Help with black bear weight "how big is big"

[Win86]

I don't have much experience with black Bears, however;
Here is my question on "how big is big" - My son shot a large blacky last year that was double-trouble around here. After we gutted, skinned, cut off the head and all four legs at the knees, the carcass weighed 225 lbs when hanging at the butcher shop. so how big (weight) would this bear have been live weight? What is proper method of measuring the dried skull?
I can say, when hanging the whole bear up in our shop using my chainfall and standing with both rear feet on the ground he was very, very tall and sorry now I did not measure him.

Win86

[insanelupus]

Win86,

'Round here we don't measure by weight as much as by length. Since we have both a fall and spring season, weight fluctuates a lot. An average bear 'round here is 5 feet, nose to tail. When you hit 6 feet, that's a good bear.

A good rule of thumb applicable to black bears (but not to grizzly), measure the width of the front pad of a track, convert diretly from inches to feet and add one. So a black bear track measuring 5 inches across will be about a 6 foot bear, give or take a few inches.

The game warden had told me that rule of thumb had been useful to him for over 20 years.

[lead chucker]

I would say that would be a very respectable size.

[cwlongshot]

I agree, est live weight just over 300#.

IMHO 300 is becoming a good, respectable, black bear. After 400 you have a brusier and past 500 a real monster.

CW

[fatnhappy]

350 is a real big bear in the southern tier. 250 is far more realistic.

[Win86]

Thank you guys for all the answers; like deer I guess we tend to think they are bigger than reality. At 225lbs for the carcass hanging weight, I would have thought the discarded guts, head, hide and legs would have weighed more than 1/3 the carcass weight; just goes to show I know little about bears.
We did have the head mounted and skull dried professionally with both looking real cool here in our log home. The skull is all white and pristine looking, even the Wife likes it!
In finding a Utube video on how to measure the skull, we got a total of 20 inches.
I must say, we did not think much of the meat itself but the sausage is terrific!

GC45

[insanelupus]

Win86,

I've found I enjoy bear meat but it takes a bit more prep work and planning. I prefer to cook it on a grill over an open flame to let the grease drain from it. I also like to brine the roasts for a day or so before cooking and put a rub on them and they turn out great. I made the mistake of fixing the tenderloins in a skillet the first time and added oil to keep them from sticking. I didn't care for that dish. I've also found the meat is much better the first time around and does not make very good leftovers.

[375RUGER]

how to measure a skull at www.boone-crockett.org
it is length + width

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Thank you guys for all the answers; like deer I guess we tend to think they are bigger than reality. At 225lbs for the carcass hanging weight, I would have thought the discarded guts, head, hide and legs would have weighed more than 1/3 the carcass weight; just goes to show I know little about bears.
We did have the head mounted and skull dried professionally with both looking real cool here in our log home. The skull is all white and pristine looking, even the Wife likes it!
In finding a Utube video on how to measure the skull, we got a total of 20 inches.
I must say, we did not think much of the meat itself but the sausage is terrific!

GC45

I'd go ahead and call it a 400 pounder! Why not?!

[Win86]

Can tell ya, it felt that heavy when trying to hang the bugger up!

Win86

[outdoorfan]

I'm thinking 350-400. Probably closer to 400. That's a lot of bear.

[10 ga]

Easy and accurate way is that a carcass weight, just like you described is 60% of live weight. Depending on how "close" the skinning and cutting was. Have used this method on lots of stuff, domestic and wild animals and it's usually pretty accurate. I'd say the live weight on your bear was no less than 375#. It'll depend on how much fat was with the hide, how much fat was in the body cavity and went out with the vicera, how heavy was the leather/pelt, how long/short the legs and neck were cut etc... It goes down from the 60%, could have been only 55 or 50% of live weight, that would put it at 400+#.
Yes! That was a big bear!
Best, 10 ga

[Rico1950]

[Rico1950]

[Silver Hand]

That is a nice size bear, far and few between. Congratulations. It took courage to take an animal that size and with an arrow. Fantastic work, you have a lot to be proud of and no doubt the boy will have some large shoes to fill as he goes through life with a mentor such as yourself.

[Silver Hand]

I don't have much experience with black Bears, however;
Here is my question on "how big is big" - My son shot a large blacky last year that was double-trouble around here. After we gutted, skinned, cut off the head and all four legs at the knees, the carcass weighed 225 lbs when hanging at the butcher shop. so how big (weight) would this bear have been live weight? What is proper method of measuring the dried skull?
I can say, when hanging the whole bear up in our shop using my chainfall and standing with both rear feet on the ground he was very, very tall and sorry now I did not measure him.

Win86

I hunted bear for a good wile and shot a few, one of the biggest bear I ever saw was about 150 - 175 lbs. He let go of the limb about twenty five feet straight on top of me. I was pulling back the leashed dogs to let him go.
He backed up on that limb and shavings were falling like snow. I dropped the dogs leashes , made a grab for my rifle at the base of that tree, looked through the scope and shot him in flight through the lower rear jaw and teeth. He fell dead at my feet.
250 gr. spire point .35 cal. close up and personal.
To this day, I am glad I didn't miss.
Young bear [teenagers] are the most dangerous. Not that you would find me with an arrow doing what Rico1950 did - Heck NO!!

[bubba15301]

here in Pa 450 and up state record is over 800 lbs

[smokemjoe]

I shot about a 250lb. field dress at a bait dump yeras ago with a Ruger 45 L.C. , 2 shots , It looked at me standing up and the only thing I could think of was having a 12 ga. with slugs or my 358 Norma Mag. at 15 feet. Joe

[white eagle]

I shot a bear the we weighed on a certified scale that was 385#
it had a 18" scull and was 6' across the front paw's
it was also 6' from nose to tail
smashed it at 7 yds w/300 wm

[1bluehorse]

here in Pa 450 and up state record is over 800 lbs

Thats a big bear. The world record is just a little above that...880..