Judging a Black bear

[Ntuttle15]

That's a strange one. Face on, his ears suggest he's a bigger bear and he looks like he has the start of a pumpkin head w/a big solid neck. But that side profile shot makes him look like a younger bear. My guess is good genetics, but youngish.

Probably be a pretty good first Bear though and very good if you have a challenging pack out!

One question I always ask myself. Did he appear smaller as I got closer? If he does, then that trend usually continues. If my impression of him gets bigger as I approach him. Then those guys have never let me down.

I hear you. When we saw him at 1 mile he looked big at 400 he looked real big, and definitely had a sway in his walk, which I assume to mean they are a good size. Definitely excited to go after him!

 

[Blockcaver]

Looks good to me....I'm with Roosie on +6' and I'd think +18" skull. Hope you get him!

 

[Ntuttle15]

Will keep y'all posted. Driving out to the spot as we speak!

 

[Gen273]

He looks like a good bear to me.

 

[roosiebull]

thats a good size but not fully grown.

i'm interested in this response, can you elaborate? from my experience, size has no correlation to age (at least not a reliable one) are you looking at something besides size?

the largest bear i have seen around here was a 4yr old, on the other hand i have seen at least 2 sub-200lb boars that were over 10yrs old. bear seem very genetic driven by size.... a young boar can be huge, and old boar can be the same size as a sow...

are you looking at other ques? if so, i'm interested because i'm always trying to get more well versed in knowing exactly what i'm looking at with a bear.

 

[JMDavies]

i'm interested in this response, can you elaborate? from my experience, size has no correlation to age (at least not a reliable one) are you looking at something besides size?

the largest bear i have seen around here was a 4yr old, on the other hand i have seen at least 2 sub-200lb boars that were over 10yrs old. bear seem very genetic driven by size.... a young boar can be huge, and old boar can be the same size as a sow...

are you looking at other ques? if so, i'm interested because i'm always trying to get more well versed in knowing exactly what i'm looking at with a bear.

I'm also interested in learning more. These are pictures from an outfitter in Saskatchewan. These two bears are the same age and the sow is far bigger then the boar. I'm beginning to think accuratly judging bears is a myth.

 

[Gear-Reviewer]

I’d say he’s around 6ft, 300-325. Shooter for sure on most tags.

 

[roosiebull]

I'm also interested in learning more. These are pictures from an outfitter in Saskatchewan. These two bears are the same age and the sow is far bigger then the boar. I'm beginning to think accuratly judging bears is a myth.

it's the hardest thing to field judge in NA I believe (excluding sheep and goats which I cannot say either way, but know that's challenging too) I saw a tank of a sow this year, was confident it was a boar, but quickly decided it wasn't one I would shoot, then I spot the little fur balls rolling around wrestling below her..... it's a non stop schooling looking at bear to me, and those things keep me aware that things aren't always what they seem in the bear woods.

the pics the OP posted are pretty straightforward though, it's a boar, it's big enough it leaves no doubt there.... and I believe it's a good one.

spring bear are even tougher to judge because they aren't filled out, and their coats vary so much. my friend killed a nice boar the other night (just shy of 19" green) a respectable boar.... it's body was thin, and it's coat was too, and kind of sparse hear with that weathered reddish hue... not the super fluffy shiny jet black we normally see on a good boar in the spring.

by that bears body shape, it would have been a tough one for me to judge, especially at the distance he shot it (I think 670yds) they are hard to judge because we have nothing to compare them to in their surroundings unless we know the area very well, and know how big the stumps/rocks/trees are where the bear is walking.

BIG bear and little bear are pretty easy to tell, everything in-between is very tough to me.... i'm not much of a trophy hunter, but I am with bear just because that's the only way I know for sure i'm not shooting a wet sow.... big ones are easy to recognize, but if you are wondering if it's big, it's not.... I learned that lesson once, and don't care to again.

I shot a fall bear a few years ago that I knew wasn't little, but didn't know if it was big, ended up being an 11yr old boar, but it was sub 200# and I was pretty bummed out with the small amount of meat I got from that bear.... once I got the hide and fat off, there wasn't much..... kill a big boar (300+lb) and you get a pretty dang good pile of meat! they are just so muscular.

I do think that's one thing I enjoy about spring bear hunting, it's challenging in every aspect, and I get a lot of encounters per filled tag.... get my monies worth out of them.

