Looks like a good size black bear.

[glen moa]

Looks like a good size bear. IMG_6233.jpg

[Pathfinder76]

Hard to tell.

[CBintheNorth]

Depends on what is considered a good size?
I would say it is 4 to 5 years old and 180 - 200ish lbs

[Demonical]

When you see a really good bear all doubt is removed....

[glen moa]

It’s hard to tell with no perspective but the weeds are about 4’ tall. I guess it’s about 7’ from foot to tip of snout.

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by glen moa

It’s hard to tell with no perspective but the weeds are about 4’ tall. I guess it’s about 7’ from foot to tip of snout.

Mid size boar just over 5ft nose to tail on all fours

A big bear’s head will look different and the ears will not look as big most of the time. The front shoulders will be more developed. The front legs will carry more bulk too

There is exceptions to this but often at least a portion of those characteristics will be present. I have been involved in bear kills where a bear has larger ears or longer snout that were over 19” vs the classic big bear look but the front half of the body gave them away

Bears are one of those animals people miss judge often. I have been called in to help recover bears that the hunters thought were “giant bears” that turned out small many times. I got good at judging them from growing up with a few bear guides as mentors, being involved in a lot of bear kills, and seeing a crap load of bears

Maybe it’s an oddball bear or bad picture and I am miss judging it but I don’t see a big bear.

As demonical post when you see a truly big bear you won’t even have to think about it.

[Grizzly Adams1]

Originally Posted by Demonical

When you see a really good bear all doubt is removed....

Big ears small bear, small ears, big bear.

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams1

Big ears small bear, small ears, big bear.

Yes and no there are big boars that break the rules and this is where having lots of experience with bears comes into play. The crease is also not always 100% because some bears are meat heads vs bone heads as I put it. Coastal bears especially Vancouver Island bears are notorious meat heads that can result in a smaller than expected skull. I have also hunted populations in northern B.C. that have longer noses so they don’t get that classic basketball head many look for

There are general rules that in most cases play true but the genetics in a location or just oddball bears can break the rules

Either way that bear doesn’t have the big bear vibe

[Dean2]

Very poor picture, but that is a small bear. Fine for meat, not what I would suggest for a rug or mount.

[-JR-]

I shoot a bear that size once . When i started walking closer , i noticed the grass was not that high .

[SouthWestRanger]

Not a big bear

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams1

Big ears small bear, small ears, big bear.

This can be a poor way to judge bears I’ve found. Some big bears have big ears. Width between the ears is a good indicator, but the best indicator is that they are just big. Like anything else. When they look big, they generally are.

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by Pathfinder76

This can be a poor way to judge bears I’ve found. Some big bears have big ears. Width between the ears is a good indicator, but the best indicator is that they are just big. Like anything else. When they look big, they generally are.

They just look big is really one of the best ways to put it and the just straight up move differently too

When it comes to bears seeing lots of bears is the best way to figure out how to judge them

[reddeerhunter]

Smaller bear for sure. 5 footer. Young.
170lb range


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[Head Lice]

Smaller bear . . . you should look for his Grandpa.

[300magman]

Originally Posted by Smoky buck

Mid size boar just over 5ft nose to tail on all fours

A big bear’s head will look different and the ears will not look as big most of the time. The front shoulders will be more developed. The front legs will carry more bulk too

There is exceptions to this but often at least a portion of those characteristics will be present. I have been involved in bear kills where a bear has larger ears or longer snout that were over 19” vs the classic big bear look but the front half of the body gave them away

Bears are one of those animals people miss judge often. I have been called in to help recover bears that the hunters thought were “giant bears” that turned out small many times. I got good at judging them from growing up with a few bear guides as mentors, being involved in a lot of bear kills, and seeing a crap load of bears

Maybe it’s an oddball bear or bad picture and I am miss judging it but I don’t see a big bear.

As demonical post when you see a truly big bear you won’t even have to think about it.

Bang on.....bears and antelope, the two most misjudged critters in the province lol.

