

Al

[Galpster]

WOW, Great lesson for us new bear hunters. I have to admit, I probably would have shot her. Not seeing cubs for 10 minutes, I bet most do not wait 10 minutes to take a shot. I have never waited 10 minutes but have never hunted bear before until last year.

I learned alot, thanks.

Great photos by the way.

[KillBilly]

My buddy Jesse just told me that he had walked a closed road the other evening and sat down for a long wait. But not so long after sitting, a bear appeared on the road and began acting strangely. It crossed the road several times and after this,  a cub came out of the brush. Whew...it's strange actions saved 2 lives that evening. It certainly wasn't obvious she had a cub but strange actions were a clue to their continued existence.

Enjoy your hunting experiences.

[DOUBLELUNG]

Knowing it is a small bear, and likely a sow, I'd have tried like heck to make sure there were no cubs.  IF I was "sure", though, I'd have shot her.  Would probably let her walk and risk losing her, to try and determine if she had cubs.  However, with the behavior, probably not shooting even after 10 minutes.  So far I'm 3/3 passing on sows with cubs, really want to go 4/4 rather than 3/4.

If I do kill a sow with cubs, I will feel bad, but at least know I genuinely tried to make sure she didn't have any.  I do have an advantage in having worked quite a bit around nuisance bears, so have a better idea than the average unsuccessful hunter wanting their first bear.  I have registed dozens of bears in WY, and received teeth from dozens of successful WA hunters, so I've had the opportunity to talk with several inadvertent cub orphaners.  I have never talked to a successful hunter who admitted they deliberately orphaned cubs; of the guys who killed sows with cubs, I'd say 90% felt really bad, a few are like "oh, well, stuff happens" (some of the latter I suspect knew the bear had cubs, but I am not sure).