QUEBEC BEAR HUNT

[SHOOTINGSTIX]

After much debate this bear will be done as a full mount both the outfiter and all the boys from skyline said it would be a shame to not do it with this bear . the outfitter came right out and said it could be a long time before I would ever shoot a bear this large.

STIX

[rdnck]

SHOOTINGSTIX--A full body mount of a bear like that will really be icing on the cake. That old Govt. bullet keeps on getting the job done. Shoot straight, rdnck.

[mdeland]

Stix, that is a well haired black and fine trophy by any standard! I would estimate it to perhaps final square after tanning a bit over five feet, 5-6 possibly but if he weighs 550 lbs than I fly F-22s for a living! I'd be really amazed if he went 300 and more likely 250-275 if you pulled him out of the drink. Some guides tell their clients real whoppers!
I've killed five, one squared six feet green and was fat as a hog. I don't think he would have gone much over 400 if he was that. A (WAG) on my part as I have never weighed one whole but I have skinned, butchered and packed quite a few so have some idea of what they really weigh. I could barely turn this one over to skin, let alone lift him up on a rock for a picture.
I couldn't figure out why he was so fat as he was quite old and didn't have a sound tooth in his head. Rotten salmon and lots of berries I would guess.
I've seen a picture of one that was killed in Michigan that was reported to be over 600 lbs. but these are always WAGS and I seriously doubt it. He was as big as some grizzlies I have seen though and squaring about 7 feet. They don't come much bigger. I've seen lots of Grizzly mounts and rugs that are not 7 feet.
The biggest black I have ever heard of squared 7-4 and was shot near Valdez in Prince William Sound. They can get big if they live on kelp, sedge grass and salmon, just like Browns do that eat the same thing.
Most interior Grizzlies will not make over 550-600 lbs and all bears are judged by head size compared to body while alive and once down and skinned measured tip of nose to tip of tail plus front paw across to front paw divided by two (squared). They shrink up a good bit when tanned.
The skull is measured after a drying period and is the final record of size.
They may do things different in Quebec but here in Alaska I have never seen a bear weighed in the field by any one but fish and game biologists after they dart them and set up a very heavy tripod and scale assembly. The bears they weigh always look a good bit heavier than they actually are.
A good comparison to get an idea of size and weight of a live animal is if you have ever seen a full grown Bengal tiger or male Lion at a Zoo, you will note that they are enormous in body but seldom go over 500 lbs from what I have read about them. MD

[Ken Hartlein]

Bad Bill is an idiot. He has never owned a gun, probably never shot one. He is a wannabe so when someone does something Bad Bill has to complain about it. He belongs to PETA.

[Brent]

Ken, if you going to hurl insults, at least make them internally consistent. BB can't be a "wannabe" bear hunter AND a member of PETA....

MD et al. for those wanting better estimates of the size of game, there are metrics worked out for many species that involve simple tape measurements that can be converted to estimates of weight. They are analogous to using a volumetric powder measure to estimate the weight of gun powder. Vets use these sorts of measurements to estimate dosages for livestock. I have a tape measure, calibrated in lbs of horse for estimating the weight of my two haflingers.

The state of Pennsylvania sells tape measures calibrated in lbs of deer (~$1-2). A simple girth measurement behind the shoulder will give you an estimate of the live weight, field dressed weight and lbs of meat for the average whitetail. According to that tape, I've killed two does over 240# and those are BIG does anywhere.

There is at least one such measure conversion method for blackbears. It involves length and girth in combination to estimate live weight of black bears. I do not know what the conversion formula is, but I'm sure one could find it pretty easily. There was an outfitter that was widely known on the internet who claimed to have provided the original data for this conversion. So, it is out there somewhere.

However much that bear weighs (I have no idea), it is a fine looking bear to me with a hell of a great coat on him.

Brent

[rdnck]

He is not only a great looking bear and a splendid trophy, he was also taken with a Sharps loaded with black powder and a cast lead bullet, and not a .338 bolt gun. Shoot straight, rdnck.

[RMulhern]

Bill

Me thinks that's one of those dang HiWalls! His Sharps was on order but it hadn't come in from delivery at his departure!

Shootinstix....that's a DAMN FINE BEAR.....I don't care what anyone else thinks!! Now...ya can go back 'fur Grizz' with the Shiloh!!

