Any guesses....Size? Griz?

[ERSS]

Just got back from a day of chasing elk and pulling down my trail cams. Ran into a guy while hunting who said he knew the area well and had run into the rider for the guy who owns the cattle lease. The rider said there was a sow griz with a cub in the area that he had seen 3 times in the past few weeks. I have hunted this area for awhile and other than a real small black bear, have never seen bear or tracks. When I pulled down my cams and checked them, I found this pic. I realize there is no real way to identify as black or griz, due to no head in shot or real good view of shoulder hump, but thought I would throw it out there anyway. Alot of you guys have much more bear experience than I. Threw in the pic of the bull to try to help judge the bears size, looks like something bumped the cam in the 2 days between this pics. But distance from cam is about the same. Any ideas on size and species?

 

[sweetnectar]

Boy looks like a bear to me but not sure what kind of bear.

 

[TheTone]

I think your bear is more than likely a black bear, I've messed with a few different grizzlies in this part of the state and the hide on that one is quite different than any of the grizz have been. I also think you would see the hump if one was present.

 

[ERSS]

Thanks, Tone
I bet you and Shane have seen your share of Griz.

 

[DavidKeenan]

IMO it's a blonde black big sob though.

 

[----]

It looks like a black bear to me, but man it's huge.
I was 100% on it being black until you put up the bull pick.
Still looks like a black bear though...

 

[Ben Lamb]

I don't know. Swayed back, longer legs and torso. Could easily be a grizz, even with that coat.

 

[Bambistew]

Looks like a black to me. It'd be a weird colored grizz if it were. Since the weeds are about knee high on the elk I'd bet the bear is pretty small.

 

[Gunner46]

Bear ? Where ? All I see is an elk's a$$ ???

 

[Horn Seeker]

Gosh darn... you know, I almost have to agree with Gunner... but I just cant say for sure. If it is a bear its big... and I'd say of the americanus variety... But...?????

 

[Goldtip]

Looks like a brown phase black bear to me, I've seen a lot of grizzlies in Montana, but never one anywhere near that color.

 

[Moosie]

The distance of the cam is about the same but it's no the same. I'd say it's a Black bear and would lay $ on it. I'd even venture to say it's not that "BIG" of a bear as you first think.

Look at the height of the grass . It doesn't even go up to the elks knees. Then look at the black bear picture. At first glace in comparison it looks liek a Friggin toad though !!

Go hunt it and kill it and post the picture for us bud !!

 

[5jumpchump]

Its a color phase blacky. No doubt in my mind

 

[mconway951]

one more vote for black bear

 

[Zach]

I have no idea about the bear, but the camera angle has slightly shifted to the left on the second picture. The 2 animals aren't standing in the same place, don't know if the vegetation is the same height all the way across or not?

 

[powderburn]

I'm saying black in the lines of this color phase, been after this one for 1-1/2 years now.

 

[THWAK1]

Looks like a brown phase black bear to me, I've seen a lot of grizzlies in Montana, but never one anywhere near that color.

I agree with Goldtip, a chocolate colored black bear. I've never seen a griz quite like that either and the hair is too long for an elk.

 

[danr55]

Judging by the depth of the foliage, it's a broad bear but not very tall. It's my experience that griz have longer legs, proportionally than do the blackies. This is kind of like me. Short and stout. I'd have to guess black bear.

 

[Gerald Martin]

Waffling back and forth myself.... I'm not convinced its not a cow or calf elk. I've got a Moultrie that takes pictures like that when the subject is moving. ( blurred pic looks like long hair) The chest lines and coloring as well as the indention in front of the back legs remind me off elk but its hard to say for sure.
This animal is closer to the camera than the bull by several feet. Hard to say exactly how big it is.
About the only thing I fell confident in predicting is that it's not a grizzly. If it is a bear its a cinnomon blackie.