I harvested my first black bear 5/30/06. I have watched all the Bearin' Down Videos. They taught me well about judging size of bears as far as weight and square, but what is the best way to tell if the bear will make P&Y. My bear measured 9 inches between the ears. I am wonderingif he will make P&Y.

Judging skull size is real tough. A few years back,my group of friends took 4 bearsonopening night. 2 215lbers, a 375 lber and a 400 lber. The 375 lber was an older bear than the 400 and had a larger skull at final measure, but looking at them you would have sworn the 400lber had inches on the other. The 375 had in excess of 20"'s and the 400 lb bear was just shy of 19" if I recall correctly. There was no way you could have seen it looking at those 2 bears side by side.

My suggestion if you are looking for a P&Y bear is first hunt an area where they grow them that big. Then I would hold out for a really old looking bear. Some younger but really large bears will measure out smaller than the grizzled old timers.

Others may have better info, but I worked for a bear guide in Maine for 4 years and watched an awful lot of them and I can't say I could truly judge a P&Y skull while in the woods.

For weight comparison, we took a 535 lber with hounds that measured out less than an 1 1/2" less than that 375 lber.

It just comes with experience and looking at a lot of bears. Looking at mounted bears that have been scored is a great way t oget to know these things just like looking at scored deer racks helps a deer hunter estimate score.
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It's hard to judge by looking at them... esp. from the stand. Sometimes only 1/2" or so is all it takes... You just have to wait for a big old boar.... one that makes you say... whoa.... and then keep your fingers crossed.

http://i3.tinypic.com/166ytuc.jpg

The skull on our left measured 18 & 11/16"... The skull on our right measured 19 & 3/16".

Congrats on the kill. He is a beautiful animal.

You can take a rough measurement with two speed squares. Lay the skull on a piece of cardboard and set the squares on the front and the back and mark the length on the cardboard. Then do the same with the sides. Measure the distance front and back and add it to the width distance. This will give you a close idea.