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Post by theundertaker45 on Nov 5, 2020 10:57:31 GMT -5
King Kodiak Well, we have no precise data as he has never been weighed officially but it's safe to assume that he was absolutely massive compared to the other male bears around. I've read an email on an old forum where the person asked some people knowing the scene at Katmai about his weight and they also confirmed that he was gigantic. Their conservative estimate was ~1300lbs.
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Post by theundertaker45 on Nov 5, 2020 11:01:51 GMT -5
It's really funny; just a few hours before I've taken a closer look at this relatively big "black grizzly" that brought down the elk and I am now like "Wait a second, "Van" might have been 3x as big as this bear"...
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Post by King Kodiak on Nov 5, 2020 11:03:06 GMT -5
So one photographer said more than 1500 lbs and a producer of the show estimated it at around 1300 lbs. So it looks like Van was between 1300 and 1500 lbs in his prime. Massive either way.
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Post by King Kodiak on Nov 5, 2020 11:06:16 GMT -5
Taker: do we know if these estimates were before or after hibernation?
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Post by theundertaker45 on Nov 5, 2020 11:08:08 GMT -5
King Kodiak It probably refers to his summer weight as most of the footage of him is/was shot during breeding season in summer (because bears are loaded with testosterone and ready to fight at this time); but who knows, it's a pitty he wasn't investigated more carefully by some field scientists.
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Post by tom on Nov 5, 2020 11:25:05 GMT -5
We know Bart was 1500 lbs in his prime and if I looked at a side by side photo of both in similar pose you could possibly draw some conclusions how close the two were size. We got up and close to van in the Great Bear Stakeout, especially the Beach scene where he's walking towards the camera. I've always stated Van was more than 1000 lbs and maybe closer to 1300 but merely an educated guess. I don't know off hand how rare a 1500 lb Brown Bear is (even from Kodiak) but my guess is it's probably akin to a 350 lb. 6' 8" human. Uncommon but they exist out there.
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Post by brobear on Nov 5, 2020 11:52:05 GMT -5
King Kodiak It probably refers to his summer weight as most of the footage of him is/was shot during breeding season in summer (because bears are loaded with testosterone and ready to fight at this time); but who knows, it's a pitty he wasn't investigated more carefully by some field scientists. I do know that the Summer is considered the correct time to weigh a bear. They are ( comparably ) lightweights in the Spring and heavyweights in Autumn. You don't want to wake-up a grizzly during the Winter.
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Post by theundertaker45 on Nov 5, 2020 13:49:49 GMT -5
brobearIn our weight collection thread, William Troyer writes that brown bears are at their leanest state in midsummer (Reply #43); bears he weighed during fall/spring were heavier than those captured in midsummer.
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Post by tom on Nov 5, 2020 14:04:37 GMT -5
That makes sense. I would think that for several weeks after first emerging from hibernation the bears are likely gorging themselves on what ever they can find, so I could understand the higher weights in spring. Of course fall is when the Bears are preparing for hibernation and eat everything that isn't nailed down. So that leaves Summer before the Salmon runs when vegetation is likely what's on the menu, temps are generally warm, so less calories are needed.
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Post by brobear on Nov 5, 2020 15:36:13 GMT -5
brobear In our weight collection thread, William Troyer writes that brown bears are at their leanest state in midsummer (Reply #43); bears he weighed during fall/spring were heavier than those captured in midsummer. I just remember that it was agreed upon back in AVA ( by the "elite" posters ) that Summer was the correct time to weigh a bear. It really makes no sense to me that a bear walking out of his den ( strait out of hibernation ) would weigh more than he would three months later. Only conceivable reason that comes to mind is having his mind on those curvy females and not eating... ? But, I've also read that a bear exits his Winter den ravenously hungry. Your thoughts? pictured; VAN.
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Post by tom on Nov 5, 2020 15:42:00 GMT -5
I'm guessing what taker meant by heavier in spring was post hibernation up to just prior to summer. By then they likely would have put on considerable weight before the urge to gorge themselves curtails with the beginning of summer.
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Post by theundertaker45 on Nov 5, 2020 15:58:19 GMT -5
I am uncertain about the comparison of spring/summer weights; according to Troyer the brown bears are at their leanest during breeding season in midsummer (and he has been out there for ~40 years watching them). He also states that adult male Kodiak bears are ~200lbs heavier in fall than they are in spring (based on the bears he personally weighed).
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Post by King Kodiak on Nov 5, 2020 16:07:20 GMT -5
Of course they are. Kodiaks are about to hibernate in late fall, so of course they are heavier than in spring. Also, we have to remember that around 25% of adult male Kodiak bears dont hibernate.
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Post by brobear on Nov 5, 2020 16:09:14 GMT -5
I am uncertain about the comparison of spring/summer weights; according to Troyer the brown bears are at their leanest during breeding season in midsummer (and he has been out there for ~40 years watching them). He also states that adult male Kodiak bears are ~200lbs heavier in fall than they are in spring (based on the bears he personally weighed). So, with this knowledge being considered, when ( in your opinion ) would be the best time to weigh a bear; catching him at a moderate stage?
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Post by theundertaker45 on Nov 5, 2020 16:19:54 GMT -5
Well, I'd say that I concur with Troyer about the weighing thing and would also rate summer as the best option. The bears are in great shape due to intense disputes over the females.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2021 16:09:05 GMT -5
MASSIVE TANK
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Post by tom on Jan 10, 2021 16:21:31 GMT -5
Check out that shoulder hump ... Looks like that could be the result of a fight.
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Post by theundertaker45 on Feb 18, 2021 6:45:27 GMT -5
That's the toughest looking brown bear I have ever seen; he just kicked "Van" off his throne in my eyes...
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Post by tom on Feb 19, 2021 17:13:28 GMT -5
That's the toughest looking brown bear I have ever seen; he just kicked "Van" off his throne in my eyes... Any idea when this picture was taken? He looks considerably more beat up than the last picture I saw of him.
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Post by theundertaker45 on Feb 19, 2021 17:30:46 GMT -5
tomI am sorry if there is any misconception but that bear isn't Van; Van has been missing one ear since a very young age, this old warrior still has both of them. I posted that picture because I thought that this specific brown bear looks even tougher than "Ol' Van".
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