Northern interior bear sizes

[b.c hunter 88]

What's the average size bears being harvested ?
I took a sow in 5 15 at 6.8 two otheres bored at 6.4 and a 6.6
Coming from Powell river I've only shot one bear at 5.5 rest are all 6.4 and better biggest being 7.8
do black bears really get that big up hear ?

[b.c hunter 88]

Just moved to quesnel should of said that

[srupp]

Hmm 5 foot bear is shooter.if not in family unit . meat bear. ..
6 foot is start of trophy size.
My biggest is 7 foot 4..
Biggest brown color phase 7 foot.
Srupp

[yama49]

how you measuring them nose to tail on carcass? squared after skinned out? makes a difference on the numbers.

[srupp]

Hmmm i measure on the animal...
Srupp

[b.c hunter 88]

Square after skinned is how I was shown nose to tail then claw to claw on front legs.

[srupp]

Square after skinned is how I was shown nose to tail then claw to claw on front legs.

Too many hunters pulling hides till they all are 9 foot but 4 inches wide.lol
Always get extra by squaring a removed cape with some pulling.
Cheers
Srupp

[walks with deer]

Well the fawn eater that died tonight filled up a long box pickup...not major but 400lbs by yourself is big.

[Bear Chaser]

Freshly skinned hide laid flat no pulling, prodding or stretching is the correct and honest way to square a bear for measurement.

I have at times thought that a truer indication of the bears size and weight derived from the hide would be to lay the hide flat as mentioned and then measure the entire outer dimension of the skin like the circumference of a circle. A large bear will have belly skin that comes out even with the hind legs when laid flat.

[todbartell]

3 things are certain


nobody would admit to shooting a sub 6' black bear
if this does happen, its called a pepperoni bear
no animal ground shrinks more than a black bear


:-P

[ramcam]

Amen Todbartell

[180grainer]

Measure your bear by skull size. As Srupp says, lots of stretching can make a bear what you want it to be.

[b.c hunter 88]

Allways been a fresh hide not pulled.
I I'm gonna try a new area soon just been really small bears so far.

[boxhitch]

the very reason two tags are available.

[Krico]

Honestly I think the guys who claim to see multiple 6'+ bears each time they go out need glasses, lessons in measuring bears or both.
Actually had one guy tell me he measured from paw to paw diagonally lol.
I've hunted up there over 30 years. In all that time I've seen 2 bears I believe to have been 7 feet, one still haunts me. Lots of bears over 6 feet, but over many years. Most bears are under 6 feet.
Of course talking black bears only here.

[Red_Mist]

Gotta agree with this. 2 monster black bears I've seen in my life .... possibly were 7ft. The rest of big bears I see look 5-6 ft and I'm ok with that.

[moosinaround]

I just spent 6 days of hunting northern bears. I seen an honest 7'er, color phase, out of 45 different bears in 6 days! Several bears were 6'ers or just over, the rest were smaller 5-6'ers or less, or sows with Cubs. What I really noticed though, was that every sow/cub set were twins or triplets!!!!!! So kill a couple cause the population is doing very well!! Moosin

[HappyJack]

I just spent 6 days of hunting northern bears. I seen an honest 7'er, color phase, out of 45 different bears in 6 days! Several bears were 6'ers or just over, the rest were smaller 5-6'ers or less, or sows with Cubs. What I really noticed though, was that every sow/cub set were twins or triplets!!!!!! So kill a couple cause the population is doing very well!! Moosin

Yes, don't be shy about killing some calf killing black bears!! OP, there are some big black bears around Quesnel, but not as common as on the north island.

[Lukeez88]

Question- how much will a bear hide shrink when it gets tanned?

[Rupert Retired]

Well, it depends on what you mean by shrink. If you measured it as described above, freshly skinned, laid out flat (not stretched), then squared (which means the average of the width and the length), you will have what is supposed to be a comparable measurement, and in my experience, that won't really shrink. Black bears for sure are much wider than they are long. My first Grizz I measured in the field as 7' 3" squared, and that is what it came back as.

[b.c hunter 88]

hey guys thanks for the feed back i seen my first real color phase bear last night but didn't shoot felt it was small i seen one very good size bear up north more but it was only 5 minutes in so i let him go.

[boxhitch]

@blackbearsmttr would be proud of you


;-)