Shooter or Not??

XtremeHunter · May 13, 2014

Tell me what you think, is he a shooter or not?? What do you tink he weighs and to me he looks like he has a pretty big noggin on him! I passed him up today, not knowing if he was big or not?? Any input aprreciated! Thanks Tyler

smitty · May 13, 2014

hahaha, sh!t yes he's a shooter!

That's a mature boar. Boom!

Unless you're holding out for a 8 footer.

Silentstalker · May 13, 2014

I agree, Thats a great bear!

jm77 · May 13, 2014

A big boar stands 18" over a 55gal drum laying over. A big boar stands taller than a 55gal drum upright. Since I began baiting in Wyo in 1995 I have never seen a big boar come in except after sunset and darn few then. When I saw them, there was NO doubt they were big.

The hardest animal to judge is a bear and if you weren't sure if it was big enough, it may not have been. I'll admit, it appears to look big in picture, and may be, but when they look to have short legs and back end is higher, they are usually sows. Boars look "square".

But I could be wrong.

jm77 · May 13, 2014

LAST EDITED ON May-14-14 AT 00:05AM (MST)[p]First picture is a good boar walking by barrel. Next picture is sow. Had some other great pics of boars but couldn't get them to post for some reason.

jm77 · May 13, 2014

LAST EDITED ON May-14-14 AT 00:32AM (MST)[p]This one fooled me. This bear was killing sheep and was trapped by a good friend of mine who is a game warden. Don't know if it was because it was wet, but the picture didn't make me think this bear was big. The skull almost made 20" and those that square hides would call it over 7'.

XtremeHunter · May 14, 2014

Here is another angle, know what do you think??

smitty · May 14, 2014

Yep. I'd say that bear will be 6' 6", Pope and Young if you kill it with a bow.

Might even stretch the tape more.

Kill it and let us know!

rmanwill · May 14, 2014

Good bear. I would not be passing!!!

jm77 · May 14, 2014

Looks more square in that pic. If that was a 55 gal drum there is no question it's a hawg. Looks like a 30? Can't go wrong shooting it, has a beautiful hide.

This is my biggest, took three years to kill him. Was rutting a sow in late May. Saw him behind my stand, before I saw the sow, and there was no doubt.

UGAhunter · May 14, 2014

IF THAT IS A 55 GALLON BARREL, that is a bruiser bear. The gap between the ears, the short-looking ears, and lack of clearance under the belly tell me he is a shooter for sure. I would not have passed him up anytime, anywhere!

Trail camera images can be deceiving though! If he is standing 2-5 feet in from of the barrel, it can make a big difference. A picture of him standing at the barrel, broadside would be most definitive.

idelkslayer · May 14, 2014

You better hope you get another chance at that bear or you'll be kicking yourself for passing a great bear.

oilcan · May 14, 2014

Yep Great Bear you probably should shoot it if given another chance.

oneaway · May 15, 2014

Looks like a great bear. Go get em!

oneaway · May 15, 2014

Jm77 your bear is a bruiser! What did he score?

jm77 · May 15, 2014

>Jm77 your bear is a bruiser!
>What did he score?

Thanks oneaway, definitely one of my top ten hunts of all time. What even made it better was a longtime hunting buddy was with me. He had never been on a bear hunt before and just happened to be in town.

The boar came in behind us, following a sow in heat, and he was grunting up a storm!

G&F aged him at 10 and he taped 19 13/16.

lang · May 16, 2014

That is the biggest bear I have ever seen anyone ask if it was a shooter. Small and medium bears are tough to judge that sir is neither. If they dwarf a 55 gallon barrell you don't need to question it's size.