Grizzly Or Blackie

Looks like a grizz to me

 

Yup. GREAT looking skull. I'd guess brown bear! Excellent find. If you are interested in donating it to a university...

Kidding, keep that forever. It's sweet!

 

Old sow griz

 

Agreed that it is a brown or grizz. Very nice find and a really old bear. If you know any info on where it came from, it will help to ID it.

 

For comparison purposes......do not know the sex or weight for either but know where they were from.

This is an Alaskan Brown bear skull:


And this is a Boone & Crockett Black bear skull that was found dead in Eastern NC:


Before cleaning:

 

Real nice old black. Lots of arthritis growth. Wonder what shape the rest of the skeleton was in.

 

I am going to say your mystery skull is a large black bear because of the top view - look at the shape and proportion of each skull.
Here is a pic of a smaller/younger grizzly from the top:
http://media.liveauctiongroup.net/i/9910/10685536_12.jpg?v=8CE15FE0BFE99D0
Note the forehead shape, the muscle attachment ridges and most importantly the longer snout on the griz. The black bear has a shorter, more tapered snout.
From the side the skull does have a larger than usual "stop" on the forehead and some sizeable canines, but IMO the top view gives it away as a black bear.

 

Here is a comparison of three black bear skulls on the right and 2 brown bears on the left.

 

Good info to know. The forehead and look of the muzzle had me fooled. Regardless it is a very nice looking skull.

 

I have a big, old coastal sow from Kotzebue that I just finished. Rear, top molars are 1 5/16 so maybe that has something going for it.

 

Not one of my monsters but the straight line length measurement is 14 1/2 inches. She was removed as a nuisance bear. Very old animal with very bad teeth.

 

Might get lucky. Getting older and slower here and thinking of selling off some of my personal stuff.