The Ultimate Big Bear Quiz

Pro Tip: All of this data can be found using one of the Big Game Records LIVE search tools. 

Big Game Records Live is the next generation of Boone and Crockett Club's Trophy Search, a hunting research tool. As a subscriber, you have the world of Big Game Records data at your finger tips. The number and variety of queries you can run is only limited by your imagination. You can filter your searches based on category, location, date, name, scoring attributes, and more.

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The Ultimate Big Bear Quiz

1. According to the County Search Tool, which state has the most record-book black bear entries?

Wisconsin
Pennsylvania
Alaska
Montana

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Answer: Wisconsin - Wisconsin has twice as many record-book black bears than runner-up Pennsylvania. Minnesota comes in third with 278 entries.

2. What time of day are most record-book black bears killed? Hint: Use the Time of Death tool to find the answer.

Morning
Noon
Evening

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Answer: Evening - According to the Club’s Time of Death tool, most black bears are killed between 6:30 and 7:30 p.m.

3. According to Trophy Search, when was the last grizzly bear entered into the records from the Lower 48?

1995
1964
1959
2002

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Answer: 1964 - At a remote ranch just outside Yellowstone Park, Marguerite McDonald had a visitor one night in 1964. That grizzly ended up on the wrong end of a .30-06 Model 70. That wild story is worth a read!

4. What moon phase has the most recorded entries for black bears? Use the newest search tool, Hunter's Moon, to find the answer.

New Moon
Full Moon
Last Quarter
First Quarter

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Answer: Waning Quarter - According to the Club's Hunter's Moon research tool, most black bears in the records are killed in the last quarter (waning) moon. Pro tip: You can use the Hunter's Moon tool to predict the best time to hunt for bears based on historical moon data.

5. When was the World’s Record polar bear killed? See the World’s Records Gallery to find out.

2024
2000
1945
1963

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Answer: 1963 - On a hunt far from his home in Matamoros, Mexico, Shelby Longoria killed the World's Record polar bear (Ursus maritimus).

View Score Chart

6. What is the most popular caliber to take a record-book bear, including black bears, Alaska brown bears, and grizzlies, according to the Method Visualizer tool?

.270
.30-06
.338
Compound bow

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Answer: .30-06 - The .30-06 is by far the most popular caliber in the records for bears. The .300 Win Mag is a solid runner-up. To see specific calibers that hunters use for different bears, use the Method Visualizer.

7. Alaska brown bears are only found in (you guessed it) Alaska. What island has the most record-book entries for Alaska brown bears? Use the County Search tool if you don’t know the answer.

Aleutian
Afognak
Kodiak
Unimak

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Answer: Kodiak - Kodiak Island is the home for big Alaska brown bears. It has 168 entries out of 1,145 total Alaska brown bear entries, according to the County Search

Figure 2-A The boundary separating grizzly bear (green) and Alaska brown bear (tan).

8. From 2023-2024, Wisconsin topped the record book with 24 black bear entries. According to the County Search tool, which one of the following states is tied with three other states for second place?

Alaska
Minnesota
Montana
New Jersey

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Answer: Montana - Montana is tied with North Carolina and Pennsylvania; all have six entries each, according to the County Search tool.

9. Does this footprint belong to a grizzly or black bear?

Grizzly bear
Black bear
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Answer: Grizzly bear - The front foot of a grizzly tends to look more square than a black bear’s, which appears rounded. If you draw a straight line across the top of the foot pad, the line will not intersect the toes of a grizzly bear

10. What year was the largest Alaska grizzly bear in the record book killed, according to Trophy Search ?

1974
2024
2000
1976

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Answer: 1976 - This was a bit of a trick question. A hunter didn’t kill the biggest Alaska grizzly in the records. It was found by Gordon Scott in 1976 on Lone Mountain. He was actually hunting black bears when he found a stinky grizzly skull. He brought it home, stuck it in his attic, and forgot about it for three decades until he discovered it while remodeling.

Not a subscriber? Join now and have access to these options: 

Classic Trophy Search

Gives you the ability to search by any specific species or combination of species and also filter on year, location, or name. This search also gives you option to view the details for a specific trophy with access to digital score charts and photographs, if available.

County Search

Interested in which counties are producing the best results? Queue up the County Search! This vastly improved search also allows you to drill down all the way to the individual trophies within each county. You can select multiple states and categories. Now includes maps!

Trophy Combinator

The trophy combinator is a colorful, real-time display of every B&C trophy category distribututed across all states and provinces for any given year. You simply enter a year and then mix and match the species by clicking on them in the graph's legend. 

Method Visualizer

Want to know the most popular caliber for record book Dall's sheep? How about the most popular hunting caliber for all "book" animals? The Method Visualizer will show you the most popular caliber for more than 38 categories of North American big game.

Hunter's Moon

Allows hunters to examine historical lunar data and the number of kills on those days. This information may be used for future hunt planning.

Time of Death

A handy tool that can provide insight and reveal patterns regarding what time of day different species are typically taken.

Antler Analytica

A handy tool that can provide insight and reveal patterns regarding what time of day different species are typically taken.