Post by: wheels on February 11, 2014, 11:39:04 PM
Post by: PolarBear on February 11, 2014, 11:56:51 PM
Post by: duckmen1 on February 12, 2014, 12:23:07 AM
I've killed 3 and the biggest was 250.
Smallest was 125.
Biggest I've seen was 400 plus pounds during late spring early summer
Post by: deaner on February 12, 2014, 12:26:34 AM
If you go by what folks post online the average is around 400 pounds! :chuckle: In reality there are more bears killed that are under 200 than any other size. :twocents:
yeah and the avg whitetail posted online dressed out at 260 , even the little forked horns :chuckle:
Post by: wheels on February 12, 2014, 04:45:19 PM
Post by: D-Rock425 on February 12, 2014, 04:55:42 PM
Post by: Eli346 on February 12, 2014, 05:38:05 PM
Post by: deadyote on February 17, 2014, 02:31:02 AM
Post by: billythekidrock on February 17, 2014, 06:41:14 AM
My biggest bear weighed in at 137 lbs hanging at the butcher. Not sure what it would have weighed live. Someone smarter than me would probably have a guess at the live weight.
Most estimators I have seen say 16% added will give a live weight and over time I have seen that to be pretty close on most that I have killed. So about 160lbs live is a fair estimate.
Post by: Timberstalker on February 17, 2014, 07:00:36 AM
So you are saying the head, hide and guts only would has weighed 23 lbs?My biggest bear weighed in at 137 lbs hanging at the butcher. Not sure what it would have weighed live. Someone smarter than me would probably have a guess at the live weight.
Most estimators I have seen say 16% added will give a live weight and over time I have seen that to be pretty close on most that I have killed. So about 160lbs live is a fair estimate.
That seems a bit askew.
Post by: billythekidrock on February 17, 2014, 07:24:26 AM
So you are saying the head, hide and guts only would has weighed 23 lbs?My biggest bear weighed in at 137 lbs hanging at the butcher. Not sure what it would have weighed live. Someone smarter than me would probably have a guess at the live weight.
Most estimators I have seen say 16% added will give a live weight and over time I have seen that to be pretty close on most that I have killed. So about 160lbs live is a fair estimate.
That seems a bit askew.
No, guts only. I apparently I was still sleeping and missed "at the butcher". On a bear that size the head/hide would weight about 50lbs.
So probably in 215-225lb range live.
Post by: Timberstalker on February 17, 2014, 07:34:05 AM
So you are saying the head, hide and guts only would has weighed 23 lbs?My biggest bear weighed in at 137 lbs hanging at the butcher. Not sure what it would have weighed live. Someone smarter than me would probably have a guess at the live weight.
Most estimators I have seen say 16% added will give a live weight and over time I have seen that to be pretty close on most that I have killed. So about 160lbs live is a fair estimate.
That seems a bit askew.
No, guts only. I apparently I was still sleeping and missed "at the butcher". On a bear that size the head/hide would weight about 50lbs.
So probably in 215-225lb range live.
Makes good sense with what I have encountered on the bears I have killed.
Post by: D-Rock425 on February 17, 2014, 07:35:34 AM
Post by: JohnVH on February 17, 2014, 07:55:45 AM
Post by: washingtonmuley on February 17, 2014, 08:03:45 AM
If you go by what folks post online the average is around 400 pounds! :chuckle: In reality there are more bears killed that are under 200 than any other size. :twocents::yeah:
Post by: jackmaster on February 17, 2014, 08:46:07 AM
Post by: wheels on February 17, 2014, 11:34:26 PM
Post by: RadSav on February 18, 2014, 12:36:29 AM
As far as opportunity I would venture to say it's easier to find bear in the NE and high cascades due to concentration of food source and visibility. Although I believe the coast has more bear per square mile. I have not read the states published reports in that regard so that is just my personal opinion.
Post by: rasbo on February 18, 2014, 03:43:30 AM
Post by: Hangfire on February 18, 2014, 06:17:14 AM
Of interest is the color of Black bears. The coastal bear were very high percent black phase, while west slope of the cascades more brown color.
The study was mostly western Washington.
