Average bear size

[Hunter3006]

Hi everyone,
Just looking for some feedback. I am in the northern region of Alberta. As people have mentioned, lot's of black bears. Lot's of SMALL bears. We head out 4- 5 times a week in the evenings. We see 5 or 6 bears an evening, and I am sure none of the bears we have stalked have been over 120 lbs. What would you consider an average size bear?

[SouthWestRanger]

Originally Posted by Hunter3006

Hi everyone,
Just looking for some feedback. I am in the northern region of Alberta. As people have mentioned, lot's of black bears. Lot's of SMALL bears. We head out 4- 5 times a week in the evenings. We see 5 or 6 bears an evening, and I am sure none of the bears we have stalked have been over 120 lbs. What would you consider an average size bear?

Sometimes size can be deceiving, weight and bear length don’t always indicate a mature bear, head size is the key determining factor. I’ve seen bears in the spring over 250lbs that didn’t make 18” and I’ve seen bears that weren’t even 6 feet go well over 19”. If you see a bear with a big noggin and a crease in the forehead you are looking at a good bear but it’s very hard to learn the identifying features of a good bear without seeing it in person. My personal rule is if I have to argue with myself whether it’s a mature boar it probably isn’t and should get a pass.

[Osky]

We hunt fall here. The state average age for a killed bear is just over 2 years so barely 200lbs at best. That leaves a lot of very nice bears for those with patience.
In my camp the rule is 300lbs or better, or your not coming back. Our state aging of all bear teeth is a great tool and shows that here in the heavy bush a bear makes a solid 300lbs around 8-9 years old. In the more crop laden areas they reach it sooner. A 300lb Bear here will be around 6’1 nose to base of tail.
Few sows ever reach the 300 mark here.

Osky

[Hunter3006]

Originally Posted by SouthWestRanger

Sometimes size can be deceiving, weight and bear length don’t always indicate a mature bear, head size is the key determining factor. I’ve seen bears in the spring over 250lbs that didn’t make 18” and I’ve seen bears that weren’t even 6 feet go well over 19”. If you see a bear with a big noggin and a crease in the forehead you are looking at a good bear but it’s very hard to learn the identifying features of a good bear without seeing it in person. My personal rule is if I have to argue with myself whether it’s a mature boar it probably isn’t and should get a pass.

I am thinking along these lines. I have see 2 dozen bears in the past 2 weeks. 2 of them were decent but were spooked as I got close. 2 others were big mamas with 3 cubs. All the others were pretty small and anything I was trying to figure out, I let pass. I figure if I see a big one, I should be able to recognize it. I was fortunate to harvest one last year, and thought he was a pretty good size. It was my first year, and shot at about 120 yards. He was only 150 dressed. With that said, I hunt for the meat and really enjoy bear. He was good eatin.

[wildwoods]

Originally Posted by SouthWestRanger

Sometimes size can be deceiving, weight and bear length don’t always indicate a mature bear, head size is the key determining factor. I’ve seen bears in the spring over 250lbs that didn’t make 18” and I’ve seen bears that weren’t even 6 feet go well over 19”. If you see a bear with a big noggin and a crease in the forehead you are looking at a good bear but it’s very hard to learn the identifying features of a good bear without seeing it in person. My personal rule is if I have to argue with myself whether it’s a mature boar it probably isn’t and should get a pass.

bingo!
If you have to hum and haw over a bear, it's going to usually disappoint

[reddeerhunter]

5 foot 180lbs avg at taxidermist.


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[st99]

I don't know about weight, but I'd say most (adult) bear walking around are between 5 and 5.5 feet. I usually consider 6' is big, 6.5' is very big and 7'+ is a monster.

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by st99

I don't know about weight, but I'd say most (adult) bear walking around are between 5 and 5.5 feet. I usually consider 6' is big, 6.5' is very big and 7'+ is a monster.

This.

[wildwoods]

all about the skull for me. I would take a 230 lb, 20" over a 400 lb 18.5" bear any day all day. less tanning costs too lol

[MooseRiverTrapper]

Same as deer have to comb through a lot of ratty 100 pound bears or 110” 4x4 whitetail to find a good one. That is the size and age class that makes up the majority of the species.

[35 whelen]

Originally Posted by st99

I don't know about weight, but I'd say most (adult) bear walking around are between 5 and 5.5 feet. I usually consider 6' is big, 6.5' is very big and 7'+ is a monster.

THIS We weighed bears 1 year at bear camp .they weigh a lot less then most people think.

[reddeerhunter]

Originally Posted by st99

I don't know about weight, but I'd say most (adult) bear walking around are between 5 and 5.5 feet. I usually consider 6' is big, 6.5' is very big and 7'+ is a monster.

Yup


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[Hunter4ever12]

Originally Posted by st99

I don't know about weight, but I'd say most (adult) bear walking around are between 5 and 5.5 feet. I usually consider 6' is big, 6.5' is very big and 7'+ is a monster.

Another vote here.

[Coiloil37]

I think the average bear shot is probably 5’ something nose to tail on the carcass. Most guys talking about 7’+ bears aren’t measuring the way I do and I don’t give it much merit. I’ve seen two bears that were true monsters. One by Abraham lake and one just outside the Banff park gates both much larger then anything I’ve ever seen on a bait.

I only ever had one on my bait that I thought may push the 7’ mark. He was my moby dick so to speak, the one that had me excited every spring. Here he was in 2010





He disappeared mid may in 2010 after the first time I sat and hunted him. He came back on the last day of the season in 2017 but I didn’t notice until after the season closed. He lost his ears but I would of loved to have put an arrow through him. I always knew him by his white eyebrows which is how I recognised him in 2017.












I’ve shot plenty of 6’ something bears like this one but never a true monster.