RE: How big is this bear?
Tandrhunts- I agree with you on the whole ear thing, that is a good guideline. I have to beg to disagree on my pics though. Like I said I have been up close and personal a few times with this bear. It's track measures 6" that across not long. I am a well seasoned hound hunter, and have had others more seasoned than myself see and estimate this bear higher. i know the ears in that pic are decieving. The bear would be standing about 7ft from the camera. We treed what we have named the son of bowtie, as the markings are close with a partial bowtie. With 70 years of combined bear hunting standing under the tree 20ft away we estimated him at 300lbs.
Tracks are also just a guideline. Have seen many 5" tracks on a 200lb bear. There is no substitute though for being 5ft away pulling dogs back, or watching it walk by you at 10ft. It's my job to guess these guys as best as possible to help provide a good hunt. Still it is always just a guess until they are hanging from the scale.
Had one this past season that had a 5" track. We we seen him all we saw was the head and front shoulders. From that we were guessing well over 300lbs. After it was all done we were suprised how small the back end was. Guesses before the scale topped at 250.I also guessed 217. The scale tipped jsut over 200. Not a ounce of fat on this bear on the last sunday of the bear hunt this year. Onskinning found it to have been shot by bird shot more than once. Judging by the teeth it wasa very old bear on the way down. With the amount of fat reserves we doubt it would have made the winter.
It's all guesswork, but time hunting them helps a little. Still even the guy that has been hunting them 50yrs is still off on occasionally. Seems my daughter at 16 can guess them better at times. maybe the young eyes have something to do with it.
Your friend in hunting,
Steve