Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency

Black Bear Weight Predictor

Black bear size (i.e., chest girth) is highly correlated with body weight (Alt 1980). To estimate the weight of black bears, simply measure the bear's chest girth (use a nylon tape measure in inches) and see the corresponding estimate of the bear's weight on the table below.

Alt, G. 1980. Rate of growth and size of Pennsylvania black bears. Pa. Game News. 51(12):7-17.

Chest Girth (inches)	Estimated Weight (lbs)



29	98
30	108
31	117
32	128
33	138
34	149
35	161
36	173
37	185
38	198
39	211
40	225
41	239
42	253
43	268
44	284
45	300
46	316
47	332
48	350
49	367
50	385
51	403
52	422
53	441
54	461
55	481
56	502
57	522
58	544
59	566
60	588
61	610
62	633
63	657
64	681
65	705
66	730
67	755
68	781
69	807