Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Bear Hunting => Topic started by: Dakota Dogman on May 27, 2009, 10:03:05 AM

Title: How big based on track?
Post by: Dakota Dogman on May 27, 2009, 10:03:05 AM: So I'm out for a walk with the dogs this AM. Normal area, but I have been seeing bear sign around.

I took the same trail on the way out & the way back, easiest road and I was in a hurry. On the way back I found some bear tracks. There were about 4 or 5 tracks.

They were about 6"long (from the back of the pad to the front claw) and around 8.5" wide. I'm a good 215, and I couldn't get a 1/2" impression from my track. The bear tracks were close to 1" deep.

Any idea how big that bear should be?
God Bless,
Title: Re: How big based on track?
Post by: Timberstalker on May 27, 2009, 10:05:48 AM: Got any Pictures? That is a huge track :yike:
Title: Re: How big based on track?
Post by: boneaddict on May 27, 2009, 10:44:02 AM: :yike: Thats like Grizz type track, like Alaskan brown bear. 8.5 inches??? Seriously. ???
Title: Re: How big based on track?
Post by: GoldTip on May 27, 2009, 10:53:50 AM: Quote from: boneaddict on May 27, 2009, 10:44:02 AM
:yike: Thats like Grizz type track, like Alaskan brown bear. 8.5 inches??? Seriously. ???

I agree, would be hard pressed to see a blackie make a track that big. Now there are some griz up in the NE corner of the state, damn few Mountain grizzlies will ever make a track 8.5 inches wide however.
Title: Re: How big based on track?
Post by: Dakota Dogman on May 27, 2009, 09:26:39 PM: SW corner of the state... really don't think it was a griz. as the claws were real close to the front of the pads. Measured off my hand which completely covered the track. Will go back in the AM to see if I can get a pict. of it, but will have to then learn the posting pict. thing.

Thanks, will keep you posted. God Bless,
Title: Re: How big based on track?
Post by: littlebuf on May 28, 2009, 07:22:46 PM: i found a track up in kapowsin last year that my whole hand with fingers spread fit inside, it was by far the biggest black bear track ive ever seen. my hand from the tip of my middle finger to the base of my hand is 9 inches and from tip of my thumb to tip of my pinkie with my fingers just spread ( how i put my hand in the track) is about 8 inches, i went back to this area many times but only found sign of a big bear one other time shortly after finding this track. the track wasn't old or washed out, it was actually fresh enough top make me unbuckle the 45 on my hip and take a good long look around before i bent down to investigate. i know it sounds way to big but thats the track i found , wish i would seen the bear
Title: Re: How big based on track?
Post by: SHANE(WA) on May 28, 2009, 09:56:07 PM: The state record blackie we got a few years back was 9" across, it was insane almost 2 hands together wide. Bear wasnt super huge maybe 350 lbs, shoulders up was massive, almost shock when we walked up to it
Title: Re: How big based on track?
Post by: littlebuf on May 28, 2009, 10:16:52 PM: man id like to see some pics if ya got any shane. especially of his paws that thing sound cool
Title: Re: How big based on track?
Post by: bow4elk on May 28, 2009, 10:19:07 PM: A 5" front pad (width) = 18" skull, (generally speaking).
Title: Re: How big based on track?
Post by: Dakota Dogman on May 28, 2009, 10:46:37 PM: So now the question is knowing that he is there ...
how do I remove him from the equation? ;)
August can't come fast enough, but I have as little clue about hunting that bugger as I do what that size track means.

God Bless,
Title: Re: How big based on track?
Post by: littlebuf on May 28, 2009, 10:51:59 PM: if i were you id spend every ounce of time you can dedicate to scouting where you've found these tracks, odds are he wont be there in august but you may be able to narrow it down to a area he's at least moving through
Title: Re: How big based on track?
Post by: mkcj on May 28, 2009, 11:04:32 PM: And get a game camera and see if you can get some pictures of him
Title: Re: How big based on track?
Post by: SHANE(WA) on May 29, 2009, 05:26:32 AM: We didnt get any good pics of it, had some crappy disposable. 21 12/16 here is one
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi200.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa139%2Fshanewa300%2Fhuntingpics009.jpg&hash=01493e6da4749c94138e3db29bdb63680e506327)
Title: Re: How big based on track?
Post by: boneaddict on May 29, 2009, 06:00:11 AM: Well, you guys are up on me. I never in my life imagined a blackbear with a 9 inch or an 8 inch wide track. Thats utterly insane.
Title: Re: How big based on track?
Post by: Gutpile on May 29, 2009, 06:07:45 AM: Quote from: boneaddict on May 29, 2009, 06:00:11 AM
Well, you guys are up on me. I never in my life imagined a blackbear with a 9 inch or an 8 inch wide track. Thats utterly insane.

I agree. On the other hand, maybe It's bigfoot's pet bear. :rolleyes:

I've always heard that if you have a 5" wide front pad then you have a 6' bear. If this rule holds true we're taliking about a 9.5' bear. If this is true it'd have to be a grizzly.

