Kamchatka Brown Bear
Kamchatka Bear hunt is one of our favorite hunts, which is not only successful, but also brings you back to the Old Russian hunting traditions. Hunters are unanimous in calling Kamchatka Peninsula as a Bear's stronghold. It's gospel-truth. Kamchatka remoteness from the rest of the world, it’s climatic conditions and thinly populated areas, less than 1 person per 1 km2, made it a home for Ursus arctos piscator, which is among the world's biggest brown bears. The average weight of Kamchatka Bear is between 600 and 1200 pounds (300 and 600 kg), and the hide is 8 - 10 ft (270 - 310 сm) in size. So, these bears are bigger than those in Chukotka, Magadan or Khabarovsk region.
To take a big and fresh hide, one has to hunt in spring, because in spring the quality of hides is better.
Since terrain is covered with snow during spring hunt, hunters use skis or skidoos. On the seacoast motor boats are also used (during the 3rd spring term). Upon termination of the hunt one can swim in natural hot springs, contemplate famous Kamchatka volcanoes, visit the valley of geysers, try Russian traditional food including red caviar, Kamchatka crabs and smoked salmon.
We have been hunting brown bear in Kamchatka for over 21 year producing big bears.
Areas
South Ground: Ust-Bolsheretsk, Khodutka
North Ground: Tigil; Palana, Karaginski Dol, Ust-Kamchatsk
Route
Via Moscow. Flight from Moscow to Kamchatka is 8,5-hour non-stop flight. It is a daily flight. Upon your arrival in Moscow or Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky you will be met by our crew and assisted through customs.
Camp & Accommodation
The camps are polar tents or cabins. They are warm, clean, but have no modern convenience (running water, flush toilets etc.). The tents/cabins are equipped with stove and cots. The electricity is supplied by generating sets. There are separate tents for sleeping, dining and for shower. Every camp is served with interpreter and cook.
Hunting
Spring hunt: bears are hunted as they are emerging from dens. The hunter and the guide will travel great distance by snowmobile looking for a track of a large bear. Your guide drives a snowmobile and you sit in the sledge behind. Once the fresh tracks are cut, the hunter will follow the bear. When the bear is spotted you will stalk the bear on foot, snow shoes or skis. After May 15th the hunting area will get less snow and we use camps at the Okhotsk seacoast and hunt is more on foot and with use of a jet-boat for spotting. Shooting distance on average is 110 – 170 yards (100-150 m).
Fall hunts are done on boat, foot, spotting and stalking, observing active Salmon streams, berry patches and feeding areas. Horse back hunt is available in some of the areas.
Climate
Spring season: during daylight hours the temperature is from 32 up to 50 °F (0 to 10 °C) and during nighttime from 14 up to 32 °F (-10 to 0 °C).
Fall season: during daylight hours the temperature is from 59 up to 68 °F (15 to 20 °C) and during nighttime from 32 up to 50 °F (0 to 10 °C). It has a big possibility for rainy, snowy and windy weather.
Hunting season
In most areas we usually do count 2 terms (except for the Southern areas) for spring hunt – it’s important to collect big groups of hunters in one term to share helicopter transfer to hunting camps.
Dates for the North:
1st term - April 25 to May 7
2nd term - May 4 to May 16
Dates for the South:
1st term - April 25 to May 4
2nd term - May 2 to May 10
3rd term - May 8 to May 16
Fall season:
August 27 to the end of September
Schedule (spring hunt)
Day 1 arrival in Moscow, 8.5 hours non-stop flight to Petropavlovsk
Day 2 arrival in Petropavlovsk, helicopter transfer (in some areas – 4x4
vehicle transfer) to the hunting camp or transfer by car to Esso,
500 km (about 300 miles) 8 hrs, overnight in Esso
Day 3 helicopter transfer to the hunting area (Esso), approx 1 hour
Day 4 – 12 9 days hunt
Day 13 transfer back to Petropavlovsk, overnight
Day 14 flight to Moscow, departure Moscow
Schedule (fall hunt)
Day 1 arrival in Moscow, flight to Petropavlovsk, 8,5 hours non-stop flight
Day 2 arrival in Petropavlovsk, transfer by car or helicopter to hunting area
Day 3 – 10 8 days hunt
Day 11 transfer back to Petropavlovsk, overnight
Day 12 flight to Moscow, departure from Moscow