BigGameHoundsmen.com

NH seems to have those more embarassing average bear weights also, probably 90-150 lbs.
I think the state record is 552 lbs and was taken with a hound.

The story I got was the bear did not tree but bayed on the ground after a short chase.To the best of my knowledge no one has pictures of that bear up a tree.I am not saying they will not tree, but my guess is that he felt he was King of the hill and had no reason to climb. I have not crossed paths with coy but he use to come up to Patten Maine every year during hound season .Quite the colorful character but always took his bear hunting VERY SERIOUSLY

Only bait hunting here , 100-120 pounds on the average. If they would allow hound hunting I believe the average would go up.

I believe that our Fish and Game has determined the average California black bear to weight about 225-250 pounds. As to the average weight of one harvested, I don't have any figures, but would guess it to be a bit less than 200 pounds.

I would take exception to the attempt to characterize those who tag small bears as being unsportsmanlike. For one, in some states or regions of a state, the bears do not gain much size or weight as they get older; the limited feed simply does not allow for much growth. Secondly, it is not contrary to the overall health, survival, or prosperity of the bear population to take the younger or smaller animals...actually, more the opposite. While I personally prefer to leave them in the tree no matter their size, it does not concern me in the slightest that another hunter may want to tag a bear that is more tender or easier to drag out of the woods.

California does not allow for the cubs of the current year to be taken, and prohibits the killing of bears weighing less than 50 pounds. I certainly this is a reasonable stipulation.

Rifleman, I respect your opinion on it being acceptable for individuals to harvest a small bear. Although, here in Michigan in this region 2/3rds of the bear harvested are 3 years of age and younger. Breeding age bears are only a small minority now, meaning they're already gone. And unfortunately cubs are being killed. Hunter education might help.

It was Dolly Parton's first cousin not brother, I have hunted with Coy, and yes it was killed off a hog farm. They knew there was a big bear in the area cause of the size of the hogs it was dragging off. It was killed with a single shot 12 gauge and my grandfather was the taxidermist that mounted it for coy. He had the top half mounted with it's arms reaching out. It's located in his office at some cabins he owns by Dollywood. The bear was so big my pappaw had to order a grizzly bear form for it and still had to bulid up 6 more inches on it's back so it would be big enough.

Southwest idaho average 90 to 175 pound average. There are bigger and smaller but i would say after the years i been doing it that thats the average i have seen.

I am not sure about the bears in these parts but I have heard they have the unusual trait of shrinking considerably when they are hung on the scales. LOL!

Scale shrinkage ?????????