How to tell if it’s a boar or a sow

N

Newpond0

New member
Here’s a couple of the better videos I’ve found on how to tell the difference between male and female black bears. I’m no expert, maybe some of you can add to the discussion



 
Newpond0 said:
Here’s a couple of the better videos I’ve found on how to tell the difference between male and female black bears. I’m no expert, maybe some of you can add to the discussion
Click to expand...
Never hunted bear, but......Turn them over and look comes to mind? ;) ;)

ETA: Sorry, couldn't resist.:devilish:

Apologies, Slagiatt....confess only read your first sentence before posting. :oops:
 
if you’re calling them and theyre coming and all you have is a frontal view, I read Somewhere on here to stop calling so they stop and stay there and hopefully turn a bit to give you a better view of them. You guys agree with that? Or any other tips to be able to get a better look at them while calling?
 
Newpond0 said:
if you’re calling them and theyre coming and all you have is a frontal view, I read Somewhere on here to stop calling so they stop and stay there and hopefully turn a bit to give you a better view of them. You guys agree with that? Or any other tips to be able to get a better look at them while calling?
Click to expand...
Call them in, shoot them, then look between their legs. Thats my method.
 
I was never concerned with gender when sitting in the stand, as I was looking for a book bear or colored.
 
I’m with everybody else there’s no way to really tell. When you get a bigger bear that comes into a bait That looks longer from head to tail, tall legs with a big wide head, and small looking ears IMO It’s normally a good sized boar. All I know is every time I get drawn for a tag after the first couple of days my expectations go down along with the size of the bear. I got lucky last time I drew a tag. I think I hunted for 10 days straight and didn’t see a bear. Switched stands and the first one that showed got shot. Honestly thought it was small because it was the last few minutes of shooting light and the lack of sun was playing tricks on my eyes. Thought it was Boo Boo. Didn’t care…it was a bear!!! I shot it at about 35 or 40 yards right at dusk walking to my bait. I put the crosshairs on its neck walking in and ended up hitting right behind the shoulder broadside. I was using a 300 RUM with 200 grain Nosler partitions. Thst bear did a summersault and got up and ran back the way it came. It made it about 35 yards and started letting out blood curdling roars nonstop. I figured I hit it in the neck and was a little hesitant to go look for it needless to say because by that time it was dark. I waited a good 15 to 20 minutes and could hear another bear walking around and didn’t know if that was him or not. When it sounded like the coast was clear I got out and crawl in my hands and knees through thick brush and found it . When I finally got close to it, all I can see was it’s butt because it was at an angle going down the hill. When I got close, I just about put a load in my pants because it was a 7 foot one inch boar! So it’s hard to tell sometimes what you’re shooting at. If it gets you excited shoot it! I normally look for a bear with a big wide head and small ears. When I shot that bear, it was too dark to tell and I was shooting anything with a pulse at that point just to fill my tag cause I wanted some meat. I just got lucky. I’ve shot bear in Canada much bigger. They are like mosquitoes there. But it’s A lot more rewarding to me to shoot one in my own state. I used to watch a lot of videos before I went bear hunting for the first time to determine a sour or a boar, and how to figure out if it was a big one versus a small one. I’m glad I did my research, but after a few days of sitting in the woods and not seeing anything, my expectations go down really quickly for bear. I just get excited to know I shot one as long as it’s not a baby. I’ve only shot three. I sow over Dogs that dressed at 179 pounds. it was probably close to 250 with guts in it. I shot a 7’ 6” boar in Canada with a 19 3/16” skull with an arrow, and the last one above at 7’1”. All were exciting but I’m not a fan of using dogs. That’s because the guys I were making you shoot whatever is treed. There were 13 bear shot the year I shot mine. Mine was the biggest one. Most field dressed at 112 to 130 pounds. Super small boo-boo’s. The dogs were bigger than a lot of them. Turned me off so I started baiting on private land. Haven’t found a place to go so I’m up to 14 points now.
 
Last edited:
Actually I have read how to tell the difference but they were talking about Grizzly's if I remember right. The male is heavier in the front end and females heavier in the back end. That's just what I'd read so not sure if it's true or not!
 
Its really easy to get fooled. Ive shot a couple blockheaded old, old sows that i thought were boars for sure, but admittedly both instances were very fast encounters in timber with no time to reallylookat them. Dont even bring binos hunting in wa, i just get in the timber and get into fast close shooting situations. If ida been able to watch them for a while through binos, maybe id have known. But the brown one, i doubt id have thought sow even if i had time to really watch. And without getting into a long story im pretty sure shes the same bear that i got right between her and her cubs 5 years earlier, and she was very cool about it. Kinda makes me feel like a jerk. But she was 25yrs old and on borrowed time. But both encounters with her, looked like a boar to me.
20220818_113913_copy_600x800.jpg
 
Back
Top