I lost track now, but I have seen 15-17 bear so far this spring, and of those, only one was a for sure shooter, with another 4-5 maybe bear... the maybe bear never turn into anything because bear in the spring don't hang around long enough to turn a maybe into a yes or no.... they don't quit moving

 

[Coveyleader]

If you're on bait, cut a log, or a decent sized branch 5 feet. I cut them to 5.5 feet, but five feet will work. If a bear is as long as that branch, no question, you're shooting a boar. It takes all the guess work out on big sows. Guy from Canada uses it, and I do as well now, no brainier.

Not a 5 foot bear, a small boar.

 

[Ntuttle15]

Well, 2 days and never saw him. I dont know the area and so I'm trying to use maps and figure out where he could possibly be. I have some ideas. Ultimately I'm a new guy to bear hunting so just trying to figure out how long he will be in the same general area.... and how big that general area could be. I wont be able to go back to the spot until the 15th of May. At that time I'll have more time to go exploring the different areas to try and find him. The area is so steep that to go a couple thousand feet both ways is a full day excursion.what do you guys think? Will he still be in that area? Any tips or help is appreciated!

 

[roosiebull]

By the 15th he may be cruising for chicks... pre rut type action. They still come back to their little zones, just not as pattern able.

also have no clue how big of an area a boar calls home in your country. They are easy to lose track of, I know that

 

[Ntuttle15]

By the 15th he may be cruising for chicks... pre rut type action. They still come back to their little zones, just not as pattern able.

also have no clue how big of an area a boar calls home in your country. They are easy to lose track of, I know that

Hmm I gotcha. I wasnt able to find any other bears in the area. But when I go back I believe I have identified an area where he/them could be hanging out. And I'll have more time. Its huge country. Steep and vast. Hopefully I can get eyes on him. I'm disappointed on not being able to get it done. But also excited to keep hunting. Way of the road I guess!

 

[thinhorn_AK]

That's a strange one. Face on, his ears suggest he's a bigger bear and he looks like he has the start of a pumpkin head w/a big solid neck. But that side profile shot makes him look like a younger bear. My guess is good genetics, but youngish.

Probably be a pretty good first Bear though and very good if you have a challenging pack out!

One question I always ask myself. Did he appear smaller as I got closer? If he does, then that trend usually continues. If my impression of him gets bigger as I approach him. Then those guys have never let me down.

lol, first bear I ever shot looked huge, he was like 6 feet....

 

[black dawg]

Zero question on if it is a good bear to me. Looks 6'+ and probably 290-300lbs. And yes, in a couple weeks he will be cruising.

 

[black dawg]

I see you are in ID, are there any baits nearby?

 

[Ntuttle15]

I see you are in ID, are there any baits nearby?

PM you...

 

[idahohikker]

I’d be worried about the bear moving. Hope it doesn’t though. Good luck.

 

[Ntuttle15]

I’d be worried about the bear moving. Hope it doesn’t though. Good luck.

I am.. hopefully we can find something
Thanks!

 

[Blockcaver]

Rutting bears can cover a lot of ground. In the SW Colorado bear study, one radio collared sow moved several hundred miles and ended up mating down in New Mexico before returning to CO, and did it again a few years later. Must have had a boy friend down that way!

In BC, one big, distinctive boar I bowhunted for 3 seasons typically moved 1 to 10 km a day. I never got him. He always had a sixth sense on how to avoid me.

 

[roosiebull]

Rutting bears can cover a lot of ground. In the SW Colorado bear study, one radio collared sow moved several hundred miles and ended up mating down in New Mexico before returning to CO, and did it again a few years later. Must have had a boy friend down that way!

In BC, one big, distinctive boar I bowhunted for 3 seasons typically moved 1 to 10 km a day. I never got him. He always had a sixth sense on how to avoid me.

I had a bear like that, could reliably find him in the fall, but he was a ghost in the spring showing up on trail cam enough to let me know he was still there. Had a couple very close calls, but couldn’t get him killed in the spring, last year he never showed up on cam again.

I got fixated on finding that bear and invested way too much of my seasons in him. He was supposed to be my rug bear, but that ship has sailed.

I could have killed him in the fall any year, but I couldn’t do it, if I did, I threw my chances away of getting him all flawless and shiny in the spring, haha.

I looked forward to the challenge too, I knew it would be awesome to kill him in the spring after the history I had with him