It took five years to do it, but the state of North Carolina finally confirmed Billy Walkowiak’s 2004 black bear as the 17th largest ever taken in the state.
Billy’s bear had an official weight of 647 pounds and was estimated to be nine years, nine months old. It was shot on a dog hunt in Hyde County, NC, a hotbed for big bears in the state.
The state record is an 880 pound bear taken in 1998 with a shotgun, also on a dog hunt, in Craven County.
Bill had a full-body mount done, check it out after the jump.
As with any records program there are several ties at various weights heavier than his, with a total of 37 bears larger than his.
After the Hunt, Bear
Bear, North Carolina, record
I’ll be honest with you, I don’t know a darn thing about these photos other than it’s one big dang bah’r. With the way my week’s gone however, I wouldn’t be surprised if it turned out these were Oompa Loompas and this guy was the neighbor’s dog.
More photos after the jump.
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Bear
Bear
Yup, I said North Dakota. This black bruin showed up about a half mile north of Hannover, or 20 miles north of New Salem, way up in the northwest portion of the state. I’ve been there a couple times and it doesn’t strike me as bear country, but there are a lot of coolies and such for a bear to hide.
This particular bear was seen wandering along a rural road and strolled right through a farmstead, to the surprise of the photographer, landowners and local sheriff.
Sightings
Bear, North Dakota
Combing through the Doubletough hunting reports this weekend, I came across this oddity from a ‘06 about a bear holed up for the winter in a cornfield. It’s an account of a farmer who’s corn combine fell into a hole out in the middle of his field. When he jumped down to check out what happened, lo’ and behold if there’s not a black bear trying to dig out from under his tire. Read more…
Campfire Stories
Bear, oddities
