Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Bear Hunting => Topic started by: MichaelJ on August 16, 2007, 09:39:19 PM

Title: Weight my '05 Bear...
Post by: MichaelJ on August 16, 2007, 09:39:19 PM: Well I got this guy in October of 2005. His skull was 18 7/8" and he's 6'4" nose-tail and 6'9" paw-paw (as a rug) so that's 6'6.5" square. We estimated somewhere AROUND 400 lbs but weren't sure as we weren't able to take him out whole. What do you think?

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv458%2FMoparKid69%2F05Oct4.jpg&hash=eee61dfbd1f91ee8ae0f2371b8430d40c340326b)
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv458%2FMoparKid69%2F05Oct6.jpg&hash=732a30fd7b4003bb8ceec9d8a27fcef55cd1f65a)
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv458%2FMoparKid69%2F05Oct5.jpg&hash=c25742d80f7e580e76e7ad742eb6b976d8d8533a)
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv458%2FMoparKid69%2F05Oct10.jpg&hash=cf11b57ca0eb74a0433a315b7fed33b4f98c9472)
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv458%2FMoparKid69%2F05Oct11.jpg&hash=44c6b5a8bd49f46a5edc16dab06dd285ead57524)

The first couple pics are a little decieving, look at the proportions and you get a good idea of how big he is. My Dad weights 170 and I at that time was around 140... He had atleast 3" of fat on his back and was really burly through his shoulders, back and legs. Thanks

Michael
Title: Re: Weight my '05 Bear...
Post by: billythekidrock on August 17, 2007, 06:38:02 AM: First off...Congrats.. that is a great bear.

I am going to be generous and say that bear is maybe 300 lbs tops. The chest is not that thick and the front legs don't have the mass that a really huge bear has.

Here are some pics of my brother's 2006 archery bear. It squared just over 6ft green and the skull was over 18 inches. It weighed 275 lbs.

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fimg%2F433403.jpg&hash=a7a7334aab7f7512e352a62825d76b9dcafde776)

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fimg%2F433407.jpg&hash=6293de6a8fb2d015e0289162ec344af610611521)

This bear had inches of fat and in this pic you can compare it to my fat 210lb butt.

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fimg%2F511678.jpg&hash=dadb7e17208b38de93180df481e4e83359946e19)
Title: Re: Weight my '05 Bear...
Post by: ICEMAN on August 17, 2007, 06:46:02 AM: Billy, how can we compare if you don't turn around? :chuckle:
Title: Re: Weight my '05 Bear...
Post by: saylean on August 17, 2007, 11:55:37 AM: Quote from: Iceman on August 17, 2007, 06:46:02 AM
Billy, how can we compare if you don't turn around? :chuckle:

Zing...

Nice bears guys... ;P I hate seeing these "smaller bears"...cause the one I got (my first) could have lived inside of either of these guys...lol..oh well...perhaps this year... ')
Title: Re: Weight my '05 Bear...
Post by: MichaelJ on August 17, 2007, 12:42:44 PM: Billy, Great bear! I see what your saying, but like I said the pics really don't do it justice. The most impressive part of the bear was how thick he was through the shoulders/check and back. Look at your bro's bear then look at mine, from the pics his looks bigger, but mine squared more and had nearly a 19" skull... And scoring green is a generous thing as the skin of a bear shrinks once it is tanned (as does any animal, to a degree). :dunno:

Michael
Title: Re: Weight my '05 Bear...
Post by: boneaddict on August 17, 2007, 01:28:17 PM: I think I insulted you when I told you what I thought your bear weighed, way back on MM. Your bear is a wonderful trophy, but not nearly 400 pounds. I don't remember what I guessed back then, but 275-300 or would be a good guess. Don't take me wrong, you got a nice bear. Nice pics too Billy.
Title: Re: Weight my '05 Bear...
Post by: high country on August 17, 2007, 04:28:26 PM: I took this guy in the spring, not a ounce of fat on him. I am good at guessing weights most the time and I would say 270ish......since I am 6' and 230

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi193.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz16%2Fgyonemura%2Fspringbear018Small.jpg&hash=ce5170cc66563e4d45690015372f39d59ceb8c39)
Title: Re: Weight my '05 Bear...
Post by: bowpredator on August 17, 2007, 06:09:41 PM: Bears are really hard to judge weight when hanging. When I shot my first bear I thought I had shot a big bear 275-300 and packing him out he was even heavier, but after gutting him and skining him then having him on the hook he weighed just over 100 lbs then you add 40 lbs for head and hide, then 30-40 guts put him at about 180lbs on the hoof. I have learned to take my time and size up a bear before pulling the trigger. Believe me when you see a 300-350lb bear in the woods you will not need to size him up because he will be big compaired to a 200lb bear. The bear I shot last year was a prime example of this, when we spotted him at 300 yrds I didn't even need to look him over I just shot him and when we got up to him there was no ground shinkage as compaired to the 200lb bears that I have shot in the past. This bear ended up scoring 19 8/16ths and my other 200lb bears were 18 and under. Dont get me wrong I'm not knocking your bear any bear is a trophy, but thats not a 400lb bear. Just my 2 cents.

