What do you consider a "Shooter Bear"?

[perrysbirds]

Ok everyone just as the thread states in your opnion "What do you consider a shooter bear"?
This is my first season hunting bears and I will be sitting in a stand in a tree looking at a 45 gallon drum at about 20 yards?
Is there a way that I can determine what a respectable bear is while sitting in the stand?I dont really want to shoot a tiny guy.
Hey even a 200 pounder and I will be happy.Just wondering if there is a good way of determining a shooter bear while sitting in the stand?
Maybe a dumb question but maybe some of you guys know the answer that is if there is one.........
How do you determine that he is a shooter?
This is all pending I get bears to my baits....
Thanks Perry

[one shot scott]

This is my first year at bears too, and any bear that comes to my bait and present a good shot is a shooter bear That said, a bear with younger ones with it would get a free pass.

Good luck to you perrysbird! I hope it works out for ya, and judging by some posts made by you on this and other forums I think you will get your shooter!

[Cossack]

You can compare it to the barrel. But check the ears. They don't grow proportionately to the rest of the bear. If they look small, that's your bear.

[DaGriz]

Couple of tips for judging size of the bear. Look closely at the head. If the head looks quite small compared to the body, and if the legs look short it's a nice bear. Try to visualize a 100lb sack of corn and compare that to the bears body. 90% of people who see a bear way over estimate their size and weight. Avreage black bear weight is 200 -250lbs, and most are nearer the 200lb range. Anything over 250lbs is a very shootable bear. Remember that cubs stay with the sow for over year . A year and a half old ear will weigh around 125-140lbs if they have had good food. Watch for a bear that comes in to the bait by itself, sometimes the cubs come a few minutes later.

[Hazmat]

Small bears have big ears big bears have small ears!
The bears back should be higher than the second ring on a metal drum when the drum is standing up!
If the drum is knocked over a small bear can climb right in!

Small bears tend to come in early as they want to steal a meal before the big boys get there. You don't have to shoot the first bear that you see and if it seems nervous it may not be you but another bear in the area.

I have attached 2 photo's of a big bear and 1 small one I am trying to get the big one which was about 250lbs at photo time and will put on another 100lbs by bear season with my Equinox this year!

Good luck

http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx16 ... C00101.jpg

http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx16 ... 0121-1.jpg

http://s752.photobucket.com/albums/xx16 ... GC0060.jpg

[awshucks]

Anything w/o cubs! I just want the meat. So far, they've out foxed me and several others here for about 5 years. This one is listening to my 4 whlr approach during turkey season a few years ago, good eater, imho.

[ballz n jawz]

any bear charging me is a shooter.

[warningshot]

no cubs or sows for me....so anything else is a shooter ...imo

[secret]

In PA a big bear is 500-600lbs so a shooter would be 300-400.[no baiting here in Pa]

[awshucks]

We can bait on private land here in Ar. So far, that hasn't been much help. One sniff and they eat in the dark. Come gun season, adios amigos.