Judging size of a bear

[Deleted member 48080]

There are repercussions if the sows have cubs.

Right, absolutely. I missed where @Flatbrimmer said lactating. That gets you in hot water.

The three sows I killed were in Alaska and Montana, were dry, and I knew there were no cubs nearby. Which is perfectly legal, just not my goal when I go out.

 

[Salmonchaser]

The last two in the river do look rather large.

Is that rifle set up with Alaskan iron sights, just scope rings

It was a picture of the rifle after re stocking it, just happened to be a decent bear. Did put a scope on it

 

[Salmonchaser]

I have learned a few things that apply to me atleast when i am glassing bears.
1) if first glimse does not induce "big bear" thought, its small!
2) all bears are smaller than i thought they were at distance
3) my best luck telling sex is by watching how bear acts
4) i am definitely not above shooting a small bear but i pass on lots of bears as some days i could care less about shooting one unless its a big boy.

This pretty much nailed it.

 

[Foggy Mountain]

I skinned for a couple of bear camps, did full time taxidermy and this put allowed me to see how often people were correct, seldom it seemed, and how to judge. Imo they’re is no def way on medium/smaller bears unless small enough to not consider them. You’d be best having something known like a barrel, surveyor tape mark on tree. They’ll tell you bigger bears. Once large they often get creases in their head and often become bow legged. Boars have wider heads usually

 

[The Hedgehog]

Even as someone who has shot alot of bears they still trick me especially not over bait. Then trying to find a bear that’s 19.5 and passing it to find a 20 plus is the next level judging challenge

In MT - 99% or more of all bears have less than 19.5 on a skull. I am genuinely interested in the wizardry/bullshittery involved with estimating a skull size on a live bear.

 

[elkhuntinfool78]

If I'm being honest I think bears are the hardest of any animals to judge. I've been around a lot of bears, mostly black bears and it's still not easy. Living in montana we can't bait and hunting spot and stock can be really hard to get a good enough look at times. I hate to rush judging a bear and will gladly let them walk if I can't decide. For the most part though if you can't decide if it's a good bear or not then it's pretty likely that it isn't.

As others mentioned I generally like to get a good look at the head and want to see a wide blocky snout with small ears.

I would generally agree with whomever said that sows will often times have a larger rear end and generally a big boar will look more massive in the front shoulders.

At the end of the day the more bears you can be around and look at will go a long way in being able to judge them better, but I don't think judging bears will ever be easy

 

[Salmonchaser]

You are sitting on ridge glassing across the canyon, say five or six hundred to the top of the far ridge. A hunter appears. Give them a quick glassing, something unusual, wait is that a woman? Not great light, it’s early, could be a kid or a woman appears slight, heavy coat, no clue there, check the back side, that’ll tell you almost every time. Same with a bear!

 

[dgc1963]

This makes me laugh every time I talk about this subject
The reason is I started bear hunting about 15 yrs ago 1st few yrs was with a gun I hunt my home state here in Pa no bait or scents just scouting and we cant spot and stalk to many places it not open enough in the woods
So after a few yrs started archery hunting we have a camp that has a lot of bear in some yrs so having bear all night at the apple trees at camp we see them a lot
1st bear Im in a tree stand and see 1 coming down the mountain comes into 13 yrds and is eating acorns for about 15 minutes and I have no shot but I KNOW is a good 300 lbs finally is turns broadside and I let an arrow fly it runs a bit and I hear the death moan so I call my buddy one a walkie talkie and he come to help track we go about 50 yrds and their it is my 1st bear. I look at it and say well the real big on I shot much have run this little on over and killed it so lets keep looking for mine it was 165 lbs dressed
2nd one was a few yrs later on my knees beside a bush watched it for 1/2 hr coming to a cut corn field and it was big easy 300 lbs ( can you folks see a pattern) it can into less than 10 yrds turns broadside and I let an arrow fly and it weighed 185 lbs at the check station
My 3rd was again a few yrs later and I've become obsessed with archery bear hunting so watch a lot of bears every yr now and got this down really good lol this bear comes into 20 yrds and I let the arrow fly .OH yea I forgot it was DEFFENATLY 300 lbs
it was 250 see im getting better
judging bear is so tough unless you have something to compare the size to like a bait barrel or have lots of time to watch how they walk the distance between the ears 3 inches of hair hanging down from belly can throw you off
I have passed on bear over the yrs due to looking at them and thinking of the ones in my game room but its still tough especially is it 250 lbs or 350 now 250 and 500 is a no brainer

 

[Flatbrimmer]

In MT - 99% or more of all bears have less than 19.5 on a skull. I am genuinely interested in the wizardry/bullshittery involved with estimating a skull size on a live bear.