Rodger
Title: Re: Weight my '05 Bear...
Post by: robb92 on August 17, 2007, 06:25:19 PM: Both bears are really great congrats!!! I will be coming back to Spokane next week to do some bear hunting. Anybody willing to share where they have been seeing any bears? I only get to come back to Washington once a year and I missed last year do to being in the desert.
Title: Re: Weight my '05 Bear...
Post by: billythekidrock on August 17, 2007, 06:27:28 PM: Quote
And scoring green is a generous thing as the skin of a bear shrinks once it is tanned (as does any animal, to a degree).

Yes, but they are stretched by the taxidermist (usually larger than life).
Title: Re: Weight my '05 Bear...
Post by: Machias on August 17, 2007, 08:04:41 PM: robb92 your timing is perfect! MUCH cooler weather rolling in for next week. Might even get a little bit of rain. Good luck my friend.

Michael, absolutely awesome looking bear, since you asked I would guess 270-290, which is about 60-75 pounds heavier then the average bear here in WA. Congrats!
Title: Re: Weight my '05 Bear...
Post by: Michelle_Nelson on August 17, 2007, 08:39:40 PM: Tanned hides do shrink, but than again so do green hides if left to dry. Heck what doesn't shrink when it's left out to dry. Not to many things. I will say this....you can't measure a green hide and get a accurate measurment. Green hides streach A LOT! Any hide will be bigger once it is skinned off the animal.

Next time you go bear hunting bring a tape measure with you. When you shoot one measure the bear around the belly and than from the tip of his nose along the back to the base of the tail. After you skin it out lay the hide down and measure it again. I gurantee it will be a lot bigger.
Title: Re: Weight my '05 Bear...
Post by: Michelle_Nelson on August 17, 2007, 08:52:25 PM: One more thing since billy brought it up...

If you bring an animal to a taxidermist you should get back what you give! If you bring him a deer with a 19" neck than thats what you should get back. Taxidermist arn'st doing any one any favors by over straching the animals cape or hides. Yeah the mount may look good for a few years but they are setting you up for problems down the road. Cracks in the skin can and do form in the cape. Especially around the eyes, nose, and lips. The seams can start to seaperate and pull stiches loose.

If the animal comes back way smaller than the original measurments than the taxidermist did a half ass job streching the cape back to it ORIGINAL measurments.
Title: Re: Weight my '05 Bear...
Post by: billythekidrock on August 18, 2007, 05:16:30 AM: Quote
Next time you go bear hunting bring a tape measure with you. When you shoot one measure the bear around the belly and than from the tip of his nose along the back to the base of the tail. After you skin it out lay the hide down and measure it again. I gurantee it will be a lot bigger.

Yes it will be larger skinned, but that is how they are squared. Layed out naturally..not stretched and distorted, measured nose to tail and claw to claw. It is funny to see a 5ft bear streatched (nailed on sheets of plywood at the Taxi) to almost 6 ft.

Quote
If the animal comes back way smaller than the original measurments than the taxidermist did a half ass job streching the cape back to it ORIGINAL measurments.

Didn't we have this exact conversations at the archery shop?LOL
If the hunter capes the animal then they should have the measurements for you. But they should also know the difference in measurements. Squaring a hide is the excepted way to express size, but not really a good way to measure for a mount, where eye to nose, neck and other measurements are better.
Title: Re: Weight my '05 Bear...
Post by: boneaddict on August 18, 2007, 06:27:23 AM: "layed out naturally" is the key. Folks tend to try to stretch it one way, take the measurement, then stretch it another and take the measurement. Many then add an inch or two just for prosperiety sakes. Pretty darn silly. Be proud of your trophies folks, its not a pecker measuring contest. A bear that squares 6 foot is a gorgeous rug. If you shoot a bear over 200 pounds in Washington you should be dang happy. I've probably seen MAYBE 4 bears in my life that might tip the 400 pound scale here in good ole Wash. Thats out of nearly 1000+ bear.
Title: Re: Weight my '05 Bear...
Post by: billythekidrock on August 18, 2007, 06:55:53 AM: Quote
"layed out naturally" is the key. Folks tend to try to stretch it one way, take the measurement, then stretch it another and take the measurement.

ha ha...yep, seen that too. Doing the claw to claw measurement shrinks the length and vice versus.

Quote
Be proud of your trophies folks, its not a pecker measuring contest.

