To enlarge this territory chart, please click HERE.

Recognizing Big Bears
Big bears look big. You shouldn't have to scrutinize one to figure out it weighs more than a grand piano or that its skull won't fit in an ice chest. Trouble is, few bears are that big, and few hunters see enough bears to become good at judging them. To make things even more difficult, bears often appear in dark places in dim light. Typically, they allow you only a brief look, and you'll likely get only a partial view.

Big bears look heavy. Their legs appear short for their bodies, and their bellies may appear to drag. When they walk, they seem to "roll" from side to side. The head of a big bear will appear small in relation to its body. The muzzle will look short and broad.

The cranium will seem wide too, and you'll look hard to see the ears. If you don't want to kill a small or immature bear, avoid shooting bears that look long-legged or thin, or whose noses appear long or whose ears are prominent. If the head looks big, it almost surely isn't; instead, you'll find the body is disappointingly small.

Where baiting is legal, some outfitters help clients by painting the rings of fifty-five- or thirty-gallon bait drums different colors. "If the bear's hump comes to the second ring," they'll tell you, "shoot!"

On your own, with no such assist, look for thick bears with small heads and no visible ears. Shoot for the shoulder, and keep shooting even if you think you have a good hit. Remember that bears have long hair, which can make the chest look lower than it is.