Questions on sizing up a bear

[DuckHunt]

Today I saw my second bear and its even bear season where I hunt. He never came closer than 48 yards. I didn't feel comfortable taking a shot on him at that distance. I was hunting on the ground and didn't have a rest behind me where I saw him. In Virginia the only rules are that you can't shoot a sow with cubs, and the bear has to be at least 200 pounds.

Are there any hints you bear hunters up North can give on sizing up a bear to know its to 200+ pound bear? I know this one was big to me. I had him around 50 yards away for almost twenty minutes. When he stands up broadside, he looks BIG. He doesn't look so big when he lays down next to a log and stretches out eating grubs.

DuckHunt

[DuckHunt]

I'm still interested in responses, but they have been overcome by events somewhat. I reread the regulations and a black bear only has to be 100 pounds live weight to be legal in Virginia. This one is definitely a shooter. I was interested in how to tell if its a 200 or 300 pound bear.

His days are numbered. I even get a chance at him with black powder a few weeks from now.

DuckHunt

[Adrian J Hare]

When it comes to bear it can be hard to tell the live weight of black bears. My exsperence in this field is a little easyier when we here in Ontario can bait. I use a 45gal drum(steel) and if the bear looks like it could fill the barrel if it was liquidfied then you will be looking at a 400lb range.

A 100 Lb bear will be last springs cubs now and may look bulky but short in height and length.

If your hunting the same place all the time, take in a barrel empty and leave it close to the blind where you feel the bear may travel and then you can judge a little easyier.

Here are a few photo's of different weight bear from the last few weeks I was hunting...

80-100 lber


125-150 Lber


200-225 Lber


275-300 Lber


300+ range LBer


400 Lb range


hope that helps ... Good Luck

[bob1961]

the bigger the bear the shorter and stumpier the legs look and the more filled out....look over the pic's as the bears get heavier they get shorter looking legs ........bob

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