IDFG Bear Identification Guide

[mike.adams.467]

This is on page 7 of the IDFG guide they want hunters to review before taking the new mandatory test. I will leave it here for you guys to discuss…

 

[LFC911]

WOW i would have missed that question...barely see the hump on the L.

 

[Jason Snyder]

The one on the right is clearly a black bear. Bear on the left I would want to see more of the face before making a call.

 

[TreeDog]

That's embearrassing

 

[Billogna]

Just to be on the safe side, I'm going with Blizzly Bear for both....

 

[idelkslayer]

I'm sure it is in fact a G bear on the left and they took photographs of a known G bear with a black/nearly black coat and in a posture that hides other features and intentionally put it side by side with a black bear to prove a point about size/color not being enough info to differentiate bear species. It would have been helpful if there were additional photos of that same bear that clearly show other G bear features.

In the actual test there was a photo of a distant black bear and the question was whether or not there was enough information to positively identify the species of bear. They clearly want you to answer no, however, I saw it clearly as a black bear and couldn't bring myself to answer no just because they wanted me to, so I answered yes. It was the only question I got "wrong".

 

[Mike 338]

Trick question. They're both polar bears.

 

[mike.adams.467]

I'm sure it is in fact a G bear on the left and they took photographs of a known G bear with a black/nearly black coat and in a posture that hides other features and intentionally put it side by side with a black bear to prove a point about size/color not being enough info to differentiate bear species. It would have been helpful if there were additional photos of that same bear that clearly show other G bear features.

In the actual test there was a photo of a distant black bear and the question was whether or not there was enough information to positively identify the species of bear. They clearly want you to answer no, however, I saw it clearly as a black bear and couldn't bring myself to answer no just because they wanted me to, so I answered yes. It was the only question I got "wrong".

They have the pictures mislabeled.

 

[mike.adams.467]

That's embearrassing

Particularly when their own inept advice caused this test to become a requirement.

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

Didn’t IDFG give a kid the go ahead after telling him a grizz was a black bear? Starting to make sense

 

[idelkslayer]

They have the pictures mislabeled.

Did they though? I understood from your initial post that you think the bear on the left is also a black bear. At first glance I would have thought so as well.

The bear on the right is clearly a black bear. Pairing it with a grizzly bear that looks a lot like a black bear is exactly what you would do in this type of training guide where the purpose is to make hunters be cautious. As I said, I would like to see more pictures of the bear on the left to confirm it is a grizzly and they chose that picture because it makes it hard to tell the difference.

The posture of the bear on the left obscures many features that distinguish a G bear. We can't see the claws, The shoulder hump is flattened (although still visible) and the shape of the head is unclear due to the angle although a slight dish shape is present. A grizzly bear of that color is surely a very rare thing but not impossible. A quick google search turned up this nearly black G bear. (maybe lighting but that could be the case in the guidebook photo too).