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Bear Size ~
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Records of North American Big Game - A Boone and Crockett Club Publication.
Bear Boundaries. The big brown bears are found on Kodiak Island and Afognak Islands, the Alaskan Peninsula, and eastward and southeastward along the coast of Alaska. The smaller interior grizzly is found in the remaining parts of the continent. The boundary between the two was first defined as an imaginary line extending 75 miles inland from the coast of Alaska. Later this boundary was more precisely defined with the current definition as follows: A line of separation between the larger growing coastal brown bear and the smaller interior grizzly has been developed such that west and south of this line ( to and including Unimak Island ) bear trophies are recorded as Alaskan brown bear. North and east of this line, bear trophies are recorded as grizzly bear. The boundary line description is as follows: Starting at Pearse Canal and following the Canadian-Alaskan boundary to Mt. Natazhat; thence west northwest along the divide of the Wrangell Range to Mt. Jarvis at the western end of the Wrangell Range; thence north along the divide of the Mentasta Range to Mentasta Pass; thence in a general westerly direction along the divide of the Alaskan Range to Houston Pass; thence westerly following the 62nd parallel of latitude to the Bering Sea. Polar bear must be taken in either United States or Canadian-held water and/or land mass in order to be eligible. This definition is necessary because of the wide range of polar bears in the far northern hemisphere.
Polar; what would you say is roughly the 'normal maximum' weight of a mature male polar bear in general; excluding freak specimens?
I have learned that with such a widely varied size range of brown bears that averages simply don't work, but for the inland grizzlies I would estimate a normal maximum of about 700 pounds ( less in barren locations ) and perhaps a normal maximum of roughly 1,000 pounds for coastal brown bears - although with Kodiaks that number might be some higher. 
All of the previous "normal maximums" for polar bears I posted then and before included the Foxe Basin and the Novaya Zemlya populations: an estimate closer to 1700-pounds.
Without the two populations, and according to the database that the PBI gave me (updated in late 2014) and my experiences with polar bears of differing sizes, I would put the normal maximum of polar bears in other populations at 1300-pounds. Averages? Foxe Basin: 1200-pounds Novaya Zemlya: 1150-pounds Kotzebue: 1120-pounds Other areas: 900-pounds
In fact, during my 2013 travel, one bear dubbed "PBI-1665" weighed exactly 1665-pounds, but I don't know exactly how they measured it. It had been in the process of following two females (and this was in late May; breeding season), and the lead PBI crew happened to locate the large male and install a mini tracker device on one of its forearms as well as weigh it.
Again, I have only saw and physically measured (in length units) some of the polar bears' in my trip, I've never weighted them (though I could provide a good estimate on their weights if I got a prolonged look at their physiologies).
http://www.bartthebear.com/bears/bart-the-bear-2/
*Some will say that the size of captive specimens have no value; I disagree. In well-kept captive animals ( not over-fed and kept in good health ), we can determine their size potentials. Bart the Bear ( Sr. ) was a Kodiak bear which weighed 1500 pounds - pretty much the normal maximum for a male Kodiak and a weight which a few wild specimens have achieved. We cannot say how many as few are actually weighed. Bart Jr, not really the son of Bart, is an inland Alaskan grizzly. He weighs in at 1100 pounds and looks to be in good condition. Doug Seuss does exercise his animals. Today's inland grizzlies ( all of them ) live in harsh environments. Put them into a lush, green, environment teaming with prey animals and perhaps we would see more half-ton grizzlies; as according to history once roamed western North America. (07-22-2016, 07:16 AM)Polar Wrote: All of the previous "normal maximums" for polar bears I posted then and before included the Foxe Basin and the Novaya Zemlya populations: an estimate closer to 1700-pounds. My favorite, the grizzly ( brown bear ) cannot compete with the monarch of the far North.
The weights you are presenting, Polar, appear to be "average weights." I believe that the normal maximum of the Kodiak bear and perhaps a few other "subspecies" of brown bears is about 1500 pounds. As for the polar bear, most likely IMO roughly from about 1800 to perhaps 2000 pounds. By "normal maximum" I am meaning the biggest bears of the far North which would not be considered as "freak specimens."
 (08-09-2016, 08:37 AM)GrizzlyClaws Wrote: Beautiful monsters! It's a shame that so few big bears are accurately weighed. It might be interesting to have an idea of how many polar bears actually reach a weight of one ton ( 2,000 pounds ) or 907 kg. Being as much an aquatic predator as he is a land-based predator and considering the fact that his prey is anything but speedy on the ice ( can't say dry land ), the polar bear, unlike the big cats, can afford to be bulky. The extra weight does not hinder the type of hunting he does.
True, I have the faith that the weights of those monsters are even more amazing than the official figures.
http://www.bearwithus.biz/barney.html
BARNEY Barney, born in Jan 1999, is a huge full grown male Kodiak/Grizzly, standing over 8 feet and weighing in at 1300 pounds. He is a very kind, gentle, giant, that loves to work and show off. He literally grew up on film sets starting his career at 5 months old on a Rice KrispieTreats commercial, than on to a feature “Grizzly Falls” at 8 months old. His work ethics are amazing, loving every minute he is on set. His many behaviours include crawling, limping, running, being ridden, wearing clothes, full contact wrestling, dragging a person or object, retrieving objects and placing them where needed as well as the normal film behaviours such as going to a mark, standing up, growling, laying down, standing on all fours, shaking and throwing objects, giving amazing strikes and head tossing on command to name a few. Some of his credits include features: "Grizzly Falls", "Anchorman", "Mr. Nobody","Pathfinder", and "Knucklehead", commercials: Pepsi, Rice Krispie Treats, Napa, Chevy Tahoe, American Express, Titleist Golf Balls, TN DUI, State of Russia, Anadin, Rexona, Fathead, Mercury Insurance, Kobalt toolbox, Honda, TD Insurance and Rimowa Luggage, to name a few. He doubles Whopper and works with Betty and Whopper at the same time. Please enjoy watching some of his work.
Ussuri Brown bears
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