Bear carrying a dead cub?

[caddisguy]

Yesterday we decided to take a break and spend the mid day hiking up to get a trailcam I haven't been able to get to for about a year. Turned out it filmed until late July 2018 and got some interesting footage.

In one video, there is a pretty big bear carrying around a dead cub. On first glance I figured it was a boar carrying around lunch, but watched it again and noticed:

1) The cub is stiff, so it's been dead for a bit
2) It looks like is carrying it by the scruff of the neck, not the whole neck
3) I think it might be a sow? Big hips and acts pretty cautious, doing a lot of pausing and listening and I don't see any balls swaying around while it walks off... (though I haven't done a thorough pause and zoom junk-check yet)

I'll be posting it in up the next couple days once I get all the video together. Any preliminary guesses? Do sows carry their dead cubs around?

The thing about trailcams is sometimes they just show part of a story and leave you guessing

[Elkaddict]

I have no idea regarding bear behavior in that situation, but I wouldn't be surprised one bit if it was a sow with one of her cubs. A mare we once had lost a foal at about the three month mark. That poor mare mourned that foal for weeks. The foal had been removed from the paddock but still the mare wouldn't even leave the barn. Eventually she got to the point where she would make her way out to pasture but every half hour or hour or so and she would race back up to the barn screaming for her foal. It was really kinda heartbreaking to watch. So, in that context I can see a sow carrying a cub around for a while, not wanting to give in to reality.

[dana]

It could be either. Bears can act just like dogs and cats playing with their kills.

it helps to ID them better when the pose like this.

[srupp]

I have seen sows carrying dead cubs on several occasions.one event in Kwatna saw the sow with he cub for 4 days in a row..did not see a second or any other living cub.
I have seen boars with cubs., ripping them to pieces..carrying a dead cub does not seem to be boar behavior..
Steven

[caddisguy]

Thanks guys. I am going to have the video up soon. I'm not going to do up a whole production with the hike in and trailcam vid compilation (well, I am but I'll post it separately) ... should be up in an hour at the most.

Lol dana, that helps for sure. There's actually a decent shot of the bears rear with legs pretty open... all air though... I think if it was a boar we'd see the dingle berries.

Very curious what you guys will think after seeing the video... stay tuned, coming up in an hour

[caddisguy]

Ok here it is

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmWkiel0M7Y

[Husky7mm]

I think its a hide of a bear. Could be a moose hide to as people dump that stuff in the woods.

[Wild one]

Don’t have an answer for you but cool footage either way

[caddisguy]

I think its a hide of a bear. Could be a moose hide to as people dump that stuff in the woods.

Interested perspective. I shot a bear and left the hide/head not far from there but it would have been 2 months prior unless the date on the cam is outta whack which could be... date said July 5th but again could be wrong...

[dana]

Interested perspective. I shot a bear and left the hide/head not far from there but it would have been 2 months prior unless the date on the cam is outta whack which could be... date said July 5th but again could be wrong...

Hard to say for certain but COY should be a little more filled out by July 5. Doesn't really seem like much there. A chunk of hide seems like a decent explanation. The look the bear gives is almost like it stole it and got away with a prize. But who knows. Cool video none the less.