Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Bear Hunting => Topic started by: billythekidrock on April 18, 2008, 07:46:57 PM

Title: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: billythekidrock on April 18, 2008, 07:46:57 PM: Since a few people enjoyed the last one I thought I would do it again. Three bears that I know the ages of from F&G's required reporting.
List them
1.
2.
3.
I will try to post the ages Sunday night.
And like last time, there is no prize..sorry. :chuckle:

This was my first bear. I was bear hunting on foot down a river and this guy came off of an island and was going to cross a section of the river. He was about 200 yards down river so I dropped to one knee and put one in his shoulder. Luckily I knew a few guys elk hunting in the area and we were able to take him out by canoe.
The bear was close to 250 gutted and the skull is about 18.5 inches.

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2FIMG_2936.jpg&hash=d5987ec175de379a738e2c2defdf173bc9e48d49)

This one was ripping stumps between two groups of elk (he split the herd). I snuck through the 12 foot brush along the edge of some thick timber calling with a cow call. The calves from one bunch were animatedly responding and this guy put the stalk on me. Shot him at less then 30 yards. He was just under 250 gutted and his skull is also about 18.5 inches.

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2Fweb250lbs.jpg&hash=4388cb610d511951ec03d1b9fbf25abbd46354d6)

This big boar came in to my predator calling at the one hour mark. I was up in a tree and when he was broadside at about 65 yards I put one through his lungs. He weighed 380 gutted and his skull is 20 inches even.

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2F1443webPICT0045.jpg&hash=66712eda1e7badeee6e25f71de22284503ade327)
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: boneaddict on April 18, 2008, 08:17:43 PM: Don't know, but that last one is a hawg!
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: Coasthunterjay on April 18, 2008, 08:23:05 PM: #1.) 3.25 years
#2.) 4 years
#3.) 5.5 years (maybe more.) that is a bruiser.......
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: tmike on April 18, 2008, 08:43:57 PM: 4, 3, 6 :dunno:
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: Head-shot on April 18, 2008, 09:01:43 PM: 1. 4.5
2. 4.5
3. 7.5
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: boneaddict on April 18, 2008, 09:23:13 PM: 3.5
4.5
8.5
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: Michelle_Nelson on April 18, 2008, 09:25:26 PM: 1. 6.5
2. 5.5
3. Already know the age so I wont give it away! :bdid:
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: M_ray on April 18, 2008, 09:28:15 PM: 3.5
3.5
7

After I saw your pics
7
4
10
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: mossback91 on April 18, 2008, 10:00:33 PM: 13
3
25
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: billythekidrock on April 19, 2008, 07:35:09 AM: Those are some good guess's. Keep them coming.
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: pacyew on April 19, 2008, 07:55:56 AM: 1. 6

2. 7

3. 9

Beauties, all!
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: SuperDave on April 19, 2008, 08:25:46 AM: 1. 5

2. 6

3. 9
Nice looking bears! Really like the last one!
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: Alchase on April 19, 2008, 11:59:12 AM: 2 yrs
4 yr
6 yr

Nice bears Billy
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: bucklucky on April 19, 2008, 12:07:22 PM: I have no clue......

#1 4.75 more like 10 (after the pics)
#2 5.625 more like 4
#3 9.5 more like 12

Wheres the skull pics? I wana see the toofs :hello:
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: billythekidrock on April 19, 2008, 12:21:19 PM: Quote
Wheres the skull pics? I wana see the toofs

Darn it..I knew someone would eventually ask. They are in various places around the house and shed, but I will try to round them up for a pic or two. Right now I am in the middle of taking pics of pictures. Your blacktail post got my juices flowing and now (when I should be thinking about bears) I am salivating over BTs. :chuckle:
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: boneaddict on April 19, 2008, 12:30:26 PM: Show the toofs post the answer. That will be more interesting, especially since a whole buch of guesses have already been made.
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: bucklucky on April 19, 2008, 12:57:28 PM: Glade to get ya salivating over blacktails, your bear pics are doing the same to me for bars! Cant wait for August.
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: billythekidrock on April 19, 2008, 01:20:26 PM: Here are some quick pics of the skulls. Sorry they aren't the best. They are in order as the above photos.

Bear 1.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2Fb1IMG_3011.jpg&hash=5a56fa844cf6f5c23b3b37fa0c9b050bdc76b5bd)

Bear 2
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2Fb2IMG_3013.jpg&hash=1001102b54da484048dee20f25ae9d86a24098fe)

Bear 3
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2Fb3IMG_3006.jpg&hash=a504dfbb81d6434c6fb5ffe242e3a1977a1036db)
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: Michelle_Nelson on April 19, 2008, 01:24:13 PM: :bash: Now I recognize the first one. Pretty sure thats the same one you brought with the bottom one to the shop when you rough scored longtats bear.
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: boneaddict on April 19, 2008, 01:39:02 PM: Don't want to change my guesses, but the first one looks older than I thought it would, and maybe even the last one does too. VERY NICE TROPHY, that last bear.
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: billythekidrock on April 19, 2008, 01:50:23 PM: Here is another from the last bear (#3)

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fb3PICT0031.jpg&hash=772f4ab2d339f4137b71f17e03c1373690b1fce4)
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: bucklucky on April 19, 2008, 02:53:29 PM: I kept my guesses and added what I think they will be with the pics of the skulls.
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: billythekidrock on April 19, 2008, 04:43:35 PM: Quote from: boneaddict on April 19, 2008, 01:39:02 PM
Don't want to change my guesses, but the first one looks older than I thought it would, and maybe even the last one does too. VERY NICE TROPHY, that last bear.

