|
05-25-2020, 11:12 AM
|
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 120
|
|
Average bear size
Hi everyone,
Just looking for some feedback. I am in the northern region of Alberta. As people have mentioned, lot's of black bears. Lot's of SMALL bears. We head out 4- 5 times a week in the evenings. We see 5 or 6 bears an evening, and I am sure none of the bears we have stalked have been over 120 lbs. What would you consider an average size bear?
|
05-25-2020, 11:41 AM
|
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 350
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hunter3006
Hi everyone,
Just looking for some feedback. I am in the northern region of Alberta. As people have mentioned, lot's of black bears. Lot's of SMALL bears. We head out 4- 5 times a week in the evenings. We see 5 or 6 bears an evening, and I am sure none of the bears we have stalked have been over 120 lbs. What would you consider an average size bear?
|
Sometimes size can be deceiving, weight and bear length don’t always indicate a mature bear, head size is the key determining factor. I’ve seen bears in the spring over 250lbs that didn’t make 18” and I’ve seen bears that weren’t even 6 feet go well over 19”. If you see a bear with a big noggin and a crease in the forehead you are looking at a good bear but it’s very hard to learn the identifying features of a good bear without seeing it in person. My personal rule is if I have to argue with myself whether it’s a mature boar it probably isn’t and should get a pass.
|
05-25-2020, 01:09 PM
|
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2019
Posts: 604
|
|
We hunt fall here. The state average age for a killed bear is just over 2 years so barely 200lbs at best. That leaves a lot of very nice bears for those with patience.
In my camp the rule is 300lbs or better, or your not coming back. Our state aging of all bear teeth is a great tool and shows that here in the heavy bush a bear makes a solid 300lbs around 8-9 years old. In the more crop laden areas they reach it sooner. A 300lb Bear here will be around 6’1 nose to base of tail.
Few sows ever reach the 300 mark here.
Osky
|
05-25-2020, 04:06 PM
|
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 120
|
|
bear size
Quote:
Originally Posted by SouthWestRanger
Sometimes size can be deceiving, weight and bear length don’t always indicate a mature bear, head size is the key determining factor. I’ve seen bears in the spring over 250lbs that didn’t make 18” and I’ve seen bears that weren’t even 6 feet go well over 19”. If you see a bear with a big noggin and a crease in the forehead you are looking at a good bear but it’s very hard to learn the identifying features of a good bear without seeing it in person. My personal rule is if I have to argue with myself whether it’s a mature boar it probably isn’t and should get a pass.
|
I am thinking along these lines. I have see 2 dozen bears in the past 2 weeks. 2 of them were decent but were spooked as I got close. 2 others were big mamas with 3 cubs. All the others were pretty small and anything I was trying to figure out, I let pass. I figure if I see a big one, I should be able to recognize it. I was fortunate to harvest one last year, and thought he was a pretty good size. It was my first year, and shot at about 120 yards. He was only 150 dressed. With that said, I hunt for the meat and really enjoy bear. He was good eatin.
|
05-25-2020, 11:01 PM
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Location
Posts: 4,961
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by SouthWestRanger
Sometimes size can be deceiving, weight and bear length don’t always indicate a mature bear, head size is the key determining factor. I’ve seen bears in the spring over 250lbs that didn’t make 18” and I’ve seen bears that weren’t even 6 feet go well over 19”. If you see a bear with a big noggin and a crease in the forehead you are looking at a good bear but it’s very hard to learn the identifying features of a good bear without seeing it in person. My personal rule is if I have to argue with myself whether it’s a mature boar it probably isn’t and should get a pass.
|
bingo!
If you have to hum and haw over a bear, it's going to usually disappoint
|
05-25-2020, 03:07 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,521
|
|
5 foot 180lbs avg at taxidermist.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
__________________
"We're not polishing fine china here"-Belichick.
|
05-25-2020, 03:27 PM
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,573
|
|
I don't know about weight, but I'd say most (adult) bear walking around are between 5 and 5.5 feet. I usually consider 6' is big, 6.5' is very big and 7'+ is a monster.
|
05-25-2020, 03:31 PM
|
|
|
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 15,851
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by st99
I don't know about weight, but I'd say most (adult) bear walking around are between 5 and 5.5 feet. I usually consider 6' is big, 6.5' is very big and 7'+ is a monster.
|
This.
__________________
“I love it when clients bring Berger bullets. It means I get to kill the bear.”
-Billy Molls
|
05-25-2020, 11:00 PM
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Location
Posts: 4,961
|
|
all about the skull for me. I would take a 230 lb, 20" over a 400 lb 18.5" bear any day all day. less tanning costs too lol
|
05-25-2020, 11:02 PM
|
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,906
|
|
Same as deer have to comb through a lot of ratty 100 pound bears or 110” 4x4 whitetail to find a good one. That is the size and age class that makes up the majority of the species.
|
05-25-2020, 03:45 PM
|
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: GRAND PRAIRIE
Posts: 5,720
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by st99
I don't know about weight, but I'd say most (adult) bear walking around are between 5 and 5.5 feet. I usually consider 6' is big, 6.5' is very big and 7'+ is a monster.
|
THIS We weighed bears 1 year at bear camp .they weigh a lot less then most people think.
|
05-25-2020, 07:21 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,521
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by st99
I don't know about weight, but I'd say most (adult) bear walking around are between 5 and 5.5 feet. I usually consider 6' is big, 6.5' is very big and 7'+ is a monster.
|
Yup
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
__________________
"We're not polishing fine china here"-Belichick.
|
05-25-2020, 08:13 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Medicine Hat
Posts: 550
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by st99
I don't know about weight, but I'd say most (adult) bear walking around are between 5 and 5.5 feet. I usually consider 6' is big, 6.5' is very big and 7'+ is a monster.
|
Another vote here.
|
05-29-2020, 12:33 AM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Oz
Posts: 2,124
|
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT -6. The time now is 11:04 PM.
|