right way to measure bear length?

[lightmag]

What is the proper way to measure the length of a bear? I have heard tip of nose to tip of tail, tip of nose to back of stretched out back leg?, tip od nose to end of body (not tip of tail)?

Curious as some people's "6 foot" bear looks more like 5 or less:grin:

I know length doesn't matter (insert joke here, lol) in real scoring but i'm still interested.

Thanks guys,

[BromBones]

Hide flat on the ground, measure across the front paws, and from nose to tail to get your 'squared' measurement.

Black bears are almost always within a few inches of square.

Grizzlies are most often greater across the front paws because of the size/height of the shoulder area. I've seen grizzlies that went 6' nose to tail, and 8' across the paws, on stocky, mountain grizzlies.

[Gateholio]

I measure them nose o tail, but some folks liek to "square" the bear, which is measure head to tail with as much pulling/stretching as possible, then measure front paw to front paw with lots of stretching, add numbers together and divide by 2!:mrgreen:

[Sitkaspruce]

As others have said, lay it out and measure base of tail to tip of nose and across the front paws, but as Gates says, DO NOT STRETCH after laying it out. Add the two measurements and divide by two.

Cheers

SS

[oldtimer]

We always just measure tip to tip. That is also how we guesstimate how big the bear is as he ambles across the block. Mike

[lightmag]

We always just measure tip to tip. That is also how we guesstimate how big the bear is as he ambles across the block. Mike


so when people are refering to seeing/shooting a 6' or a 7' bear, are they talking nose to tail length? when i say i shot a 5' 11" bear i'm talking nose to tail length tip and not skinned and not "squared"

[BromBones]

so when people are refering to seeing/shooting a 6' or a 7' bear, are they talking nose to tail length? when i say i shot a 5' 11" bear i'm talking nose to tail length tip and not skinned and not "squared"

Usually talking nose to tail, but as I said, black bears are usually square anyways so it doesn't really matter there.

Since I don't carry a tape measure in the field, it's hard to measure a bear on the carcass. If I want to measure a bear it's done at home, and the hide is already off.

You still get a general idea of the size. A 5'11'' bear on the carcass will go 6'5'' or so skinned out.

[Mik]

Nose to tail is always the right way! Although a lot of Taxidermists measure nose to back leg to get a few extra bucks$$$$$$$ "scamartists"

[srupp]

Hmmm I measure both ways..

I will remove the hide and lay it out flat and pull the front right leg at right angles to the body JUST UNTILL the left paw starts to move..thats that..

and pull on the ber from the nose end untill the back end starts to move..no one is pulling against this PULL..then meaure width end of claws to end of claws..and then length nose to end of TAIL..

add together divide by two gives the SQUARE..

just the length gives the length..

my .02

srr

[willyqbc]

for the purpose of reference amongst the group of friends I hunt with we all use a nose to tail on the carcass measurement. I don't think it really matters what way you do it (with the exception of the guide stretch:wink:) as long as you are all speaking in the same terms. When a buddy asks me how big I think a bear we are looking at is and I say 5' 10" he knows what I mean by that because we all use the same reference.....just keeping it apples to apples. Also it is a much simpler measurement to judge in my opinion....lot more guesswork involved in trying to field judge a squared measurement.

just my opinion
Chris

[Tikka270wsm]

Everyone I know measures the hide with the skull in from nose to tail and without stretching. Add the armspan and divide by 2 to get your squared measurement like others have said.

[urbanhermit]

Everyone I know measures the hide with the skull in from nose to tail and without stretching. Add the armspan and divide by 2 to get your squared measurement like others have said.
if you are going to measure a griz like this, be sure to shoot it first.

[SteadyGirl]

i always deduct a good foot or two from whatever lenght people say thier bears go, find it pretty accurate myself:mrgreen:

[SteadyGirl]

wow that was my 1000th post, heck it only took seven years. i talk too much.

[TSW]

Hmmm I measure both ways..

I will remove the hide and lay it out flat and pull the front right leg at right angles to the body JUST UNTILL the left paw starts to move..thats that..

and pull on the ber from the nose end untill the back end starts to move..no one is pulling against this PULL..then meaure width end of claws to end of claws..and then length nose to end of TAIL..

add together divide by two gives the SQUARE..

just the length gives the length..

my .02

srr

I think I'm with Srupp on this one. One tip I heard to keep a guy "honest" was to pull it first, and then measure in both directions without pulling it again in between. Spread out hide, pull nose until back end moves and measure both directions. That way if there is any hint of stretching it evens out on the across measurement since it would start to pull the other measurement inwards slightly.

I measure to the tip of the tail too. I think it might have been on the Larry Rivers website I read, "If the bear grew it, it counts in the measurement!!" Good for the guiding stats I'm sure ;)

This is something so subjective which is why for good reason record bears are measured by skull size.

[dutchie]

As others have said, lay it out and measure base of tail to tip of nose and across the front paws, but as Gates says, DO NOT STRETCH after laying it out. Add the two measurements and divide by two.

Cheers

SS


Awwww come on... not even a little stretch?!so my 4'1" bear last year was not even that?!



(obviously joking)

Dutchie

[Tikka270wsm]

if you are going to measure a griz like this, be sure to shoot it first.

Thanx tips!:mrgreen: