Color phase bear

[troutkingmaster]

Got these pics over one of our baits, i hope he keeps coming in. He has been hangin around for about 8 hours a day/night, the first pics we see of him are at about 6 PM and the last are at about 2 AM. Not huge but i think i would have a hard time passing him up!

[bogwalker]

That is not a healthy looking bear.

[lichen fox]

I agree...looks like he's really undernourished or maybe has rabies or anthrax or advanced stages of bovine tb....has there been any reports of athrax in the area you're hunting this year troutking? If you take it be sure to wear rubber gloves when gutting and I'd send tissue samples in too....

[jeffreyd]

i think i would actually share these photos with dnr. while no one wants to give up their spot or hunt prospect, this animal is clearly not well and there may be more issues that the picture does not indicate. Only my thoughts, good luck with your chase. Jeff

[troutkingmaster]

I guess I did not notice anything wrong with the bear. I am a rookie to bear hunting and have shown these pics to other seasoned bear hunters and no one has said anything. What makes you guys think it is not healthy? Not getting defensive, just wondering what traits you noticed. Thanks for the replies

[lichen fox]

It's gaunt..skinny...it seems to be "hauched up"(abnormal curvature in it's spine) The belly hair seems to be non existant and the hair on the rest of the body seems patchy as well...and the eyes are Yellow?...what time of the day was this photo, was there a flash? Maybe it's got mange...but it definitly doesn't look healthy to me...take a look at some of the other daylight pictures on other posts here and compare.

[troutkingmaster]

Here is 1 more of that one taken at night and another of a black one that came in as well for comparison. This pic shows the gut a bit better.

[lichen fox]

The Black looks healthy, but I still say the cinnamon has an abnormal amount of hair loss...in the "nite time" picture it looks like there is hardly any hair left on it's belly and the rump...could be a really bad investation of ticks and rubbing...

Bogwalker...you're a bear researcher...what do you think?

[bogwalker]

Troutkingmaster, Is it possible to get a video of this bear walking with your trail camera? She may have been injured.

[Boar]

really hard to tell, it dose look sickly though, if it's not, it'd make a cool rug if the hide is healthy. boar