There’s something about black bears that captivates hunters. Big bruins are impressive in their power and strength. And, of course, they are fully capable of killing and eating people. They’re big, fast, have terrifying claws and dentures, and can climb trees quickly – often to the shocking chagrin of tree stand hunters.

Black bears also are plentiful, found continent wide, often within the shadows of even large cities. That, in fact, is something notable when surveying the over 2,300 black bears entered in Safari Club International’s record book for the species. Giant, trophy-size bears are found from coast-to-coast, and from Canada to the bayous of the South.

Here are some of the biggest black bruins recorded by SCI in their online trophy book (scirecordbook.org).