Now we need pics for proof.
Title: Re: How big based on track?
Post by: boneaddict on May 29, 2009, 06:13:02 AM: I saw a kodiak that had a nine inch pad when moose hunting. He buried my moose carcass and ate the neck and half a shoulder while I was packing meat. You talk about waiting for the guillotine to fall on you.
Title: Re: How big based on track?
Post by: GoldTip on May 29, 2009, 06:27:03 AM: Yes, I'd love to see pics of that track as well. Hope you can find him again. I've never seen a Grizzly track in Montana that big. Only place I've ever seen tracks of that size were on the Alaska peninsula, maybe seen a few that big up around Petersville as well, and they weren't a black bear.
Title: Re: How big based on track?
Post by: billythekidrock on May 29, 2009, 06:29:05 AM: Somehow I doubt that there are that many black bears in WA with a 9 inch wide front track. :dunno:
Title: Re: How big based on track?
Post by: SHANE(WA) on May 29, 2009, 05:56:03 PM: Well if you would like, I can give you the taxi's number, very well known taxidermist and how about the hunter lol they were going to life size it and the taxidermist said it will never fit on a black bear mold, he would have to modify, the shoulders on this bear were the biggest I have seen, by far, not even compareable to a 7' 2" bear my dad got years ago, I have seen a ton of dead bears in my life, I have been part of well over 30+ kills
Title: Re: How big based on track?
Post by: rasbo on May 29, 2009, 08:12:34 PM: 9inch track that would be bigger than obama..6 inch is big for a black bear
Title: Re: How big based on track?
Post by: bucklucky on May 29, 2009, 08:20:42 PM: I did see a bear track one timewhere the front track was a dollar bill long by a dollar bill and a half wide. I think he is still alive :drool:
Title: Re: How big based on track?
Post by: Dakota Dogman on May 29, 2009, 10:21:53 PM: Can I first say again, I am totally stupid about this bear stuff. :dunno: I'm not trying to photoshop or get people excited, just found my first bear tracks ever, and was wondering what I found. I didn't have a tape with me so I just used my hand for a quick estimate.

I did get back the next day with an actual tape, but being honest I don't even know how you measure these things? Width isn't to hard to figure out, widest to widest. But length? From claws? Back of main paw? Do you include the rear pad? Well width is (by tape measure) around 6.5" and length from claws to end of main pad (not the "heal") was right shy of 7 inches as well. What does that mean?

How big of a range does a bear have?
Any way of guessing if he will be in the neighborhood this fall?

God Bless,

PS I may be able to send pictures, but as of yet haven't had much luck with that...
Title: Re: How big based on track?
Post by: billythekidrock on May 30, 2009, 07:21:30 AM: Quote from: Dakota Dogman on May 29, 2009, 10:21:53 PM
Can I first say again, I am totally stupid about this bear stuff. :dunno: I'm not trying to photoshop or get people excited, just found my first bear tracks ever, and was wondering what I found. I didn't have a tape with me so I just used my hand for a quick estimate.

I did get back the next day with an actual tape, but being honest I don't even know how you measure these things? Width isn't to hard to figure out, widest to widest. But length? From claws? Back of main paw? Do you include the rear pad? Well width is (by tape measure) around 6.5" and length from claws to end of main pad (not the "heal") was right shy of 7 inches as well. What does that mean?

How big of a range does a bear have?
Any way of guessing if he will be in the neighborhood this fall?

God Bless,

PS I may be able to send pictures, but as of yet haven't had much luck with that...

You will want to measure across the front pad like this and add one inch for an idea on the bears "squared" size. You can not get a weight estimate from a track unless the bear is currently standing in it.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fbeartrackfront.jpg&hash=2109b4d294574295117920d2e8db5a57f2613b0b)

Bears, especially big boars, can roam for many miles searching for food and breeding.
As for him being in the area later in the year....depends on the area and what food sources are available.
Title: Re: How big based on track?
Post by: Rob on June 05, 2009, 04:01:30 PM: I would love to see a chart of foot width to bear size. Weight would not be a good measure since they vary so much by season.

I found these in the blues. First one is a set of front paws. Second is a rear paw. Both have a 300 WM shell next to them which I think are about 3.25 or so inches So I am guessing these are pretty small bears.
Title: Re: How big based on track?
Post by: billythekidrock on June 05, 2009, 04:12:15 PM: Front width + 1 in inches will give you the closest "charting" you are going to find.
Title: Re: How big based on track?
Post by: Rob on June 08, 2009, 09:17:05 AM: translate please: Front width +1" = ? Body length?
Title: Re: How big based on track?
Post by: billythekidrock on June 08, 2009, 04:27:28 PM: 5 inch front pad plus 1 equals aprox 6 foot bear.
Title: Re: How big based on track?
Post by: Sideswipe on June 09, 2009, 10:57:11 AM: Shesh! Got my attention. If I found that track near my home, I'd lock the front door & put a gun port in it!