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!

Sent from my SM-G981V using Tapatalk

 

[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

Sent from my SM-G981V using Tapatalk

 

[Ntuttle15]

Another angle

Sent from my SM-G981V using Tapatalk

 

[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.

 

[Cmas]

I’m new to judging bears, I usually carry a tag just in case I see one. Can anyone help me judge this guy? I think he’s a shooter?

 

[30338]

I’m new to judging bears, I usually carry a tag just in case I see one. Can anyone help me judge this guy? I think he’s a shooter?

For me, this year, that's a boom!

 

[Pilsner]

Clay Newcomb's OLD Bear Hunting Magazine Podcast/YT videos have several episodes on field judging black bears. The best of which is Dummies Guide to Field Judging Bears.
I'd start there for learning to judge bears.

 

[songdog18]

Clay Newcomb's OLD Bear Hunting Magazine Podcast/YT videos have several episodes on field judging black bears. The best of which is Dummies Guide to Field Judging Bears.
I'd start there for learning to judge bears.

Also new to feild judging, thank you for your input and advice

 

[Jtb.kfd]

Hard to tell off one pic but based on the size of his ears, the height of his belly off the ground and the length of his legs I would guess it is 150-180lbs. Between my kids and I we shoot 3-5 bears a year. We take anything 125lb+. Not opposed to shooting smaller, but the amount of meat on a bear smaller than that isn’t worth the trouble.

 

[Elkslut]

I'd say you are on the right track. Judging the size of bears is tough. Looks like it has a big head and belly, it's a good bear. Guys that can judge bears with any accuracy are dudes that have tagged a lot of bears.