How do you measure that? From unda? Across the top? Just the twigs or do you include the berries? LOL :dunno:
Title: Re: Weight my '05 Bear...
Post by: ICEMAN on August 18, 2007, 06:58:28 AM: Displacement.
Title: Re: Weight my '05 Bear...
Post by: boneaddict on August 18, 2007, 07:01:10 AM: :chuckle:

as stated above....when its a big one, you don't need to worry about judgeing it.
SHE'll know. :o
Title: Re: Weight my '05 Bear...
Post by: billythekidrock on August 18, 2007, 07:49:26 AM: Quote from: boneaddict on August 18, 2007, 07:01:10 AM
:chuckle:

as stated above....when its a big one, you don't need to worry about judgeing it.
SHE'll know. :o

Too funny!
Title: Re: Weight my '05 Bear...
Post by: Michelle_Nelson on August 18, 2007, 03:04:55 PM: Yes billy, having measurments from the hunters would be nice. The problem is I can tell 20 different people how to measure the same deer and the majority of them will come to me with different measurments. :dunno:
Title: Re: Weight my '05 Bear...
Post by: MichaelJ on August 19, 2007, 12:30:37 PM: Hey guys just got back from a bear hunt... didn't get anything but had an AWESOME time with my brother and my Dad, it's the first time the THREE of us have ever done ANYTHING together like that... It was great!

Don't get me wrong I'm definitely happy with my bear and am not dissapointed to say it was only 275 lbs, and a dark chocolate color at that (and considering I shot it while hunting for deer!). The squaring 6'6.5" was with it hanging on the wall and just a rough estimate, but I'll take it down and get some accurate measurements...

Thanks for all the comments!

Michael
Title: Re: Weight my '05 Bear...
Post by: boneaddict on August 19, 2007, 12:54:05 PM: Any pics?
Title: Re: Weight my '05 Bear...
Post by: MichaelJ on August 19, 2007, 01:01:33 PM: A few, I still got to get them off the camera... most of you should know whereabouts we were... be right back!

Michael
Title: Re: Weight my '05 Bear...
Post by: MichaelJ on August 19, 2007, 01:14:56 PM: Here's the only good ones I have... It's no secret where we were considering we didn't see anything! lol

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv458%2FMoparKid69%2FBearHunt8-19005.jpg&hash=1c726349497741c48690ec281eec7963d38b10d8)
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv458%2FMoparKid69%2FBearHunt8-19006.jpg&hash=cbf9ab4fa1ef17c361edb3ac65a5fe7275b641ed)

My brother and my Dad:
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv458%2FMoparKid69%2FBearHunt8-19004.jpg&hash=6334bf1d5a80163ac430e6832b5d3f49c4ba45ca)

My brother and myself...
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv458%2FMoparKid69%2FBearHunt8-19007.jpg&hash=75c005de59de07a96869ba4e60804616e5ff8a54)

Had an absolute blast and saw some deer and some great country, the old man can't keep up very well but he does pretty well for 54! Seriously one of the best hunting trips I can remember, laughed a ton and saw some great country... Makes me smile just thinking about it.

Michael
Title: Re: Weight my '05 Bear...
Post by: boneaddict on August 19, 2007, 01:47:03 PM: Thanks for sharing the pics. Thats what hunting is all about. Well that and escaping the wife, but you don't know about that yet. ;)
Title: Re: Weight my '05 Bear...
Post by: Machias on August 19, 2007, 02:44:48 PM: :) Awesome photos, thanks for sharing!
Title: Re: Weight my '05 Bear...
Post by: high country on August 19, 2007, 02:46:54 PM: I just came home from sportsmans wherhouse, a guy has a pic of a bear he is claiming is 400lbs......it must be damn dense as my 270ish bear is bigger in every way.
Title: Re: Weight my '05 Bear...
Post by: T-ROY on August 20, 2007, 10:31:19 AM: beauty, wish i could find one in oct. very nice hide no matter what he weighed
Title: Re: Weight my '05 Bear...
Post by: MichaelJ on August 20, 2007, 12:36:49 PM: Thanks guys, I'll see if I can't sneak up to my brothers to get a picture of the rug, he was a little too big to fit in our house!

Michael
Title: Re: Weight my '05 Bear...
Post by: crabcreekhunter on August 22, 2007, 12:49:36 PM: Looks like fun in some familiar country!lol Should head up when I get into town about the eigth or ninth of September.
Title: Re: Weight my '05 Bear...
Post by: MichaelJ on August 22, 2007, 03:37:55 PM: Zane, not sure that's going to work... my elk hunt starts the 8th! But if I can pull my bow back by the 1st (should be VERY close by then) you should come into town earlier and we'll go see if I can't stick me a buck 'somewhere'!

Michael
Title: Re: Weight my '05 Bear...
Post by: crabcreekhunter on August 22, 2007, 10:52:09 PM: Elk, haha, who really hunts those things!lol Should tag a brute on opening day and then do some real hunting for muleys. Well I will be up there for a little every now and then so get that shoulder in shape!
Title: Re: Weight my '05 Bear...
Post by: MichaelJ on August 22, 2007, 11:29:24 PM: Haha ur telling me! There's a reason I only put in for branched antlered tags! Any decent 6 point that shows himself is gonna get it though that's for damn sure! My shoulder should be good to go! Getting better every day and I'm actually able to get some strength out of it. Should be all downhill from here!

Michael