When booking their brown bear hunt, every hunter envisions taking a monster boar. But that’s not as easy as you think. First, you have to hunt where big bears live. Second, it is notoriously difficult to determine the size of a bear, especially from a distance. You HAVE TO LEARN the ins and outs of field judging brown bears!
Field Judging Brown Bears
- A big bear will look long with short legs. A round bear is a small bear. A long-legged bear is a small bear.
- Big boars will look like they have small heads in proportion to the size of their bodies.
- Ears will be on the sides of the head and appear small.
- Body language is a dead giveaway. A mature boar will have a slow, deliberate swagger. Everything is calm and understated.
- When a big brown bear faces you, there should be lots of shoulder protruding out from both sides of his head.
- Trophy sized boars don’t have wrists. Their forearm is muscular and runs straight down to the toes.
- On Kodiak Island, guides look at color. Generally speaking, the darker the bear the older it is. A “black” bear will always warrant a closer look.
- One suggestion that we have is don’t overlook a “good” bear with a gorgeous coat.
Thousands of people have trusted Outdoors International to help plan their hunt.
We have a team of hand-selected hunting experts to help you book your next trip. Our job it is to help you in researching, booking and planning a great adventure with one of our amazing outfitter partners around the world.
My hunt was absolutely top notch.
The outfitter is a fantastic man and incredibly hard working and knowledgeable, there is no doubt he will do everything within his power to make peoples hunts successful and enjoyable. I plan to do it again with him next year for sure.
Wade Zuver
Our hunt was excellent.
We saw bucks every day along with all other sorts of wildlife. Mountain goats, bears, and foxes were common sights. Fishing and crabbing was special bonus. The food was excellent, the crew was amazing. Outdoors International did a great job of finding exactly what we were looking for.
Jesse Neveau
What an amazing experience!
The hunting lodge was out of this world!, Rooms, food and the scenery were all A+. Our guide was exceptional and had us on Shiras moose all five days. We saw over 30 total with at least 10 bulls. They had a plan for everything including taxidermy and game processing.
Kayla Redmon