Passed on this one

[andrewscag]

I was out last week but didn't connect with anything. Thought I'd share a pic of this guy though. Needs a couple of years yet, but I was happy to get a pic at least.


http://i1070.photobucket.com/albums/u492/keeperdog11/DSC_4451.jpg (http://s1070.photobucket.com/user/keeperdog11/media/DSC_4451.jpg.html)


http://i1070.photobucket.com/albums/u492/keeperdog11/DSC_4429.jpg (http://s1070.photobucket.com/user/keeperdog11/media/DSC_4429.jpg.html)

[quaint bucket]

that's a great pic. what camera did you use?

[andrewscag]

Thanks quaint bucket. Nikon D610 with an old 70-210mm

[albravo2]

That is a great pic. The first one looks like he is posing for a portrait!

[andrewscag]

Had to pass on this one too ;-)

http://i1070.photobucket.com/albums/u492/keeperdog11/DSC_4384.jpg (http://s1070.photobucket.com/user/keeperdog11/media/DSC_4384.jpg.html)

[caddisguy]

That is a great pic. The first one looks like he is posing for a portrait!

He is posing for his PAL application :D

[BiG Boar]

Figure that bear is a boar or a sow?

[andrewscag]

I thought it was a sow in the field, but everyone who has seen the pics has called it a boar no question. The muzzle looks heavier in the pics. I have a hard time with the young ones, though.

[835]

Im going with Sow,,, dainty face..

Real nice pics though,, sitting in daffodils!

[Brizz]

What do you guys figure on live weight? 150? Being a new bear hunter, that would have been hard for me to pass up :)

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Nice pics.

Certainly harder for me to judge small bears, as well, but I'd say sow.

SSS

[andrewscag]

@ brizz - 150 would have been pushing it I think. Looked like closer to 125 to me. Not much meat and at the time was thinking it was a sow. I'd missed an opportunity on an enormous boar the day before so I think I'd have felt worse taking this one than coming home empty.

Another shot that looks sow-ish. If you look closely at the earlier shots you can see a pretty good fresh scar on her nose. Won't be hard to ID in years to come.

http://i1070.photobucket.com/albums/u492/keeperdog11/DSC_4433.jpg (http://s1070.photobucket.com/user/keeperdog11/media/DSC_4433.jpg.html)

[ElliotMoose]

Awesome pictures. I would say 100-125 lbs as well. Once that hide came off there wouldn't be much to nibble on

[Kootneykid]

That bear is a baby! Looks like a sow. And that deer looks like it been through the wars.

[~T-BONE~]

Looks like a SOW!

[blindcast]

I like the star on the chest. Looks like an immature though, two springs. I'm saying it's a sow.

[yamadirt 426]

i also say sow

[andrewscag]

Goes to show me. Sticking with sow.

Kootneykid - he didn't look too bad in person. Just young and molting.

[swampthing]

Just doing a stalk and passing it up is success to me. Lets you keep hunting.

[steel_ram]

It's a sow because it has a little heart on it's chest. LOL. Get real! The only way to tell for sure is to flip it over, or in a few years when it grows up, catching it given'r or getting some.

[JPW]

How old would a bear that size be?

[andrewscag]

Cubs are born in the winter, so my guess is that she's close to a year and a half old. Probably her first summer solo. The experts here may have some more info and will please correct me if I'm wrong.

[steel_ram]

He's was probably into his second Spring. Male's venture out on their own sooner,

[rifleman]

very nice pictures.. way to go passing IT up...

[Dirty30-30]

Those are some Great Pictures, I seen one around that size last weekend. I really need to start packing my camera more often.

[JPW]

Cubs are born in the winter, so my guess is that she's close to a year and a half old. Probably her first summer solo. The experts here may have some more info and will please correct me if I'm wrong.

So technically not legal to shoot? "It's unlawful... to hunt a grizzly bear or black bear less than 2 years old or any bear in its company." How do you know for sure? Could a 1.5 year old bear with great genes look like an older bear?

[BiG Boar]

Bears don't leave at a year and a half. It is at minimum 2 years old. Totally legal. Born in Jan or feb, she made it through the first year as a fur ball, then spent the winter in the den. The second year she was with mom too, and then she went to sleep with mom a second time. She emerged with mom and then was kicked out in June or July, or possibly spent some extra time with mom. I am guessing most solo bears seen are at least 3 years old if seen alone in the spring season.

This all said. I think its a good pass. Look at pics of lots of known sows and you will start to pic up on the subtle differences.

[quaint bucket]

I came back here to look at the pictures again. Very well done.