Post by: Gutpile on February 18, 2014, 11:33:14 AM
Post by: wheels on February 20, 2014, 12:32:11 AM
Post by: MtnMuley on February 20, 2014, 08:12:48 AM
Post by: Jonathan_S on February 20, 2014, 08:19:42 AM
The weights you'll read on here are greatly exaggerated... "Keep in mind I'm 6' 5" 260 lbs so this bear is bigger than it looks."
Post by: mountainman on February 20, 2014, 09:19:19 AM
Post by: Jonathan_S on February 20, 2014, 09:23:41 AM
Unless they are actual weighed numbers..
What I meant was, overall weights should be taken with a grain of salt.
Post by: Buckmark on February 20, 2014, 09:45:47 AM
maybe i sh bould have asked this question what part of state has the largrst bearsQuinault indian reservation, they have a way of fattening them up... :chuckle:
Post by: JackOfAllTrades on February 20, 2014, 10:13:11 AM
maybe i sh bould have asked this question what part of state has the largrst bears
I have seen some pretty large bears in Skamania area. One I took down that way squares just over 6'. Never put a scale on him in the field, but had 200 on the hook at the butcher. Rainier National Park has some brutes. I've seen some much larger in the north/central cascade high country. Don't expect the big heads as the norm (like what's on Vancouver Island), the gene pool seems to be different. I have seen some real brutes in NE Wa. but on the same day seen smaller ones.
Some of the credible publications list the average adult male in the 190 pound range. Anything smaller would generally be an immature or under nourished animal. A male larger than that would approach a quality bear for Wa. (Hide and color phase not withstanding) A black bear in Wa. more than 300 pounds would be a real trophy here. -And they do exist in just about all areas of the state. There just aren't as many of the big ones.
-Steve
Post by: boneaddict on February 20, 2014, 10:23:09 AM
Post by: Jonathan_S on February 20, 2014, 11:05:50 AM
Best way to win a contest guessing bear weights, take your best guess, then knock 50 pounds off.
Only 50? :chuckle:
I recall last fall Bearpaw saying that a lot of bear weights he would estimate are off by 50%
Post by: Hornseeker on February 20, 2014, 11:12:12 AM
The vast majority of these bears were 130-175 pounds, no guts. There were 60 pounders... and there were 400 pounders. The bears we called "big" seemed to always be about 220-240 pounds and they were rare for sure. I remember a 375 and a 404. There was one bear from Sultan that we, very regrettably, did not weigh... he was undoubtedly over 500#... had 11 inches of fat on his back...
Most of these bears were killed in one of three locations, Stampede, Snoqualmie Tree Farm, or NE around Cusick.....
Anyhow... big is gutted over 200 for me... huge is over 300. anything bigger than that is just awesome... I know a guy in cusick that has a picture of 3 bears hanging from his apple tree... from 2 days of hunting... the biggest was 396, I think one was 358 and the other 348.... That was an unreal couple days.
Post by: wheels on February 20, 2014, 11:48:03 PM
Post by: RadSav on February 21, 2014, 01:08:59 AM
mentioning heads wats good size range
When shooting heads I like 'em inside 150 yards. But it sure makes a mess of the skull mount :chuckle:
Oh, size range! Anything over 18" is usually one heck of a nice Washington bear. Or anywhere for that matter! I see pics every year of 20" bear here in Washington, but they are definitely hard to find. I've measured well over 100 bear from Oregon, Washington and BC. I can only remember five that broke 20" and definitely only one over 21". My spring bear last year was one heck of an old bear and only went 17 2/8". I'd shoot him again any day as he's one fantastic bear! So nice that he will be full size in the house soon! My biggest Washington skull was a bear I only shot to put out of his misery. He was old, almost toothless, wormy and had very little hair on his face or legs. I bet he didn't weight 150# in October and wouldn't have made it through the winter. I was surprised when the green tape said over 20"! Quite the nice reward for a mercy killing.
Post by: Hornseeker on February 21, 2014, 02:21:48 PM
I read a book by Ralph Flowers, but cannot remember the details... he measured a few skulls in his days and I am thinking he didn't have any booners either...
Post by: DOUBLELUNG on February 21, 2014, 02:24:59 PM
You mean those big, old declining regressors? :chuckle:If you go by what folks post online the average is around 400 pounds! :chuckle: In reality there are more bears killed that are under 200 than any other size. :twocents:
yeah and the avg whitetail posted online dressed out at 260 , even the little forked horns :chuckle: