How do you field age a black bear??

[CSG]

the synopsis says its unlawful to hunt a black bear less than 2 years old. How do you tell when your in the field?

[000buck]

cut it in half and count the rings

no really the angle of the ears to the nose increases with with age so a bear with a more equilateral triangle between the ears to the nose is an older bear. if the trianglr is tighter then a younger bear

[shaner338]

Cubs generally stay with sows until they are about 2. Young bears also look tall (long legs) and skinny.

[bruin]

The synopsis is assuming that any 2 year old bear will be with a sow. They don't expect you to actually age a bear. Even if it wasn't with a sow it would be the size of a toilet seat! Maybe a little bigger.

[Surrey Boy]

Same way you tell if the broad walking her dog is nineteen - Has weight in the right places and acts like it knows where it's going.

[moosehunter21]

Same way you tell if the broad walking her dog is nineteen - Has weight in the right places and acts like it knows where it's going.
I love this annalogy. Thank you sir for that.:-D:mrgreen::-D

[Marlin375]

The ears on a bear dont get any bigger after it is about two years old (and they are all pretty close to the same size on young and old).....so if it has little tiny ears its a shooter, if it looks like mickey mouse you should keep looking.

Lots of the time all you get to see is the head so it is a pretty good way to judge wether you should wait for a better look.

[hunter1947]

You will know when its Mr big when you see him ,the boar will have a big block face with brown on its snout small ears belly low to the ground..

[barry1974w]

Many years ago we were taking my newbie buddy bear hunting and he asked the same question. We told him you had to look real close, but you could tell by the rings on his nose. We kept him looking for rings for about a month before we let him shoot one. Funny as hell, even now fifteen years later you mention counting the rings when you see a bear and he turns red and mutters a "screw you guys".

[Ddog]

all joking aside, like Bruin said, the regs are assuming that a young bear will be with its mother. The regulations used to state that you cannot shoot a bear observed in a family unit, which was 2 or more bear together.
generally a bear will be with its mother until its 3rd year where the sow will give it the boot or the youngster just leaves and heads out on its own.
so going by what the regulations state if you see a bear by itself chances are pretty good that it is over the age of 2.

[7mag700]

Same way you tell if the broad walking her dog is nineteen - Has weight in the right places and acts like it knows where it's going.

:mrgreen: Classic :mrgreen:

7m7

[hntcrazy]

Just yell out and ask how old they are????? i kill me.....ha ha

[Jelvis]

Just point your high power at the bear and say give me your picture ID now, or I'll shoot, they usually comply .. lol ..