Hunting Washington Forum
Washington State Hunting Forum and Northwest Resource Site
Please
login
or
register
.
1 Hour
1 Day
1 Week
1 Month
Forever
Login with username, password and session length
News:
Free:
Contests & Raffles
.
Home
Help
Calendar
Advertise
Login
Register
Hunting Washington Forum
»
Big Game Hunting
»
Bear Hunting
»
Guess the age...
Advertisement
Advertise Here
« previous
next »
Print
Pages: [
1
]
2
All
Go Down
Author
Topic: Guess the age... (Read 5612 times)
Lowedog
Trade Count:
(
+6
)
Frontiersman
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 2624
Guess the age...
«
on:
September 03, 2010, 07:04:14 PM »
I have noticed that a lot of guys seem to know how to age a bear from photos by looking at the ears. Here is a bear I killed in 2001. The pic isn't very good but just wanted to see how good you guys are.
Logged
"Ethical behavior is doing the right thing when no one else is watching- even when doing the wrong thing is legal."
— Aldo Leopold
Advertise Here
billythekidrock
Varmint
Trade Count:
(
+1
)
Explorer
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 13440
Re: Guess the age...
«
Reply #1 on:
September 03, 2010, 07:51:45 PM »
Aging a bear by it's ears? Never heard of it, but I am willing to learn.
Logged
bobcat
Global Moderator
Trade Count:
(
+14
)
Legend
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 39201
Location: Rochester
Re: Guess the age...
«
Reply #2 on:
September 03, 2010, 07:53:32 PM »
Maybe not age, but can't you estimate a bear's size by how big the ears look in proportion to its head?
Logged
Lowedog
Trade Count:
(
+6
)
Frontiersman
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 2624
Re: Guess the age...
«
Reply #3 on:
September 03, 2010, 08:55:35 PM »
I have noticed on several posts where age and/or size is judged by the ears.
Logged
"Ethical behavior is doing the right thing when no one else is watching- even when doing the wrong thing is legal."
— Aldo Leopold
Coasthunterjay
Trade Count:
(
0
)
Sourdough
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 1749
Re: Guess the age...
«
Reply #4 on:
September 03, 2010, 09:03:56 PM »
Ide listen to BTKR....if anyone knows bears...not saying whoever can tell you how old a bear is by his ears is wrong...BUT BTKR is one of the most educated bear hunters in washington state and ide have to say hes on it......
I also have to add....I typically age bears by teeth wear and markings...but that still is a guess-timate...seeing how im not a bioligist and dont have all the cool tools and lab...lol....i think you judge muturity by ears, or lack of ears....but not age...
Ill throw out a guess though...Lets go...8 yrs...? Maybe?
Logged
carpsniperg2
Site Sponsor
Global Moderator
Trade Count:
(
+126
)
Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 31528
Location: Goldendale,WA
Re: Guess the age...
«
Reply #5 on:
September 03, 2010, 09:06:16 PM »
yeah i have never heard of age by ears
you can tell a little about the size of the bear by the ears because if they looks big most times its a smaller bear and if they look small. it tends to be a bigger bear. but never heard of age
teeth are the best way to tell how old anything is.
Logged
Owner: SPLIT DIAMOND TACTICAL
Firearms/Transfers/Parts/Optics
2011 HW Head Competition Winner
markts
Thank God Im a country boy
Trade Count:
(
0
)
Sourdough
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 2497
Location: Wishkah Washington
Re: Guess the age...
«
Reply #6 on:
September 03, 2010, 09:18:56 PM »
Nice bear 11 1/2
Logged
alanger
Yar ankle biter
Trade Count:
(
0
)
Sourdough
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 1617
Location: Wennoootchee
Team super bait
Re: Guess the age...
«
Reply #7 on:
September 03, 2010, 09:21:25 PM »
7 years
Logged
~Ankle biter out~
Team super bait! Gamakatsu ~Ugly Stick~
Abu Garcia 'Bone Collector' -Bowtech- <Berkley fishing>
Cannon~DigiTroll FLW Outdoors ~Cabela's~
Lowedog
Trade Count:
(
+6
)
Frontiersman
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 2624
Re: Guess the age...
«
Reply #8 on:
September 03, 2010, 09:27:44 PM »
Yeah, I had never heard of guessing age by ears till I read a post where someone said something about it. Since then I have read the ear thing several times, maybe more pertaining to size though.
This bear was 9-1/2. This is the only bear I have ever shot and maybe ever will unless I happen across a nice color phase or something. The thing ended up costing me a small fortune!
Logged
"Ethical behavior is doing the right thing when no one else is watching- even when doing the wrong thing is legal."
— Aldo Leopold
markts
Thank God Im a country boy
Trade Count:
(
0
)
Sourdough
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 2497
Location: Wishkah Washington
Re: Guess the age...
«
Reply #9 on:
September 03, 2010, 09:33:19 PM »
Wheres those pics
Logged
bobcat
Global Moderator
Trade Count:
(
+14
)
Legend
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 39201
Location: Rochester
Re: Guess the age...
«
Reply #10 on:
September 03, 2010, 09:40:59 PM »
Well, I'm definitely not an expert on bears, but doesn't size generally correspond to age? And as carpsniper said, if the ears look small in proportion to the head, then it's a big bear (old) and if the ears look big in proportion to the head, then the bear is small (young.)
