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).

 

[mike.adams.467]

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

They told a hunter that a bear on his trail cam was a black bear so the guy later shot it. Turns out they gave him bad advice. Now we all must be put through bear training because of their error.

 

[mike.adams.467]

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).
View attachment 823342

OK. Bet you a burger they get called out on this and revise their guide book.

 

[Jason Snyder]

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".

Same. It mildly irritated me.

 

[TheYukiYama]

They told a hunter that a bear on his trail cam was a black bear so the guy later shot it. Turns out they gave him bad advice. Now we all must be put through bear training because of their error.

The clip I saw of the bear honestly did kind of look like a black bear haha Is this required training just online? Doesn't seem all that out of line. Lot of dumb people out there and probably helps argue against some of the antis that would try to use it to stop the hunt

 

[7mm-08]

I took the test yesterday on a tablet the Idaho Fish & Game supplied me in their Walnut Street office when I submitted an application for a spring bear hunt.

 

[huntinfool84]

Same. It mildly irritated me.

Glad I'm not the only one that was a little irritated on missing that question.

 

[Jason Snyder]

Glad I'm not the only one that was a little irritated on missing that question.

For crying out loud, the side profile screams black bear…and a pretty good one.

That question kind of felt like fat shaming.