Those are some nice bears. I was fortuante enough to get a bear this year that went 358#, this was after field dressing too. Funny thing is he wasn't the biggest bear I had on camera, I know I had a bear that would have been over 500. In MN the largest bears are usually shot in the transition zone between the northern forest and the agricultural areas. Good cover combined with excellent and easy food sources. (Sound alot like what you describe in NC) I'm not sure how I would have gotten a 500+ pound bear out of the woods. It was difficult enough just to roll him into a sled!