Logged
Lowedog
Trade Count:
(
+6
)
Frontiersman
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 2624
Re: Guess the age...
«
Reply #11 on:
September 03, 2010, 09:42:52 PM »
http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,55616.0.html
This is what got me thinking about it.
Logged
"Ethical behavior is doing the right thing when no one else is watching- even when doing the wrong thing is legal."
— Aldo Leopold
Michelle_Nelson
Trade Count:
(
-1
)
Old Salt
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 7974
Location: Rochester, Washington
Bring on the Bears!
Re: Guess the age...
«
Reply #12 on:
September 03, 2010, 10:24:04 PM »
Quote from: bobcat on September 03, 2010, 09:40:59 PM
doesn't size generally correspond to age?
Absolutly NOT!
You can't judge age by the size of the Bear or how big it's ears look in relation to body size.
You can have a 400lbs 10 year old Bear and a 180lbs 10 year old Bear. Size is based on genetics.
Logged
JackOfAllTrades
Rasbo said I Ain't Right.
Trade Count:
(
0
)
Old Salt
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 6509
Location: Lynden, WA.
Μολὼν λαβέ
Re: Guess the age...
«
Reply #13 on:
September 03, 2010, 10:33:14 PM »
I'm no Bear expert, but I've never heard of ear sizing determining age. It's not always the case even for size of a bear. I've seen some pretty small headed bears that were big bears. Genetics, like Michelle said. Watch the huntin shows... Alberta is known for big headed bears that are good sized or even long, but look at Vancouver island here the heads are generally smaller but net some seriously heavy rolly polly bears.
-Steve
Logged
The NRA says I'm a Master!
Colt's, Ruger's, Dan Wesson, & Kimber are my friends!
Proud to be a U.S. Navy Veteran.
If you never follow your dreams, you'll never go anywhere.
Critical thinking keeps people from freaking the hell out every time some half baked blogger forgets his meds. Unlike some of you, I do not have TawkethOutOfAnus© syndrome.
Coasthunterjay
Trade Count:
(
0
)
Sourdough
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 1749
Re: Guess the age...
«
Reply #14 on:
September 04, 2010, 08:13:56 AM »
I am not sure where it is at...because its an older post...But BTKR had a post talking about bear ages and the teeth that he sent in and it was amazing because it looked like he had this very mature 300+ lbs bore and in the next picture he had a picture of this young looking sow...weighning barely 200lbs....
Well after post after post of people on here trying to guess the different ages of these bears....BTKR ends up telling us that one of them is more than twice the others age....And its the small one...
I guess he had gotten the teeth data back from the WDFW biologist and the younger looking of the two was something like 20 plus years of age.....Crazy!
So kind of like what i was trying to say before...Size or for a SHOOTER bear....i guess you can look at the ears...But that doesnt get you anywhere near trying to figure out how old a bear is.....
Man i wish i could find that post...had good pics of the bears also....but just thought ide let you know for next time...
Logged
Advertise Here
Print
Pages: [
1
]
2
All
Go Up
« previous
next »
Hunting Washington Forum
»
Big Game Hunting
»
Bear Hunting
»
Guess the age...
Advertisement
Advertise Here
Quick Links
Front Page
Donate To Forum
Advertise on H-W
Recent Posts
Articles
Forum Rules
Recent Topics
GROUSE 2025...the Season is looming!
by
EnglishSetter
[
Yesterday
at 11:41:55 PM]
New Bow
by
high_hunter
[
Yesterday
at 11:23:05 PM]
Game trails to nowhere?
by
Boss .300 winmag
[
Yesterday
at 09:11:26 PM]
HUNTNNW 2025 trail cam thread and photos
by
kodiak06
[
Yesterday
at 09:10:20 PM]
KODIAK06 2025 trail cam and personal pics thread
by
kodiak06
[
Yesterday
at 09:07:36 PM]
That "lake taste" in freshwater fish
by
Skillet
[
Yesterday
at 08:44:10 PM]
Pet Beaver
by
Fidelk
[
Yesterday
at 08:15:47 PM]
2024 Quality Buck coming home
by
MADMAX
[
Yesterday
at 07:56:50 PM]
June 26-27th WDFW Commission Meeting. Showing of sportsmen needed for Friday.
by
Dave Workman
[
Yesterday
at 07:09:23 PM]
New video from Sportsmen's Alliance includes some damning new records from the 4
by
lewy
[
Yesterday
at 06:58:22 PM]
Sauk Unit Youth Elk Tips
by
Hunting Cowboy
[
Yesterday
at 06:25:12 PM]
Archery elk gear, 2025.
by
IFunk
[
Yesterday
at 05:53:52 PM]
Upland Side by Side
by
ghosthunter
[
Yesterday
at 05:46:33 PM]
UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL, COYOTE AT 1 YARD
by
Boss .300 winmag
[
Yesterday
at 03:40:24 PM]
45 Winchester Magnum
by
Farmer72
[
Yesterday
at 02:16:56 PM]
90's Yamaha no telltale?
by
Stein
[
Yesterday
at 12:34:26 PM]
Grayback Youth Hunt
by
jnichols
[
Yesterday
at 12:28:18 PM]
Sheep Ewe - Whitestone Sheep Unit 20
by
jnichols
[
Yesterday
at 12:17:54 PM]
SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2025, SimplePortal