Judging a Black bear

[AndySee]

Nice account of your hunt and an even better bear, well done!

 

[AndySee]

I'm by no means and expert. The outfitter I've used in the past always suggests picturing a 50 gallon drum. If the bear fits in the drum it's small. If there is no way it will fit, it's a big one. He also said, you'll look at it and immediately know if it will fit or not. If you are questioning it, it is smaller than you think. Judging a bear is difficult but that exercise helped me with both bear trips I've been on. Good luck and send pictures regardless of the size.

This seems like a good way to get a rough estimate. Is anyone using their reticle to accurately measure their target?

 

[SpookySpectre308]

This seems like a good way to get a rough estimate. Is anyone using their reticle to accurately measure their target?

Have not though of doing this. I am blessed enough to have a range that I can set up a drum at 800 and make a note of mils or whatever reticle I'm using at different ranges.

 

[ramhunter]

Good bear, he isn't going anywhere soon, he seating on an elk kill!

 

[Ntuttle15]

Well guys, I have an update from my 2020 hunt that all began with this post on that first bear I saw. Unfortunately I never harvested that big boar, and returned back for two years and never saw him again.
But I did end up harvesting an old sow. They guessed her to be over 20. Well I finally got the aging from IDFG today, 24 years old!
Pretty incredible a critter like that can live so long in the country they she was in.
And a side not to this, this year I shot a three legged boar.
It's amazing the things you will see and find when you spend time in the wild!

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[pdub]

@Ntuttle15 That is really cool. Do you have any pictures of her teeth? Curious to see how worn down they were.

 

[Jstumbaugh]

Very cool to find out the age on that sow. Congrats

 

[Loco4dux]

That’s wild!

 

[dirtshooter]

Get a euro of that skull, show off the aged teeth and all

 

[voodoolord]

The shorter the ears, the larger the bear. Looks pretty good sized.

 

[Ntuttle15]

Here is the skull from her

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[Ntuttle15]

Another angle

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[Rogue Bay]

That’s incredible! My oldest bear was a 17 year old boar that scored 20 8/16 and had a huge body. I killed a really nice ~350ish boar a couple years before that and he scored 19 even but tooth data said he was only 3 years old. My taxidermist killed a 28 year old sow years ago and while I didn’t personally see it he said she didn’t have that much tooth wear. Roosiebull hit the nail on the head.

Great bear man! Congrats!

 

[Jstumbaugh]

Its amazing the difference between bears with age/score/weight. The bear in my avatar was 422lbs with a 20 8/16 skull and aged 8 years.