Grizzly or black bear?

[Idaho45guy]

Saw this pic posted in the local news and it is from one of the forest fires in the area.

It's in an area where I do a bit of ATV riding and elk hunting and berry picking.

There aren't supposed to be any grizzlies in that area. At first glance, I swore it was a grizzly bear. But the more I look at it, the less I'm sure.

287027

Where it was spotted it about 100 miles West of where there is supposed to be grizzlies out here...

287026

[ryanmattes]

Head shape says black bear, but it looks like a pretty big one.

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[david s]

Long ear and a long face a black bear.

[fastdadio]

Saw this pic posted in the local news and it is from one of the forest fires in the area.

It's in an area where I do a bit of ATV riding and elk hunting and berry picking.

There aren't supposed to be any grizzlies in that area. At first glance, I swore it was a grizzly bear. But the more I look at it, the less I'm sure.

287027

Where it was spotted it about 100 miles West of where there is supposed to be grizzlies out here...

287026

Black bear. Grizz has a distinctive hump above the shoulders. Nice looking bear by the way.

[contender1]

Black.

[Geezer in NH]

Black but big one no hump

[Winger Ed.]

Where it was spotted it about 100 miles West of where there is supposed to be grizzlies out here...



I wonder if the grizzly bears know that.

[cwtebay]

Black. No hump, face isn't dished, feet say americanus, not arctos. Looks like a young one. Legs significantly longer than body depth, ears look large for head size. I've held my sons to a pretty high standard, and they all agreed after showing them this picture - not one to pull the trigger on.
(Granted - one photo)

[cwtebay]

Oh!! And the map you posted is garbage. We've encountered the other ones faaaaaar outside of those proposed boundaries. Not cussing you, just whomever drew that ridiculous map.

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[memtb]

Pretty sure it’s a Black Bear, and not a mature adult, as the ears look fairly large on it’s head. memtb

[megasupermagnum]

Oh!! And the map you posted is garbage. We've encountered the other ones faaaaaar outside of those proposed boundaries. Not cussing you, just whomever drew that ridiculous map.

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Those boundaries are the areas designated for brown bear reintroduction. That's where the populations were reintroduced decades ago, and continue to be the main populations. They are wild animals, they will wander around, so it's no surprise they show up elsewhere. You might consider 100 miles far, but that's only a week long walk tops. I'm more surprised they don't end up farther than they do.

That picture is very much a black bear. I would not say that is a big one at all. That thing is scrawny. Hopefully it finds some food soon. I'd bet the only reason you might have thought it was a brown, was because it looks to have just rolled around in that dirt.

[sharps4590]

Blackie....big ears, high belly....3-4 yr. old probably....maybe a bit older.

[dale2242]

It looks like a black bear to me.

[Three44s]

I am thinking black bear and those big ears tell us he’s a young one.

Three44s

[Markopolo]

surely its a black bear..... no hump, black bear head, just a brown colored one. they come in all colors from off white to redish and blonde...

but that bear is a shooter in my book. good eater...

[white eagle]

it's a black bear

[trebor44]

Young'ins are always more tender eating! And yeah, wildlife don't understand 'boundaries' depicted on maps.

[waksupi]

Oh!! And the map you posted is garbage. We've encountered the other ones faaaaaar outside of those proposed boundaries. Not cussing you, just whomever drew that ridiculous map.

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I agree about the map. It doesn't cover even a third of the griz area in Montana

[brassrat]

Black, come to Ct. lol. They are numerous and all, that size or bigger.

[hard88cast]

Thats a black bear.
yep, that map is way off or really old,,,grizz cover most of the western part of montana, east side of yellowstone and draw a line due north, dont leave home without your cannon.

[Graybeard96]

Decent size Male Black Bear probably 4 Years old or a bit older.

Cheers

[echo154]

Yeah It's a Blackie.........but where animals are supposed to be and where they decide to go are two different things. Hunters have shot coyotes only to find out It's a wolf or deer only to find It's a small Elk. Mule deer too.

[brassrat]

I had some bear steak in around 1980. It was cooked by the same club I'm in now, at annual game dinner. It was maybe the best meat I have ever had. I only eat cow then and now but paid for a ticket and ate stuff.

[ryanmattes]

I had some bear steak in around 1980. It was cooked by the same club I'm in now, at annual game dinner. It was maybe the best meat I have ever had. I only eat cow then and now but paid for a ticket and ate stuff.I have family in Wisconsin, any they were all hunters and fishermen. Growing up I'd spend a month or two up there, hunting and fishing with my cousins.

My uncles all come down south once it gets cold these days, and aren't much for hunting anymore, but I still have cousins up there that hunt regularly. One of them applies for a bear tag every year, and a couple years ago he and his daughter both got tags and took black bears. There was enough to go around, so they shipped a bunch of burger and summer sausage to us. Of course we didn't get any steaks or anything, but even the trimmings were fantastic. My kids all fought over the summer sausage. When they take a trip to Alaska they'll ship us some salmon and halibut too.

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[jonp]

Those ears dont look right. The larger the black the smaller the ears look in relation to the skull. Roufh estimation of the size?

[blackthorn]

Those ears dont look right. The larger the black the smaller the ears look in relation to the skull. Roufh estimation of the size?

Maybe its a black bear that identifies as a grizzly!