Bear Hunting: How to Accurately Field-Judge Them

Bears are likely the most difficult big game animal to field judge in North America. I’ve been fortunate to take many bears over the decades, including record-class boars. I’ve observed hundreds of others.

The following tips are what I look for when trying to tag a record-class bear.

1. The Swagger

For me, judging bears doesn’t start with the ears. The first thing I look for in a big bear is the walk. If the bulky hind quarters appear to gyrate independently of the front shoulders–almost like it’s a separate unit–you’re looking at a big bear. The bigger the back end is in proportion to the front shoulders, the greater the likelihood it’s a mature bear. Very old bears almost seem to struggle when they walk.

2. Thick Front Legs

Next, look at the front legs. If the shoulder and elbow are the same width, with no evident elbow being seen when the bear stands broadside, it’s a mature bear. If the width of the leg continues all the way down to the paw, it’s a big bear.

When a bear walks, if there’s no differentiation between its foreleg and paw, it’s likely a shooter. If you see a flipping motion of the paw and a narrow front wrist when the bear takes a step, it’s immature.

3. Forehead Divot

All mature boars develop a triangular crease in the center of their forehead, just above the eyes. This divot forms below where the cranial muscles attach to the back half of the skull, along the cranial ridge. The bigger the muscles atop the head, the more pronounced the divot. The divot is more visible in black bears than grizzlies due to hair color and length.

4. The Ears

If the ears appear small and turned out to the side of the bear’s head, and all the other boxes are checked, get ready to shoot. On big bears, the ears appear to almost lay flat across the top of the head. On giant bears with well-developed cranial muscles, the tips of the ears will lay slightly below the top of the head. If the ears appear pointed atop the head, it’s a small bear.

5. Belly Sag

The last thing I look for in a big bear is a sagging belly. This is relative to the area being hunted, time of year, food availability and the severity of the previous winter.

Typically, big bears have big bellies, even in the spring. Generally speaking, but not always, the bigger the bear appears on the outside, the greater the skull size. By utilizing quality optics—especially a spotting scope—and taking time to truly study bears, you’ll learn what to look for.

Don’t be surprised if you pull the trigger and walk up on a small bear—it happens to the best hunters. Spend as much time in the field as possible observing bears. Even studying pictures of big bears on the internet and looking at the five physical characteristics outlined here will help build field judging skills.

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