Ive always likened bears to people more than any other animal (and yes, I know they resemble us with the skin off but not in that way lol)....people are short, tall, skinny, fat, big heads, little heads, big ears, little ears, long noses, broad noses, etc, etc. And look over enough bears and you will see every combination of the above. I have shot bears whose heads are far too big for their body, and vice versa, etc, etc.

One of those things that really does takes years of watching alot of bears to get a good feel for when you are talking marginal "shooters".

To stick with human comparisons though, as others have mentioned, when Shaq walks into a room everyone just knows he's big no matter what definition you use lol!

[Pathfinder76]

Skull size is also a hard determine live. These are Southern AB bears so not monsters, but the first bear has a skull that is an inch smaller than the second. Live, I would have guessed the opposite.

[-JR-]

Bears are so tricky to judge even on pictures when a guy stands behind the bear for the picture . Holding the bears foot with two hands showing the bottom is a nice picture . Normally when i am alone I will place the riffle on its back then I will take a solo picture . Always like to know which gun dropped it as well .
Seen so many photo of these guided hunts down east ,where they place a two year old bear on a log then stand way behind the bear for the picture keeping the legs pulled back to make them look longer.
Then on the bottom saying its a nice trophy bear for this hunter .
Might be true if its their first bear .
You can double the size of a bears head by just being very close with the camera .

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by Pathfinder76

Skull size is also a hard determine live. These are Southern AB bears so not monsters, but the first bear has a skull that is an inch smaller than the second. Live, I would have guessed the opposite.

Both are nice big mature bears either way

That is the meat head vs bone head factor I was talking about. This is a prime example of why I don’t take the crease as seriously as some like to preach

My cousin in northern BC took a 6’8” nose to tail on the round bear that almost looks like a stretched limo in the picture I got so far. It’s a big boar and he is no BS when he says how big a bear is but it looks like a bit of an oddball bear. My cousin is a big boy so when a bear looks big in his hands it’s a good one

Still need to talk to him and get more details. If he gives permission I will post a pic because the proportions on this one are not normal

I may have to come out of retirement and do some spot & stalk bear hunting next year because I am starting to get the itch again. Stupid hide rule here in Alberta is a deterrent as I would rather just keep the meat and skull. Packing a hide out I don’t really want has killed it for me since moving to Alberta

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by 300magman

Bang on.....bears and antelope, the two most misjudged critters in the province lol.

Ive always likened bears to people more than any other animal (and yes, I know they resemble us with the skin off but not in that way lol)....people are short, tall, skinny, fat, big heads, little heads, big ears, little ears, long noses, broad noses, etc, etc. And look over enough bears and you will see every combination of the above. I have shot bears whose heads are far too big for their body, and vice versa, etc, etc.

One of those things that really does takes years of watching alot of bears to get a good feel for when you are talking marginal "shooters".

To stick with human comparisons though, as others have mentioned, when Shaq walks into a room everyone just knows he's big no matter what definition you use lol!

Yup watched my brother in B.C. hold out for 6 years saying he only wanted a giant passing on some really nice bears. Then one afternoon we spotted a bear on a hill and he was dead set it was huge even though I kept telling him it was a meh bear. He dropped it and when we got up to it I started laughing because it was maybe 5’6” at best. He had passed on much bigger many times too lol

He hasn’t bought a tag since

[-JR-]

Nice story smokey ..thats why its nice getting two tags in Alberta

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by -JR-

Nice story smokey ..thats why its nice getting two tags in Alberta

You get two in B.C. as well he just became too butt hurt about it and gave up bear hunting. I will take BCs bear rules over Albertas any day

Alberta’s hide requirement has actually deterred me from hunting them here as it’s a nuisance and I took a bear every spring in B.C.. I also used to help at the minimum 6 people tag a bear or 2 each every spring. I don’t need a bear hide unless it’s an absolute tank. The work to skin it nicely/pack it out when I don’t want it isn’t worth it. If I could just take the meat and skull leaving the hide in the bush I would still hunt them every spring

