Bears, Apparent Size vs. Actual Size
Am I the only one that has difficulty accurately gauging the size of black bears from any sort of distance?
Just yesterday I tagged a bear on a hillside, I thought it was a decent size, but it turned out to be much smaller in reality. Still a legal bear with a decent bit of meat to it. It's also been that I've seen bears thinking they were on the small side that turned out to be much larger once I got closer, or they started moving.
Re: Bears, Apparent Size vs. Actual Size
Yup you’re the only one :)
Re: Bears, Apparent Size vs. Actual Size
Ground shrinkage with bears happens to lots of hunters. I have watched someone swear they shot a giant then run up and pick up the bear like a dog lol
It takes time and seeing lots of bears both live and dead to get good at judging bears.
Re: Bears, Apparent Size vs. Actual Size
An excellent case for baiting lots of chances to see lots of bears and be able to learn to judge them experience is the best teacher when it comes to bears
Re: Bears, Apparent Size vs. Actual Size
I don't bear hunt but this reminds me of a number of years ago when the neighbour's kid shows up late at night with a bear in the back of the truck.
Naturely I go out to congratulate him and see if he needed a helping hand.
I look at the bear and say "Christ Mitch, your dog is bigger than that."
He looks knda sheepish and says "It looked bigger thru the scope." :oops:
He and I still laugh about that.
Re: Bears, Apparent Size vs. Actual Size
Check the distance between the ears. Old rule of thumb is if it would take four ears to fill the space between the ears, it's a big one.
Re: Bears, Apparent Size vs. Actual Size
Like Monasheemountainman said - you're the only one. I've never done it, and definitely not with the last one I got. Nope. Never.... :-)
I've made it a rule now that I'm not going to shoot one smaller than the last one, and I'm 50/50 regretting it because I'm in bad need of bear grease !
Re: Bears, Apparent Size vs. Actual Size
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Rob Chipman
Like Monasheemountainman said - you're the only one. I've never done it, and definitely not with the last one I got. Nope. Never.... :-)
I've made it a rule now that I'm not going to shoot one smaller than the last one, and I'm 50/50 regretting it because I'm in bad need of bear grease !
bear grease is a valuable commodity! It is great for frying fish, French toast, bannock...
Re: Bears, Apparent Size vs. Actual Size
Half the reason I hunt bears is for the fat! So many uses, plus delicious meat. Got a bag to render down tonight. Mmmm.
Re: Bears, Apparent Size vs. Actual Size
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Coyote
Check the distance between the ears. Old rule of thumb is if it would take four ears to fill the space between the ears, it's a big one.
I went back and looked at past pictures of bears I, or people I know have tagged and that actually is a pretty good rule to follow.