HOW BIG IS THAT BEAR?



How Much does your bear weigh?

Just like humans, the weight of bears varies considerably among individuals and between males and females. However, humans often say they weigh less than they do, while the weight of a bear is always on the optimistic side, often exceedingly so. Exposure to a scale often reduces the weight of a bear in half.

A study of bears in Arizona found the average mature male weighed 250 pounds and females 200. The largest black bear weighed in a study in Yellowstone Park weighed 479 pounds. Of course, everyone has heard of the 600- and 700-pound monsters. These bears are an exception and occur about as often as people who weigh that much.

The problem with weighing a bear is packing around scales. A much easier way is to use a tape measure and graph worked out by Arizona Game & Fish.

This graph operates on the relationship between chest circumference and whole body weight. The chest circumference measurement should be taken around the chest immediately behind the shoulders of bears at least one year old. The tape should be snug, not tight. In most instances the estimate will be within 20 pounds of actual weight. This measurement can even be taken on field-dressed bears so long as the brisket has not been split or the hide removed.

You can use the graph above or the table below to estimate the weight of your bear.

Estimating Black Bear Weight
Chest Girth
(inches)
Estimated live
Weight (pounds)
Estimated
Dressed Weight
25
65
55
26
73
62
27
81
69
28
89
76
29
98
83
30
108
92
31
117
99
32
128
109
33
138
117
34
149
127
35
161
137
36
173
147
37
185
157
38
198
168
39
211
179
40
225
191
41
239
203
42
253
215
43
268
228
44
284
241
45
300
255
46
316
269
47
332
282
48
350
297
49
367
312
50
385
327
51
403
343
52
422
359
53
442
375
54
461
392
55
481
409
56
502
427
57
522
444
58
544
462
59
566
480
60
588
500

Bear InformationCaring For Bear Meat

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