Grizzly bear shot, hunter found guilty

[MTLabrador]

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Last year I went after the nice color phase black in picture 1. He never came back out that night, but the big sow (griz) with two cubs came out about 30 minutes after I lost the black. Confused me as they were within a quarter mile of each other. Made me second guess if he was indeed a black. I feel like I usually know instantly if it's a griz. The chocolate blacks (especially in griz country) always have me second guessing. No bears worth 10K in fines. It's usually pretty clear if you get the time to watch them at a reasonable range. Now big sow vs boar....that's another discussion.

Those are all black bears, including the sow with cubs.

 

[SAJ-99]

No. There is a test on the G&F website but it is not mandatory.

MT leads WY in one area I guess.

 

[FREAK]

Those are all black bears, including the sow with cubs.

That second is a griz 100%. Picture may not be clear but trust me, it was a griz.

 

[JLS]

That second is a griz 100%. Picture may not be clear but trust me, it was a griz.

Nope

 

[MTLabrador]

That second is a griz 100%. Picture may not be clear but trust me, it was a griz.

It’s easy to second guess looking through a spotter in the field, but it’s a black bear. Looking at it side by side with a grizzly it’s more apparent.

 

[perma]

It’s easy to second guess looking through a spotter in the field, but it’s a black bear. Looking at it side by side with a grizzly it’s more apparent.

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Interesting, the muzzle on the grizzly is lighter. I thought grizzly bears had consistent color throughout.

 

[MTLabrador]

Interesting, the muzzle on the grizzly is lighter. I thought grizzly bears had consistent color throughout.

Color isn’t really a reliable indicator, although you rarely see mountain grizzlies that are the reddish brown color.

 

[375H&H]

That second is a griz 100%. Picture may not be clear but trust me, it was a griz.

That in Washington? If so, there is really only 1 place that you could purposely find a grizzly. I doubt that is from that area as it is nowhere near Rainier, but curious.

 

[FREAK]

That in Washington? If so, there is really only 1 place that you could purposely find a grizzly. I doubt that is from that area as it is nowhere near Rainier, but curious.

Yeah Washington near mnt Rainier

Edit: first pic I uploaded was mnt Rainier. Second was in heavy griz country Montana. I’ve seen lots of bears over the years. The sow made that decent black bear look like a cub from 1.5 times as far away. The pure size of a big griz is unmistakable imho.

 

[JLS]

Interesting, the muzzle on the grizzly is lighter. I thought grizzly bears had consistent color throughout.

The profile is much more important than the color.

 

[perma]

The profile is much more important than the color.

Obviously idk what I’m talking about so I’ll just sit here and read and learn.

 

[ccc23454]

I see likely as many grizzlies as anyone here and there is still times when i have to wait for different angle views or light etc. I can easily see how someone could make mistakes when they see a bear during bear season, i seen people loose there minds when a buck runs by during deer season so in the moment things happen. Bears are not something everyone sees everyday so there are other factors. Its easy to sit on the internet and judge but it is what it is, i wasnt there and dont know what the person seen that led him to make a bad decision and frankly some internet slide show likely will not make difference. Its a factor when hunting in griz country that you have to make every effort to be positive of what species it is or just pass. I just hope this never happens to me!

 

[Gerald Martin]

It’s easy to second guess looking through a spotter in the field, but it’s a black bear. Looking at it side by side with a grizzly it’s more apparent.

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You guys beat me to it. All black bears in @FREAK’s original post of the boat and sow with cubs.

 

[Drake4]

That second is a griz 100%. Picture may not be clear but trust me, it was a griz.

Not a chance that’s a Griz.

 

[FREAK]

Not a chance that’s a Griz.

Probably digging myself deeper here but i'll give it a go anyways.

A couple run of the mill black bears behind a small tree and a average size pine tree (first one from @MTLabrador) with respect to the tree you can tell theyre your average montana black bear:


vs below, (the no chance griz)….walking behind a stump at least 2.5 times the size of the trees above and she still looks like a tank.

I can see how the pics I fist posted are a bit deceiving, but it's a legit big sow griz. I guess we can agree to disagree. I’ve seen many of both species and find it funny to be dismissed so confidently. Or maybe its the first 7.5' sow black bear I've seen in the wild...


Alright, that's all I have to add on this one.

 

[Watts307]

Black or griz? This one was a tough one for me. Wasn’t hunting just from a hike in an area near Rainier. I wouldn’t have shot if I as hunting but I was leaning towards big color phase black.

Imagine shooting this near Rainier and it being a grizzly

You would be stoned to death with vaccine passports and there non plastic turtle saving straws by hikers before you even got to the vehicle.

 

[more_cowbell]

Imagine shooting this near Rainier and it being a grizzly

You would be stoned to death with vaccine passports and there non plastic turtle saving straws by hikers before you even got to the vehicle.

Then in an ironic twist, they'd strap his body to the top of their Subaru outback and post to tiktok

 

[375H&H]

Probably digging myself deeper here but i'll give it a go anyways.

A couple run of the mill black bears behind a small tree and a average size pine tree (first one from @MTLabrador) with respect to the tree you can tell theyre your average montana black bear:
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vs below, (the no chance griz)….walking behind a stump at least 2.5 times the size of the trees above and she still looks like a tank.

I can see how the pics I fist posted are a bit deceiving, but it's a legit big sow griz. I guess we can agree to disagree. I’ve seen many of both species and find it funny to be dismissed so confidently. Or maybe its the first 7.5' sow black bear I've seen in the wild...
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Alright, that's all I have to add on this one.

Still not seeing that as a grizz. They are barely in the North Cascades so I’m thinking it will be obvious/known if they were around Rainier with the increased human presence.

 

[JDH]

True but his seemed a lot more defined and outlined unlike this ones. Yours is more roundish and his seems more sharp. Maybe it’s because of the stride his took while yours is standing still? Good comparison though.

Muzzle color helps, I don’t think grizz has a separate muzzle color either?

To my untrained eye, the first pic hump is more forward and the black bear pics are more of a sway back, making the shoulders look like a hump.

 

[JLS]

vs below, (the no chance griz)….walking behind a stump at least 2.5 times the size of the trees above and she still looks like a tank.

There’s no doubt she’s a very big black bear.