Big Black Bear request

[TopherDave]

Does anyone have any big black bear photos on the hoof? And if you know the size of the bear, after harvest that would be great too. 1 thing I know about people who hunt black bear, they REALLY love hunting black bear! And when it comes to big black bears, they’re just as secretive as sheep hunters.
I’ve set a high personal bar of 7’. Making the jump from 6’ to 7’ is a substantial jump. Spring baiting is a little easier to judge because we have the barrels usually next to them to help judge them. I, like most, have a tough time judging a bear. Currently I’m just going off the small ears, tanky/wide shoulders, and looking for a cress in the forehead. Also, if I have to talk myself into it being a big bear, then it’s probably not that big.
The area I’ve been hunting this year got hit hard 5 or 6 years ago with a 100 year flood and drown a lot of denning bears. I’ve been seeing good numbers, and some good bears, just nothing HUGE.
If anyone has any photos to help calibrate the eyes, that would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

 

[TopherDave]

This bear went 7’ 8”
He’s on the larger side of what I’m looking for but I wouldn’t say no!

 

[Taudisio]

I don’t have any photos of the same bears alive and dead, but that bear is a tank (as you obviously already know)!!
Just responding because I’m curious, is that bear carcass parts in front of him?

 

[TopherDave]

I don’t have any photos of the same bears alive and dead, but that bear is a tank (as you obviously already know)!!
Just responding because I’m curious, is that bear carcass parts in front of him?

That was a still born calf. Bears typically don’t eat bears. But bear carcasses make the best wolf bait, or so I’ve been told!

 

[TopherDave]

“Big Ben”
7’3”

 

[johnnycake]

That was a still born calf. Bears typically don’t eat bears.

Really? I've seen plenty of bears munching on bear carcasses

 

[UPThunderbolt]

This is a June photo. I can’t give you any measurements. I believe he was wounded, but not recovered, by a bow hunter.

 

[Eleven]

Never got to see any of these in season.

 

[TopherDave]

Awesome pics! Thanks guys. Love seeing big bears. You’ll know it when you see it! That’s what I keep reminding myself.
I’ve been trying to see this guy in person this fall. No luck yet! Big bears are old smart bears.

 

[Nickofthewoods]

Here is a big boar I killed a few years ago. I was able to get pictures a few days before I killed him so it should be a decent before/after comparison for you. Unfortunately I did not get to measure his length but I estimated his weight to be in the 450-500 lb range. His skull measures 20 5/16.

 

[BLJ]

Never got to see any of these in season.

Could I ask what state? Thanks.

 

[Eleven]

Could I ask what state? Thanks.

Vermont

 

[BLJ]

Vermont

Must be all the maple candy.
Thanks.

 

[Eleven]

Must be all the maple candy.
Thanks.

Maple candy, craft beer and Ben and Jerry’s, its enough to stick to anyone’s ribs.

 

[UncleBone]

Hoping I see this guy again while I am ML elk hunting. Had him 50 yards from my camp on monday while I was scouting. Never actually hunted bears before but always have a tag in my pocket when elk hunting just in case. Thats gonna change this year after seeing him! Not sure how big he actually is, but biggest one I have seen in Co.

 

[TopherDave]

Here is a big boar I killed a few years ago. I was able to get pictures a few days before I killed him so it should be a decent before/after comparison for you. Unfortunately I did not get to measure his length but I estimated his weight to be in the 450-500 lb range. His skull measures 20 5/16.


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Nice! 20 is another tough metric to crack, at least where I’m hunting. That’s impressive. The first big bear I posted went 19 5/8”.