It won't be official until after the drying out period but here's a pic of the bear I scanned in from a local paper-



I know the brother of the guy that took the bear.I'll try to get some more pics next time I see him.

I don't get it. The bear appears to have been mounted standing up. Yet, the skull hasn't even been dried yet. What is the story?

quote:

Originally posted by AnotherAZWriter:
I don't get it. The bear appears to have been mounted standing up. Yet, the skull hasn't even been dried yet. What is the story?

I think that the bear is hanging from a cable under the armpits.

Bernie, I saw the monster they had stuffed in Gander in Orange County, that one looked like a smaller Brown bear. This one looks as big as that one, or bigger. Impressive

quote:

Originally posted by Bernie P.:
It won't be official until after the drying out period but here's a pic of the bear I scanned in from a local paper-


I know the brother of the guy that took the bear.I'll try to get some more pics next time I see him.

quote:

Originally posted by Fjold:

quote:

Originally posted by AnotherAZWriter:
I don't get it. The bear appears to have been mounted standing up. Yet, the skull hasn't even been dried yet. What is the story?

I think that the bear is hanging from a cable under the armpits.

I would like to say "Good catch Frank," but on closer inspection my thought is "How the *&^% did I miss that?"

Actually, my first thought was, "Wow, bad taxidermy." But I didn't want to sound too critical. But speaking of taxidermy, why the hell hang it like that if he is going to mount it? Bad idea...

Any skull size guesses? I have one just under 21" and this fella looks noticeably bigger to me.

That bear has a big pumpkin head but there is no way to know if it is a record bear until the skull is scored.

ddj

quote:

Originally posted by Sevenxbjt:
Any skull size guesses? I have one just under 21" and this fella looks noticeably bigger to me.

The local DEC thinks it's going to break the record from the measurements they took but I don't know what they are.He has sent the head into Pope and Young to be measured but has to wait for the 60 day drying out period before we'll know for sure.I know the brother of the guy that took the bear.I'll see what I can find out next time I see him and try to get more pics.

NY State Black Bear record info that I could find:

* The largest bear overall on record weighed about 750 pounds live and was 32 years old. It was killed in 1975 in Franklin County.

* In 2007, Mike Maillet of Sparrowbush, N.Y., downed a huge bear that weighed 647 pounds and had a record-setting skull measurement of 22 1/16-inches. This is a new state-record archery bear, and ties the all-time record for the biggest bear ever taken in New York State, taken by a gun hunter in 1995 in Greene County.

So it looks like the current record is 22 1/16th.

quote:

Originally posted by AnotherAZWriter:

quote:

Originally posted by Fjold:

quote:

Originally posted by AnotherAZWriter:
I don't get it. The bear appears to have been mounted standing up. Yet, the skull hasn't even been dried yet. What is the story?

I think that the bear is hanging from a cable under the armpits.

I would like to say "Good catch Frank," but on closer inspection my thought is "How the *&^% did I miss that?"

I thought the tongue hanging out was a pretty decent clue...

I see the cable, but I don't see the tongue.

Just to say as a New Yorker who saw blacks over 70 years ago - I believe that blacks weighing upwards of 600 lbs have been shot in NY. Having seen 400 lb blacks in Ontario quite often and having shot a black weighing some 300 lbs, the "black" in the photo doesn't look like any 500+ lb blackie to me. (In fact he doesn't look as big as my 300 lb one) There is something odd about that photo besides the fact that the bear doesn't look totally and obviously black. He looks like he is very dead -like long time dead -not like usual trophy pictures taken shortly afterwards. Just me and my opinions.

We have large Ursus americanus(black bears) in the San Bernardino Mountains because they feed all year long and usually don't hibernate.

quote:

Originally posted by Gerrypeters375:
Just to say as a New Yorker who saw blacks over 70 years ago - I believe that blacks weighing upwards of 600 lbs have been shot in NY. Having seen 400 lb blacks in Ontario quite often and having shot a black weighing some 300 lbs, the "black" in the photo doesn't look like any 500+ lb blackie to me. (In fact he doesn't look as big as my 300 lb one) There is something odd about that photo besides the fact that the bear doesn't look totally and obviously black. He looks like he is very dead -like long time dead -not like usual trophy pictures taken shortly afterwards. Just me and my opinions.

I've never shot a bear on the east coast, so I may not be a very qualified judge. That said, the skull I referenced in my initial post was out of a bear I killed here on our ranch that weighed 400 lbs. on the nose, and to me, this one in the pic seems noticeably bigger. (especially if our man Jimmy is 5'10" Granted I am 6'1", but my biggest black bear did not dwarf over me like that). Also, given that an animal hanging will seem "stretched out" this fella seems to still have girth

Sevenxbjt:

It's a difference of opinion that makes horseraces. I would say, however, that camera angle can make all the difference. (If you don't believe me, look at the Africa thread and photos of elephant,buffalo, lion and leopard. Believe me, they just ain't so big in life!) (P.S. I'm not really arguing with you - It's the picture that bothers me. You guys out west see color variations of black bear - Here we see blacks as strictly very black -and I mean black. That bear just doesn't look really black,black. I also just don't like the taxidermist look of him. But, as I said, a difference of opinion makes horseraces.