'22 was a tough bear season. The berries ripened at weird times and I was constantly rained out. Usually I'll have a dozen stalks with the longbow and if I need to I drop the hammer with a smoke pole. This was the second bear I saw in 7 days of hard hunting. For perspective I shot one with the longbow the year before. I saw 6 bears that day alone. This was my last bear hunt before it got cold and I changed gears for elk, deer, and antelope. Certainly not the biggest bear, but she was all by herself and it was an amazing stalk through the clouds in my socks! Just got the age back from FWP. What do you think the age is???

Three

Truly cannot age a bear without tooth analysis.

As old as he’ll ever be , nice one

2 1/2

Bears are so hard to age.But i'm going to guess a young bear of 2.

I am going to say 5. Some of the smaller bears I have had sealed come back with surprisingly high ages. Alaska Department of Fish and Game takes a tooth to age the animal by.

7

You can look at their teeth and tell if they are old, but not how old. If the teeth are old and worn down or broke off they are old. But how old? Who knows. You cannot tell exactly by looking.
Biologists age by the pre-molars. I think they cross section them ? Idk.
You said it was a sow? Sows are deceiving size wise. Can be old but not very big.
I shot a big sow in Manitoba in the spring season. 315 lbs. was aged at 28 years. The card they sent said the oldest bear they had ever aged was 32.
Shot a sow here in WV. Just over 200 lbs. was aged at 12.5.
Shot another sow here. 2.5 years. Weighed 215.
I’m guessing that your asking is because you were surprised how old she was?
My guess 15.

6

I asked just because I thought it was interesting. In MT we have to bring the hide and skull in for them to tag it and take a tooth sample that they age. When the guy way trying to get the tooth out he said he had never seen one that old. I was checking some regulation stuff today online and I saw they had aged the tooth. Apparently she was 23! A product of the 90's !

Western bears grow slow. And it’s a female. Could be ten years old and still that size.

Get the hammer ready for them steaks! That's awesome, great job!

That is surprisingly old for a small dog eared bear.

23? I bet you had to chew the gravy. Wow.

Would be two in NC.

Got any pics of mouth/ teeth?

My buddy up in NW Ontario a few years back in camp they got one whose gum was tattooed. Aged at 24.

Any ear rings or other body piercings?

LOL!!