I have bought one tag in Alberta just to run a bait to see what I thought of that style of bear hunting and have not bought on since. Baiting wasn’t for me but I can respect the work involved

It’s been tempting to just go hunt with family in B.C. because of the rules here

[shawn]

Originally Posted by Smoky buck

You get two in B.C. as well he just became too butt hurt about it and gave up bear hunting. I will take BCs bear rules over Albertas any day

Alberta’s hide requirement has actually deterred me from hunting them here as it’s a nuisance and I took a bear every spring in B.C.. I also used to help at the minimum 6 people tag a bear or 2 each every spring. I don’t need a bear hide unless it’s an absolute tank. The work to skin it nicely/pack it out when I don’t want it isn’t worth it. If I could just take the meat and skull leaving the hide in the bush I would still hunt them every spring

I have bought one tag in Alberta just to run a bait to see what I thought of that style of bear hunting and have not bought on since. Baiting wasn’t for me but I can respect the work involved

It’s been tempting to just go hunt with family in B.C. because of the rules here

This is correct. Alberta really needs to change the bear hide rules. The rules should be changed to allow for the retention of either the hide OR the meat. Both myself and my brother don’t hunt them due to the hide retention rules. A increase in bear harvest I bet would help our moose population in many areas.

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by shawn

This is correct. Alberta really needs to change the bear hide rules. The rules should be changed to allow for the retention of either the hide OR the meat. Both myself and my brother don’t hunt them due to the hide retention rules. A increase in bear harvest I bet would help our moose population in many areas.

Don’t hold your breath

After being back in Alberta for going on 6 years I have reached the conclusion Alberta resident hunters don’t seem to have sufficient lobbying for change to see even basic changes. Because of this I don’t see even the most basic changes to happen

[300magman]

Originally Posted by shawn

this is correct. Alberta really needs to change the bear hide rules. The rules should be changed to allow for the retention of either the hide or the meat. Both myself and my brother don’t hunt them due to the hide retention rules. A increase in bear harvest i bet would help our moose population in many areas.

x10000000

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by Smoky buck

Both are nice big mature bears either way

That is the meat head vs bone head factor I was talking about. This is a prime example of why I don’t take the crease as seriously as some like to preach

My cousin in northern BC took a 6’8” nose to tail on the round bear that almost looks like a stretched limo in the picture I got so far. It’s a big boar and he is no BS when he says how big a bear is but it looks like a bit of an oddball bear. My cousin is a big boy so when a bear looks big in his hands it’s a good one

Still need to talk to him and get more details. If he gives permission I will post a pic because the proportions on this one are not normal

I may have to come out of retirement and do some spot & stalk bear hunting next year because I am starting to get the itch again. Stupid hide rule here in Alberta is a deterrent as I would rather just keep the meat and skull. Packing a hide out I don’t really want has killed it for me since moving to Alberta

Both are six and a half foot bears (nose to tail). Here is another 6’ 6” bear with a bigger skull than bear number one. This one I was stalking from behind thinking he wasn’t up to much size wise. Then he turned his head side on to me and I instantly knew he was a brute by the depth of his snout.

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by Pathfinder76

Both are six and a half foot bears (nose to tail). Here is another 6’ 6” bear with a bigger skull than bear number one. This one I was stalking from behind thinking he wasn’t up to much size wise. Then he turned his head side on to me and I instantly knew he was a brute by the depth of his snout. And he was a brute. A very old brute.

That is one I would pull the trigger on. I have killed lots of big bears but no big color phase. Every time a big colored bear would co operate it was someone else’s turn to be the shooter.

[Pathfinder76]

Here are another couple of big colour phases. These two had exceptional hides.

[Smoky buck]

So I talked to my cousin and got proper details. 6’8” was hide off 6’2” is hide on nose to tail. Good bear not a giant. This bear will likely be a 19- 19 1/2 inch skull because it’s not the biggest head

Not the best pics but clear to share these. He is not the best camera man lol






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[Pathfinder76]

It’s a beauty bear regardless. My favourite colour phase still remains black. Their hides are glossy and full looking.