[Bad Bill]

Rdnk - funny looking Sharps; think that's fer the next one Looking at the ads -I mean pics -again -I had a good laugh - kept thinking rdnk is about the same size as that bear. At least from his Alamo pic. Maybe go 250-270lbs?
I actually went to the Quebec web site to see if shootin a bear from above over his food dish is legal. Guess it is for a price. Still isn't huntin in my book; esp when the shooter couldn't even get down from his stand until the guide came. How do you put the poor thing out of his misery? Got to agree - he sure has a nice shiny black coat. I'd go the rug route for the grandkids or nieces.

[Whtbear]

Bill, you just have to insult everyone don't you. That bear was taken nearly 30 miles from the camp...those are free ranging bears. Yes, they use bait...can't blame em one bit about that. And a stand is by far safer than on the ground with something that can eat you. This man took that bear with one shot...damn good performance no matter where you are. I truly would love to see some of your supposed hunts..

So please quit dissing this guy...but then..that wouldn't be you now would it.?

[RMulhern]

I can't go bear hunting but here's what I'm gonna do! I'm gonna start shooting Armadillo's outa Angie's flower beds with my 50/90 and post some photos and if there are those that don't like it...they can STICK IT WHERE THE SUN DOESN'T SHINE!! The reason possibly that some folks refrain from making what would be possibly some good post here is because there is quite frequently some AZZHOLE that comes on and low-rates the post that are made!!

[mdeland]

Brent, I am referring to sizing a bear up while looking him over usually at first with a spotting scope and then with binoculars before taking the animal as a hunter or guide would. We spent up to eight hours a day glassing various bear on my last Kodiak brown bear hunt. I have not shot a black over bait and the six footer was actually by accident while hunting moose. At any rate the tape deal doesn't work so well while they're still breathing.
It is all well and good to use a smoke pole and lead bullets on occasion but if a person hunts bear (blacks, interior brown(Grizzly) and coastal browns) for a steady diet year in and year out you are going to need some stitches or worse, sooner or later if one keeps messing with them using a single shot of any caliber.
The sights used, the cloud of smoke after the shot and the length of most BPCRs are all wrong for the environment one hunts bear in here in Alaska.
On a rainy wet day with no wind a globe and vernier are all but useless in the alders and the smoke will hang around for an eternity after the shot when you are trying to size up the rapidly developing situation as I have never seen any bear, black or brown down for the count in one shot. I have heard of it happening on occasion but it is not the rule. They are tough.
One more thing, blacks are usually cowardly but there have been instances of them fighting to the death with a much larger Grizzly and giving as much as they got, so don't count on it. MD

[Scott Tschirhart]

I can't go bear hunting but here's what I'm gonna do! I'm gonna start shooting Armadillo's outa Angie's flower beds with my 50/90 and post some photos and if there are those that don't like it...they can STICK IT WHERE THE SUN DOESN'T SHINE!! The reason possibly that some folks refrain from making what would be possibly some good post here is because there is quite frequently some AZZHOLE that comes on and low-rates the post that are made!!

AMEN!

[Bad Bill]

Amen! Hope you get that armadiller!

[Marathonman]

It really torques me off hearing negative comments on this forum which is why I'm silent most of the time. I've personally taken several bears off bait and spot and stalk techniques and they range from a 200 pound black bear to a 1000 pound B&C Grizzly and let me say that every one of them was a trophy in my mind. Some of these comments are said (and taken) in fun but please lets try to remember we're all part of the same team here!!!! We love what we do and all are welcome so let's try not to piss each other off on purpose!!! Am I the only one who looks at it this way?



Marathonman

[SHOOTINGSTIX]

WELL WELL!
Bill You know I new some one like you once . Guy would sit there and tell you everything and how to do it. Reg born teacher . Darndest thing about it, He couldnt do it himself . Go figure. Talk is cheap . then again a wise man once told me some times its better to sit back and say nothing and learn, Be humble and remember people of worth help others by letting them have there time . Weather the bear is your time or mine . I shot it with a Black powder cartridge rifle. With bullets I cast, Powder I loaded . I was a shooter and could of done it with a 308 ez stuff. the Bear could have been 100 lbs. or 1000 . Don't care . All I was saying is (thank you to all the people that helped me and thank you to them for all the help) and thanks to there help I was able to take the bear with a human kill . Weather you want to show your ignorance as always. or speak with no kindness or wisdom . as always you speak with neather kindness or wisdom. you sould think before you speak.
For all my friends out there thank you!!!

STIX