Easiest way to tell for coastal black bears is where the ears are on the head. If the ears are on top of the head it's a small bear but when you see the ears on the side of the head it's a big one!
I have been hunting black bears on the west coast of vancouver island for 20 years now and I only shoot for the head. If you miss you either completely miss the animal and don't have to track a wounded bear or you hit the neck(spine) and the bear is dead anyways . The woods are so thick here if...