Where Big Bruins Roam

Even in the best areas, record-book black bears are uncommon. Pennsylvania, for example, produces a huge bear harvest and is noted for heavy bruins. "In 2005, hunters took 4,000 bears during the three-day season," says Dr. Gary Alt, a biologist who managed the state's bear program for twenty-five years. But during the last five years, only two Pennsylvania black bears have shouldered their way into the top 100 B&C listing. They were killed in 2001 and 2002. (Editor's Note: A record-book bear was taken in Pennsylvania in 2005; see "Pennsylvania Giant," "B&C Notebook," September 2006.) Data says you have a 1-in-35 chance of killing a bear in Pennsylvania in any given year. The odds of killing one that ranks high in the book? About 1:280,000.

What "The Book" Tells Us

Pennsylvania and Wisconsin each have nine bears on B&C's top fifty list, to lead all states. Arizona: seven. California: four. Minnesota and Utah: three each. Alaska: two. Canadian bears appear nine times in the top fifty, from four provinces.

"Part of the reason places with big black bears don't show up as often as expected in records lists is that hunters don't measure the skulls," says Alt. "I've examined many huge Pennsylvania skulls that were ruined by butchers or hunters who had no interest in or knowledge of scoring."

In many areas, body weight has long been the standard by which bears are judged and ranked. Of course, weight cannot be verified once a bear is butchered. So the Boone & Crockett Club recognizes only the combined measure of the clean skull's length and width, which can be verified.

Huge bears can have small skulls, and vice versa, so it's obvious genetics play an important role in the size of a bear's head or body. The other determinant is food. Bergmann's Rule states that animals in the northern reaches of their range will be larger than those in the south; a survival adaptation to conserve heat and store energy. You'll find no black bears from the Southeast in B&C's top 100 entries, save two from Virginia and one from Georgia. But northern ranges must produce lots of food to fuel hefty bodies.

"Look for big black bears around agriculture," says Alt. "Grain fields. Orchards. In Pennsylvania, bears weighing 500 pounds or more aren't uncommon. They grow fast and get fat on farms."

Best spot? Anywhere!

Truly, big black bears are where you find them. Only three have exceeded the twenty-three-inch mark. The biggest skull was found in Utah in 1975. The number two animal was shot by a Pennsylvania hunter. A bear almost as big came from Mendocino County, California, in 1993, lured to the gun by a predator call.

Recognizing Big Bears

Big bears look big. You shouldn't have to scrutinize one to figure out it weighs more than a grand piano or that its skull won't fit in an ice chest. Trouble is, few bears are that big, and few hunters see enough bears to become good at judging them. To make things even more difficult, bears often appear in dark places in dim light. Typically, they allow you only a brief look, and you'll likely get only a partial view.

Big bears look heavy. Their legs appear short for their bodies, and their bellies may appear to drag. When they walk, they seem to "roll" from side to side. The head of a big bear will appear small in relation to its body. The muzzle will look short and broad. The cranium will seem wide too, and you'll look hard to see the ears. If you don't want to kill a small or immature bear, avoid shooting bears that look long-legged or thin, or whose noses appear long or whose ears are prominent. If the head looks big, it almost surely isn't; instead, you'll find the body is disappointingly small.

Where baiting is legal, some outfitters help clients by painting the rings of fifty-five- or thirty-gallon bait drums different colors. "If the bear's hump comes to the second ring," they'll tell you, "shoot!" On your own, with no such assist, look for thick bears with small heads and no visible ears. Shoot for the shoulder, and keep shooting even if you think you have a good hit. Remember that bears have long hair, which can make the chest look lower than it is.

Meat on the table

Palatability depends a lot on age and diet.

However you fix black bear meat, cook it well; bears can carry trichinosis. You'll kill the cysts with the heat required for a tender roast or a well-done steak. You can also make meat safe by freezing. Oddly enough, a week in the freezer might eliminate trichinosis in meat from southern bears. The cysts from northern bears seem much more resistant to cold and can pose a hazard for months. About 3 percent of black bears carry trichinosis. Many humans have been infected without knowing it--thorough cooking is an easy way to ensure you won't have problems.