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On average, what states has the largest black bears? I did a little googling and got mixed results. One search said Wisconsin while another said North Carolina. Thoughts?
New Jersey has some whopper's believe it or not
Pennsylvania would have to be somewhere on the list.
I’ve seen some monster black bears in PA.
Hyde/Dare County in NC puts out some whoppers.
Skull size or weight?
They harvest 4-5 thousand bears a year in Wisconsin. The vast majority are just regular size 250 and under. Wis allows all forms of hunting bait , dogs, calling spot stalk etc, 99 percent are taken by bait sitters or dog runners. Running dogs is quickest way to get-a much larger specimen, they can pick and choose which bear to run off which bait based on track size found each morning and then the chase is on, They can cover large area and just concentrate the client on known big bears. Good hound outfitters consistently get clients on 400 plus to 500 pound bears year in-and year out. These are fall bears. No spring hunting in Wisconsin. The trouble is it takes many years to get enough preference points for a tag. state has still not got on board with any sort of option for auction tags or raffle tags or governor tags or outfitter tags or landowner tags or sport-show tags, just so many missed revenue opportunities .
Those Carolina bears are consistently outsized but monsters exist wherever little ones exist
Wisconsin holds the crown IMO.
Mule Power had a post several years ago on this subject. NC, WI, PN always came up high, but also look at a couple of Outfitters in Canada as there are a couple who specialize in getting you a 400#er +. My dad held the WI state record for almost 20 years at 705, but that is a freak like a 400" elk.
Welka.....a 705# black bear is incredible!
A 705lb blackie is beyond a biggun. Are there any pics of it?
Pike County, Pa produces big black bears every year. Back in 2003, there were 2 shot over 800 lbs (865 and 837)and another poached(hunter bought his bear tag AFTER shooting it) just over the border in neighboring Monroe County.(808 lbs) Heaviest on record was shot in Pike Co. near the Monroe Co. line in 2010...............that one went 879 lbs. Last year one was shot in Monroe County that weighed 813 lbs.
NJ record is 829# weight wise And skull wise it has the world record bow kill
Rut nut, usually a few bruisers in Susquehanna county too. Saw a few in my time pushing 600 easy.
This guy walked through my backyard last summer. I'm sure we have some big boys here in CT, but alas no season. I have a mature bear in my yard weekly.
That was probably a Pa bear Shug- they cross the Delaware River regularly! ;-)
PY top 10
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wildwilderness's Link
My old guide shot a 600 pounder in Colorado a few years ago.
Consistently…. Pa and NC. But Pa is pot luck with no bait or hounds and the quality hunts in NC are on private land and really expensive.
