Various Field Judging

[bula]

Antlered, horned critters seem easy enough. P&Y or B&C scores been in use for years now. Bears and turkeys is what bugs me, and I've not killed either, myself ! The browns bears, often hear of skull size, or hide squared numbers. But black bears, all I hear of, see, is weight. I think of weight as a convenient measurement but bear weights vary greatly over a year, and some bears have to work much harder for food than others. Guess I'd rather See a length/height at shoulder kinda measurement. More frame related than it found a good food source and camped out for a month. Around here, turkeys most often by weight or beard length. I'm ok with weight in pounds to judge by. Beards though, grow until they catch on stuff, then tear or break off, and start growth over. I've a pic of a black bear from Penn, it was taken by a friend. It was draped over the back of my old Honda Rubicon, across the rear rack. It is touching the ground on one side. Goes up and over, across the 4ft of width, and is just short of the ground on the other side. Better draping might have made it. That's 7ft or better of length or height. It weighd 400 plus. Was a poor mast crop year there, no crops near. I'd think with better food available that bear could have weighed ? I'm trying not to put down somebodies big heavy bear, just, well..   Your thoughts ?

[squawberryman]

From my friends barn. That little white table next to the bear is 39 inches tall. He ate two thirds of a thirty pound bag of cat food. My thoughts are it's big.

[bula]

I'd agree. Long tall bear.

[Ken O'Neill]

All bears are scored by skull measurement; length plus width of skull. Common measurement, but not for trophy purposes, is the hide measurement: laid out flat, not stretched, tip of nose to tip of tail, plus measurement from pad of 1 front foot to pad of other front foot. Add the two measurements together and divide the sum by 2. Results may be, for example 6-1/2 ft., 7 ft.3 inches, etc.
For field judging of large bears, look for ears that appear to be coming out the side of the head, not the top. Short legs with bellies that appear to touch the ground. Big bears may appear to waddle, not walk delicately.
Same for black bears, and brown/grizzly bears.

[bula]

I understand that there are standards , precise measurements of skull and hide for all bears. But having gotten outdoor mags as gifts from all of my many Aunts from the late '60's to all the Aunts were passed, read ALL of the bear articles. Brown bear articles often mentioned skull/hide info. Black bears ? I do not remember seeing those details, just weight. Here in the east/N.E., news from camps or in local papers, just weight of black bear. My POV. I know of using ear position on head to help judge, believe in it too. Thanks for replies.

[x101airborne]

Only ever hunted black bear once and that zookeeper was PIZZED! LOL.

I work with my kids on judging deer. Last thing I want to see is them shoot an 18 inch inside spread 10 point that is 3 1/2 years old. But then the neighbors will shoot it as soon as it crosses the fence, so what in the hey.

I imagine bear hunting is a lot like hog hunting. When that ONE comes out you see and recognize it instantly. Much like James' excellent boar, the big ones look and act differently and you see it right away.

[bula]

Zookeeper pizzed...! Glad 
I didn't have a mouthful of coffee. 

[contender]

You are correct in the fact that often,, black bears are generally mentioned by weight. It's an EASY way to get an idea of the size of the bear by the common folks who hunt. A true trophy will be measured by more official means,, such as the skull. But weight does play a part in how they are judged in general.
It doesn't help that state agencies often use weight as an "official" type of measurement for blacks in publishing statistics.

To get a B&C or P&Y score,, the skull has to be dried & scored by an official from that organization.

[bigbrowndog]

Much like the statement about what is pornography, “I can’t describe it but know it when I see it”. Bears to me are difficult to describe how I consider a good one or not. It is overall appearance, head size, belly, legs, ears, etc. Much like deciding that a wild pig is big without others to judge size against, or teeth. Just the way it moves, and body part proportions. Yes sometimes you can misjudge because of good proportions but overall small in stature. I can recall when a 300 pound black bear was considered a monster, and now I’d consider it a smaller big bear, or nice sized one.
Turkeys to me are not worth judging, I do not understand the fascination or allure of hunting them. I see them almost everyday I go out hunting, and hate to see them troop in to a feeder. They are like vacuum cleaners, I’ve always looked at beard length as their yard stick. However, the country they live in will dictate actual beard length. Brushy, rocky, coarse land will clip and cut a beard to be no longer than what will touch the ground while walking normally. Softer leafy, mossy, forested habitat will allow the beard to curl and grow longer.

Trapr

[45MAN]

WHEN I SAW MY FIRST BLACK BEAR I WAS ON MY FIRST BLACK BEAR HUNT, ALONE, IN A TREE STAND, AND I KNEW HE WAS NOT A BIG BEAR. THE NEXT BEAR THAT CAME TO BAIT WAS A NO BRAINER I JUST KNEW HE WAS A BIG MF'er SO DOWN HE WENT, SQUARED 7" 4" AND ESTIMATED WEIGHT AROUND 500lbs + THE SKULL EASILY MADE SCI BOOK.

[bula]

45Man, my  first bear experience same as yours. Far from a road in a tree in north Ont.. A Jennings S handle, 68lbs in hand. First bear in, edgy, jumpy. It would grab a bite and run. Sneak back and do it again. A bigger bear in da 'hood ! Next bear came from above and behind, right to my tree (sucked) circled, sniffed, curled up like my bird dog and took an hour nap. Snoring ? YES ! I leaned out and drew but to close to vertical and arrow kept falling away from rest. No go. Sigh., He was likely the baddest and best around.

[rickiesrevenge]

I've killed a bunch of black bears. Never put one on a scale. But nearly all of them were measured for skull size as it's required by ADFG in most of the areas I've hunted. Everyone I know uses skull size for both black and brown bears

[bigbore5]

I've taken a few large bear by square or weight that barely made book because of a smaller skull. But there had to be some standard to go by.

Both Pope and Young as well as Boone and Crockett use skull dimensions on bear and most other game because it is a solid part durable enough to last to the scoring. They must be dried to a certain point so there's no real way to cheat like there is with a stretched hide.