BigGameHunt.net Hunting Forums

[Trapper62]

I just recieved the age of my first Minnesota Bear from the Minnesota DNR and was surprised with what I read.

The bear had the following dimensions:

He measured 5'9" from the nose to the base of the tail,
its chest measured 45" around and the estimated weight was 300-350 pounds.
2 1/4" between canines
front pads where just a hair over 5"

What would you have guessed for the age of a bear like this? I figured around 4 and will post the age in a day or so.

[billythekidrock]

Without a photo of the teeth it is pretty hard to tell. Alot of it has to do with genetics. I shot one that was over 400# that was only 10 years old, but another that I shot was only 250# that was over 23 years old.

My guess is ten years old.


Below are a couple of threads that have pictures and weights of bears to guess their ages and after a few posts you will find the ages.

http://hunting-washington.com/.....821.0.html

http://hunting-washington.com/.....493.0.html

[sawbill]

Yep, I'm going with older than younger. It does depend a lot on genetics and food sources and how hard they have to work for it but I'd go with Billy on this one--somewhere in the 10 yr old range and could easily be more.
Many measurements are tough to judge anything on because you don't know how they've been done.

[Trapper62]

Not even close!!!!

Let's just say that after reading the age I wish I would have passed on him, but than again it is the largest bear I have ever shot!

[meda]

At least it's not a face cloth bear-- ( hide the size of a face cloth) I have guided some hunters who took the first thing they saw -even after giving them the talk about waiting, size etc.

Thats a nice bear you have, feel proud to harvest such a beautiful bear and Congrats.

[Trapper62]

The age on the card I recieved stated that the bear was 2 years old. Either the teeth got mixed up or the area we hunted has great genetics and abundant food. My bear I shot in Canada was smaller than this one (approx. 200#) and was a 4 year old female.

[billythekidrock]

Sounds like they messed up.
Or they used the formula wrong. Typically they give an age and a letter designator. Say, 5 years and the letter A. The A can represent +/- 1year, B +/- 3 years, etc.

When the send the cards they only state the age, not the designator.

[sawbill]

Not a chance thats its 2! They've gotten the teeth messed up with someone elses. You took it in Mn which is basically the same latitude I'm in, same growing season, same hibernation dates, almost same everything. They're born in the spring, next spring they're maybe 60 lbs, then next spring they'd go abvout 130, maybe 150 at best.

[blackbear]

My last bear was a 5 year old ( MN. D.N.R. Tested) dry sow that was weighed on an accurate scale at 280 pounds field dressed. Live weight was 300 pounds.