Do what Bucklucky did and just add your new guess next to the old one.
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: bucklucky on April 19, 2008, 05:55:16 PM: I'm ready to go look for some bears! I need to get out of the house anyway and start gettin in shape.
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: billythekidrock on April 20, 2008, 04:02:10 PM: Any more guess's? I will post the ages in a few hours.
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: Timberstalker on April 20, 2008, 04:32:16 PM: 1. 5 years
2. 4 years
3. 7 years
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: Wea300mag on April 20, 2008, 05:03:47 PM: 1) 3.5
2) 4.5
3) 10.5
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: 50CalJim on April 20, 2008, 05:54:45 PM: 4.5 3.5 9.5
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: billythekidrock on April 20, 2008, 06:52:20 PM: Lot's of great guess's. Some were close but a few were way off so hopefully threads like these will help.
If I had asked for a total of all ages combined I think mossback91 would be the closest. Hope you all had fun.

First bear: 23.5 years old

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2FIMG_2936.jpg&hash=d5987ec175de379a738e2c2defdf173bc9e48d49)

I killed this one in the Quinault gmu and was within a few hundred yards of the Olympic National Park. He lived a long life in the safety of the park. This bear was in great shape with lots of fat but had one upper canine that was broke and looked like an elk whistler.

Second bear: 4.5 years old

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2Fweb250lbs.jpg&hash=4388cb610d511951ec03d1b9fbf25abbd46354d6)

This boar had had his butt whooped in the recent past. His face was scared and his chest was raked and he had big canine holes in his hams. A friends friend killed a 300+ lber in the area a week or two before. I also killed a bear the day before this one and he was also 4.5 years old. They were within a mile of each other but one dressed out just under 150# and this one at just under 250#.

Third bear: 11 years old

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2F1443webPICT0045.jpg&hash=66712eda1e7badeee6e25f71de22284503ade327)

This was spring 2005 and it came in to a very small and unassuming opening. It had over 3 inches of fat from his butt to his neck and it leads me to believe that most of the fat is not used during the winter but in the spring when there is not enough food. I think that the fat is more important in helping them until the berries ripen.
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: Wea300mag on April 20, 2008, 06:58:04 PM: 23.5, I missed that one by a ton.
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: bucklucky on April 20, 2008, 07:01:16 PM: Wow that first one was on old timer, whats that like 175 in human years :chuckle:
I was close on my second GUESSES for the other 2. Nice bears, when are we going hunting!!? :chuckle:
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: M_ray on April 20, 2008, 08:57:01 PM: After I saw your pics I was close on #2 & 3 but holy crap did I miss #1 ... by only 15 1/2 years! (https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbestsmileys.com%2Fclueless%2F5.gif&hash=f31fe58eda8ee18dd032140b2f80511100b273d4)
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: tmike on April 20, 2008, 09:24:12 PM: Nice bears, I sucked at those guesses :tdown:
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: saylean on April 20, 2008, 09:56:37 PM: I like the busted tooth skull... ;) I will be cleaning my bears skull very soon from last year...teeth are all rotted out too... I just wish they would continue to tell us how old the bears are...kinda sucks they (Fish and Wildlife) quit that...or at least I heard they did...
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: mossback91 on April 20, 2008, 10:41:00 PM: haha wow my wild numbers were actually sor t of close if I switched my 1st and 3rd around...hahahah
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: boneaddict on April 21, 2008, 06:12:53 AM: I knew after I had seen the skull I had tanked on that first one.
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: ICEMAN on April 21, 2008, 06:15:03 AM: Good lord, what an old bear. I would never have guessed that one could live so long. What is the potential lifespan of Black bear?
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: billythekidrock on April 21, 2008, 06:18:46 AM: Quote from: Iceman on April 21, 2008, 06:15:03 AM
Good lord, what an old bear. I would never have guessed that one could live so long. What is the potential lifespan of Black bear?

They say around 30 in the wild and a little older in captivity.
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: billythekidrock on April 21, 2008, 06:20:56 AM: Quote from: saylean on April 20, 2008, 09:56:37 PM
I like the busted tooth skull... ;) I will be cleaning my bears skull very soon from last year...teeth are all rotted out too... I just wish they would continue to tell us how old the bears are...kinda sucks they (Fish and Wildlife) quit that...or at least I heard they did...

I was told that "the guy that sent those out did so on his own and he isn't here anymore" by a F&G employee. But they do keep track and you can call to find out the age.
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: saylean on April 21, 2008, 09:38:43 AM: Ahh...thanks Billy...I will have to call to see how old Boo Boo was (my first bear..)

Cheers,

D~
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: Michelle_Nelson on April 21, 2008, 10:02:43 AM: Iceman, their is a guy in PA that does skull work said he brought in a Black Bear skull that was aged at 30+ years old. Looked like it had been fighting in boxing matches it's entire life.
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: ICEMAN on April 21, 2008, 07:59:56 PM: Wow. Now I really feel like schlitt for shooting my tiny bear. He had so much time left :'( :chuckle:

Oh well, he tastes great!
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: M_ray on April 21, 2008, 08:38:34 PM: Quote
Now I really feel like schlitt for shooting my tiny bear.

No don't feel bad they taste great! I almost like them as well as whitetail! :EAT:
Title: Re: Guess the bears age. #2
Post by: billythekidrock on April 22, 2008, 06:09:14 AM: Quote from: Iceman on April 21, 2008, 07:59:56 PM
Wow. Now I really feel like schlitt for shooting my tiny bear. He had so much time left :'( :chuckle:

Oh well, he tastes great!

Them little/young ones eat great...and are alot easier to pack out. :chuckle: