Game ID
Black Bear
Often brown or cinnamon in California despite the name. Common across the Sierra.
Key ID marks
- Straight face profile
- No shoulder hump
- Tall, pointed ears
Track ID
Five toes in a gentle arc with short claw marks. Front paw is wide and short (4–6 in); hind foot looks like a flat human footprint (7–9 in). Big toe is on the outside, opposite of a human.
Typical size
150–350 lb
Best season
Fall
Where
Sierra and foothill timber
Look-alikes
None in CA (grizzlies are extinct here).
Find it here