# So who does have the biggest black bears?



## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Which states have the biggest black bears? Depends on how you measure big, evidently. Pennsylvania records a 789 pound bruin, which scored highest ever on Boone and Crockett's skull measuring scale (not sure what the score was), and NC has an 880 pounder recognized as the heaviest black bear ever killed. Pennsylvania has more in the top 30 than other states (12) using the Boone and Crockett scale.
But what is the true measure of big? PA certainly has some monster bears, at least five killed there at least 700 pounds. NC has four over 700, including a 784 pound bear killed in 2014.
Here's what I find fascinating though. The PA bears are mainly taken in the mountains, and our biggest bears are from our coastal plain counties.
It is rare to find bears in the NC mountains that top 450 pounds, while down east bears top 600 consistently. Really strange how their mountain bears are bigger than ours, yet our coastal population are as big or bigger.
My main point is, what should be used as a record? B&C skulls, or weight? A really heavy bear could have a smaller head than one less heavy, so which is bigger?


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

I think you kinda answered your own question. it all depends on how you measure big. but if your looking for a high score I would use the boone & crockett score. if I just wanted personal satisfaction then I would go by weight.
sherman


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## perchjerk (Oct 4, 2012)

Don't know if they're the biggest, but every bear I've seen in PA has scarred the snot out of me. I only seem to see them when I'm out with a 22lr or 20ga.


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Last one I saw up close, all I had was a fishing rod. Was on Juniper Creek in the Green Swamp, near Supply, NC. Big coastal swamp. We were catching pickerel and bass out of a canoe when a 400 pound bear crossed the creek about 50 feet ahead of us. He never looked back at us.


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## privateer (Apr 26, 2012)

The largest PA bear I ever personally saw brought into a weigh station was back in the late 70's and they had to take to truck scales to weigh. It came out of Kane area and was feeding at one of the landfills. Another reason that bears get so large in the PA mountains is that there is quite a bit of farmland that boarders all of the PA mountain areas. Good food = big bears.


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## huntindoggie22 (Mar 28, 2008)

Heard about one shot in the pocono mountains this year that may be the new record. 879 lbs I believe


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

The record is the NC bear at 880 pounds. Had been feeding in bean fields and hog lots. Looked like a grizzly.
http://publicradioeast.org/post/black-bears-eastern-north-carolina


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