I’ll tell ya where one is… I hear what you’re saying, and I’m not the best person to advocate anything requiring tape measures but in MY OPINION there is definitely more than 1%!!

I honestly can’t believe all these stories about shooting boo boos…

 

[Sask hunter]

In MT - 99% or more of all bears have less than 19.5 on a skull. I am genuinely interested in the wizardry/bullshittery involved with estimating a skull size on a live bear.

Been my experience here a bear slightly taller then the barrel is in that 19.5 range. Once they get 4-6” over the barrel they are usually over 20

 

[Bulldog0156]

Been my experience here a bear slightly taller then the barrel is in that 19.5 range. Once they get 4-6” over the barrel they are usually over 20

What does that even mean? Are you bending bears over a barrel and having a go at them?

Fuggin Canadians, eh!

 

[cgasner1]

In MT - 99% or more of all bears have less than 19.5 on a skull. I am genuinely interested in the wizardry/bullshittery involved with estimating a skull size on a live bear.

It usually just easier to break a inch or 2 of the tape after

 

[ccc23454]

Been my experience here a bear slightly taller then the barrel is in that 19.5 range. Once they get 4-6” over the barrel they are usually over 20

Dude just get 30 gallon barrels...now they can all be 20"s

 

[The Hedgehog]

Been my experience here a bear slightly taller then the barrel is in that 19.5 range. Once they get 4-6” over the barrel they are usually over 20

All I’m gonna say is holy PFhuck. And thank you you for this very valuable tip of black bear hunting expertise.

 

[Deleted member 48080]

It usually just easier to break a inch or 2 of the tape after

Tell us about that CJ homie.

 

[The Hedgehog]

@Sask hunter just looking for tips when you don’t have a barrel/bait bucket within 20 yards to help get a scientific evaluation on skull measurement. Here’s an example of a typical spring MT bear hunt. 2 bears on a ridge across from you. One a pretty blonde stocky looking thing, the other this one - 1/4 mile above it. 1500 yards away. Make a 1200’ drop, wade a rushing creek and climb 1000’ up the other side to make a play? Or not? What’s the skull measurement? 19.5? Or could it go 20”? Welcome to my world.

 

[Flatbrimmer]

@Sask hunter just looking for tips when you don’t have a barrel/bait bucket within 20 yards to help get a scientific evaluation on skull measurement. Here’s an example of a typical spring MT bear hunt. 2 bears on a ridge across from you. One a pretty blonde stocky looking thing, the other this one - 1/4 mile above it. 1500 yards away. Make a 1200’ drop, wade a rushing creek and climb 1000’ up the other side to make a play? Or not? What’s the skull measurement? 19.5? Or could it go 20”? Welcome to my world.

Hard to tell with the spotty media… there’s moments I see a long face but the body looks big.. in spring?

Definitely. I mean, definitely tell YOU to drop 1200’ wade a rushing creek and climb 1000’ to make a play.. I’ll wave some orange when he smells ya!

 

[The Hedgehog]

Hard to tell with the spotty media… there’s moments I see a long face but the body looks big.. in spring?

Definitely. I mean, definitely tell YOU to drop 1200’ wade a rushing creek and climb 1000’ to make a play.. I’ll wave some orange when he smells ya!

But wait - you wouldn’t pass him/her as a bear with a 19.5 for a 20” skull??



Of course you wouldn’t because you, along with 100% of other hunters are not going or have the slightest clue.

 

[ismith]

@Sask hunter just looking for tips when you don’t have a barrel/bait bucket within 20 yards to help get a scientific evaluation on skull measurement. Here’s an example of a typical spring MT bear hunt. 2 bears on a ridge across from you. One a pretty blonde stocky looking thing, the other this one - 1/4 mile above it. 1500 yards away. Make a 1200’ drop, wade a rushing creek and climb 1000’ up the other side to make a play? Or not? What’s the skull measurement? 19.5? Or could it go 20”? Welcome to my world.

Gentlemen prefer blondes.

 

[Flatbrimmer]

But wait - you wouldn’t pass him/her as a bear with a 19.5 for a 20” skull??



Of course you wouldn’t because you, along with 100% of other hunters are not going or have the slightest clue.

Oh this is about the difference in judging 1/2” inside all that meat-head? Touché