Author Topic: Can someone reliably estimate size of this bear? (Read 1440 times)

foto · « **on:** June 13, 2007, 05:01:32 PM »

Here's a pic of a bear that has been coming around the cabin for the last two weeks and would raid the garbage every few weeks for the last year or so. He's about 30 yds from the back door and I am wondering how big he is. Always looked rather small but looking at the pics has made me rethink his actual size. 100lbs?150lbs or 200lbs. I also attached a pic of a turkey that was 10 feet away from where the bear was as a size reference as they seem to be the same approximate height. Any estimates by someone familiar with bear weights would be greatly appreciated., May go after him in Bow season this year especially since he is getting a little too bold now as I had chased him off with an ATV by accident and he still came back for the bird seed within 5 minutes. A few months ago if I did that he would be gone for weeks. Thanks for any help.

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #1 on:** June 14, 2007, 01:05:13 AM »

By guessing from the looks of the bear and looking at the surrounds and the bear features itself. I would say it look like a 200 to 250 pound bear. The ears are on the side of it's head and it has a small pot belly.

foto · « **Reply #2 on:** June 15, 2007, 07:45:49 AM »

Thanks for the estimate. Hard to guess with the grass being so high also. Makes him look bigger than I think he is. I guess the picture is deceiving . He was back again last night and he looked the same size as a big golden retriever. Going to try and get better pictures and put something out there like a yard stick or pre- measured sticks in the ground around the cabin so next time I take pictures of anything there will always be reference points everywhere. I think he's some sort of bonsai bear, looks big but is actually real small. thanks and take care.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #3 on:** June 15, 2007, 07:50:02 AM »

Here ya go...

Tim

http://www.huntingclub.com/Hunting/Library/Big_Game/Bears/Field-Judging_Black_Bears.asp

NONYA · « **Reply #4 on:** June 15, 2007, 09:51:58 AM »

Hes not a monster but definitely a shooter,Id say 4-6 years old,I wouldnt pass him up.

jk3006 · « **Reply #5 on:** June 15, 2007, 05:32:42 PM »

I think it's at least 200-250.

corbanzo · « **Reply #6 on:** June 16, 2007, 03:53:37 AM »

I'd give him around 200, but not much more. He is pretty healthy looking, but not that tall, probably around 150 or so when he is first waking up.

I'm gonna disagree on calling him a shooter. If he is eating your trash, then he is eating other peoples trash, DON'T SHOOT TRASH BEARS. Unless you feel like cleaning out a dumpster with a skinning knife, cause that is what you will end up doing.

NONYA · « **Reply #7 on:** June 16, 2007, 07:49:43 AM »

Just skin him and then take any meat you want without opening him up,problem solved.

billy_56081 · « **Reply #8 on:** June 16, 2007, 08:28:08 AM »

The picture makes it tough to tell. But I'd say from the ears it is a younger bear. Nothing wrong with that though. If you want as big bear he will probably return in the future, unless it is a boar and is run out of the territory. If you are unconcerned with size the smaller ones are very good eating. By the way I'm not sure on the size of the one in the second one. Looks way different than our Minnesota bears.

More pictures would help and it's always fun to see them in the wild.

corbanzo · « **Reply #9 on:** June 16, 2007, 04:31:54 PM »

Quote from: NONYA on June 16, 2007, 07:49:43 AM

Just skin him and then take any meat you want without opening him up,problem solved.

WRONG. If bears are eating trash for a while, all of their meat will taste as bad as what they have been eating. If it is a one time thing, then you will be safe, but if he has been seen eating trash for a while, that is a bad idea just waiting to happen. You are what you eat, you know? It's like up here, there is no way in heck I would kill a august/september bear in my area, cause that would be like eating a rotten salmon with better texture.

foto · « **Reply #10 on:** June 17, 2007, 07:07:42 PM »

Got some more pictures of him on saturday morning. Seeing him from different angles really showed how small he was and made me think there may be more than one bear visiting us. I was thinking about getting a jack russel terrier to go outside and kick this bears a** but it would be too one sided. The little spinning .22 cal metal target is a dead giveway as that thing is only about knee high. Spoke to the neighbors who are their year around and they said its one big boar that comes around knocking garbage only occasionally, which they estimated at 250+lbs and also a mother with two cubs that they would see occasionally end of summer/last fall. Maybe the one visiting me is one of the cubs in his first year as an independent. Also going to put two trail cameras up to see the path its using. Basic pattern seems to be come down in the evening hit our garbage first if we have any than proceed down the mountain and hit everyone elses and then stop at ours again on the way back and then head up the mountain again. Seems a whole rash of development has been pushing them higher up the mountain on to our property and the catskill preserve land which we border also forcing them to be more dependent on garbage. (thats according to the local taxidermist and big bear hunting fan) Anyways thanks again for any estimates.

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #11 on:** June 18, 2007, 01:19:03 AM »

The pic of the first bear is not the same one as the pic in your last post. The one in your last post is a boo- boo.

foto · « **Reply #12 on:** June 18, 2007, 04:09:30 PM »

Yeah, I am starting to realize that there is more than one bear. Have never seen them together though. Going to get some trail cameras up.
Take care and thanks for the info.

NONYA · « **Reply #13 on:** June 18, 2007, 05:07:33 PM »

The first one is a shoote,the second one looks like a 2-3 year old cub.

corbanzo · « **Reply #14 on:** June 19, 2007, 07:06:06 AM »

Heah, look at the ears in comparison with the head, I would say he was a second year.

jk3006 · « **Reply #15 on:** June 19, 2007, 01:27:54 PM »

The little guy looks like a cub to me. Probably last years litter. I think he's too big to be this year's litter. But hey, I could be wrong.

Gusto · « **Reply #16 on:** June 20, 2007, 09:38:50 AM »

The first bear is a nice, fat 4 or so year- old. Not much more than 200 Lbs, maybe less. The second bear is only 1 or 2 years old.

Two Bears · « **Reply #17 on:** July 02, 2007, 06:52:43 AM »

Sorry guys but I would put the first bear at about 300 pounds tops and no less than 250 pounds

Move that burn barrel back to that spot where the bear was, take a picture of the barrel and post it and you will see that the bear is as that barrel which should push the size of that bear up towards the 300 pound mark.

http://www.huntingclub.com/Hunting/Library/Big_Game/Bears/Field-Judging_Black_Bears.asp

Read # 6 on size, this bear would easily reach the second ring on the barrel....

Two Bears

Buckskin · « **Reply #18 on:** July 03, 2007, 05:47:24 AM »

I agree w/ two bears. Could easily go 275-300. Nice bear except for the garbage fetish.

foto · « **Reply #19 on:** July 05, 2007, 09:33:27 AM »

Update-
There are a few bears, I believe 4 or 5 altogether. The youngster above is always alone and there are also two really small ones the size of med dogs that come with their mother. She has really ratty hair that seems to be falling out in places. Don't know if its from the warm weather or what. Don't know if she is the one that I saw first or not. If not, then there is one more which I think is correct because I am sure I would have seen the cubs that day if there were any. They all seem to have moved on as I only saw the cubs and the mother once last week and none of the others.

Also, one of them ripped half the bark off a pine tree from around 6.5ft high to 3-4 feet. There is sap everywhere covering the area. Do they do that to eat the sap or exercise their claws or teeth? Just curious.

Take care all and thanks for the info, you have all been very helpful.