Age data and skull character

[Nambaster]

I thought I would start a small thread with some age data and skull character. I recently got data back for my 2020 bears.

Side by side the boar on the left is significantly smaller than the one on the right. His top front teeth were all missing minus the canines. You can tell by the calcium deposits and the growth that he is an old bear. He was aged at 19 yrs old. The one on the right is significantly larger and measures 18” he is smooth all over and his bone structure is light. He had the longest nose on a bear that I had ever seen. He was only 4 yrs old.

Genetics are crazy! I don’t think a bears head shrinks with age. The 19 yr old bear was just a midget. He had a belly that dragged and his ears had splits in them. He had scars all over his body. Plenty of space between his ears. He had short stalky legs. I was almost certain that I had shot the thug of the mountain.

 

[Nambaster]

This is the midget meat.

 

[Nambaster]

This is the 4 yr old….

 

[Nambaster]

This years bear had a front jaw that had been broken and grown back. I believe it’s injury would have been absolutely miserable. Also attached is the European reconstruction. Makes for a really unique skull.

 

[okie archer]

Very interesting, thanks for sharing.

 

[Hickory1991]

Just came across this post. Have hunted black bears in Saskatchewan a few times. Outfitter told me that when two boars go at it during breeding season they will try to break the other ones jaw so that they can’t eat and eventually die. Rough life of a bear.

 

[Sask hunter]

I have never saw a bear with a broken jaw on camera or out of the dozen plus I have shot. I shot a 19 10/16 bear that I have a tooth off being aged as we speak. I also plan to send a tooth off my second bear of the spring that went 19.75. Once I get that information back I will add onto this thread

 

[Big Sky Guy]

Thanks for sharing!

 

[why]

My guess is that nutrition has a good part to play in the size/score equation. Some of the oldest bears I have seen were tiny females. Older males often seem to have more pronounced crests, as your photos show. There are physical characteristics to inform you of age but some are pretty subtle. Watching shows on youtube everyone all the sudden knows the exact age of every buck, bull, and bear. If those assumptions were checked with known ages I think a lot of folks would be greatly humbled. Hell, most can't age dead critters very well.

I've seen a handful of bears with broken jaws, a couple with broken legs, missing feet, punctured skulls, etc.. They are incredibly tough. While some of these injuries are likely caused by their own kind, I think it's a bit of an overstatement and anthropomorphism to say they intentionally break each others jaws so they can't eat.

 

[Nambaster]

I have never saw a bear with a broken jaw on camera or out of the dozen plus I have shot. I shot a 19 10/16 bear that I have a tooth off being aged as we speak. I also plan to send a tooth off my second bear of the spring that went 19.75. Once I get that information back I will add onto this thread

I have been eyeing those bears of yours and I am super curious about their age as well. Turns out bears make it to their 20’s on the regular.

 

[Sask hunter]

I have been eyeing those bears of yours and I am super curious about their age as well. Turns out bears make it to their 20’s on the regular.

My spring chocolate bear that went 19 10/16 was 7. I would have thought older as you always hear online all big boats are ten plus.

 

[Nambaster]

My spring chocolate bear that went 19 10/16 was 7. I would have thought older as you always hear online all big boats are ten plus.

I wonder if their cranium shrinks with age as they digress. What an amazing 7 yr old bear!

 

[Sask hunter]

I wonder if their cranium shrinks with age as they digress. What an amazing 7 yr old bear!

I had seen pictures of him on my baits for one or two years and couldn’t tel any size difference from year to year