KAMCHATKA
BROWN BEAR HUNT
The Kamchatka brown bear is distinguished
by large size, the average size of trophies (fell length)
is 240-270 cm annually our hunters get 1-2 trophies of
the size more than 3 m. The Kamchatka brown bear is the
largest predator of the Russian forest zone. Since July,
fish, namely the spawning salmons become the basis of
its feeding on the peninsula. It is almost always able
to get itself viand in rivers even in "not the most
fishy" year. One more important component of the
animal's feed allowance is nut of a cedar elfin wood which
is preserved at rich harvest under snow till spring. We
have a cedar elfin wood growing everywhere in the forest
zone. It forms almost impassable thickets for the man.
Quite often they can cover hundreds of hectares and stretch
on dozens of kilometers. In years of plenty bears concentrate
in the places rich in cones and lay down in dens in the
same place or nearby, they also eat cones after leaving
their dens. Berries (mountain ash, bog bilberry) also
play an important role in the nutrition of the animal.
As a rule, from mid September bears do not already visit
spawning ground of salmons regularly and start eating
vegetative feed. After leaving its den, bears may not
eat for a long time and use depot fat. A lot of bears
gather on the sea shore and collect the thrown out sea
girdle and other "gifts" of the ocean. In the
thawed tundra they dig out different roots and bulbs,
rummage in anthills in birch forests. The abundance and
availability of feed conditions rather quiet character
of Kamchatka bears, they attack people once in a blue
moon and, as a rule, such animals are sick. Magnitude
of population in Kamchatka according to different estimations
is between 10 and 14 thousand individuals. The greatest
density is observed in southern areas, eastern and western
coasts of the peninsula. In the most northern districts,
i.e. Penzhinsky and Olutorsky, the number of bears is
noticeably fewer. In the recent years there has been an
obvious growth in the number of bears. There are several
reasons for it, including the development of trophy hunting.
This kind of hunting disciplines forest leaseholders and
serves as the major factor of protection. According to
the official data in the Kamchatka Territory at the average
they get about 700 individuals within a year.
In SPRING. The hunting season opens
usually on April, 25th and one month lasts. At the western
coast hunting from April, 25th till May, 15th, and on
east - from May, 1 till May, 24th is most successful.
Group of hunters - 3-4 persons. Movement and search of
traces is made on snowmobiles. A snowmobile the huntsman
operates, the hunter sit down in sledge team, fastened
behind. The district, depending on an arrangement of camp,
can represent both forest-tundra with a birch forest hills,
and foothills of Central range. Depending of lay of land,
on hunting can use a skis, which huntsman has always.
In the early morning, on a good ice crust of snow, hunters
leave camp and come back after a dinner when the snow
starts to thaw. Traces of animals are well visible on
tundras and slopes of the mountains covered by a rare
wood. For a day hunters pass from 20 up to 100 km. Shooting
is conducted on a distance of 100-300 m. Hunting camp
can be located as near to the sea (20-50 km.) And in mountain
valleys, and, as a rule, tent. When snow thawed at the
Western coast, the camp is installed on seacoast, then
inflatable boats in length of 4-4,5 m. with a rigid bottom
pendant motors are applied to movement on water and search
of animals. To the animals found out visually on coastal
slopes, approach on foot, using of lay of land . The Kamchatka
weather in the early spring very much reminds winter,
at night and in the morning up to-10, day 0, +3+5. From
the bright sun from sunburn with the maximal protection
and creams good glasses, a cream are necessary for a leather
of the face and hands. Except that also are necessary:
warm and waterproof footwear, a jacket, trousers, a cap
and mittens, a sleeping bag.
In AUTUMN.Hunting is more complex
in the autumn, but more interesting, rather than in the
spring. The season can be divided into 2 periods: hunting
on rivers (on September, 1th- on September, 10th) and
in places of a crop of a nut of cedar dwarf siberian pine
and Berries of a rowan (on September, 15th - on October,
15th).
Probability of extraction of a large trophy in the autumn
a little below, than in the spring when all is around
filled up by a snow, and of a bear easily to find and
to define the size on size of trace of paws. Presence
of dense vegetation in the autumn, features of a meal
and a way of life of a bear, leaves frequently a little
time for an estimation of a trophy and preparation of
a shot. But bright paints of the Kamchatka autumn, an
opportunity of good fishing and charm of running hunting,
do an autumn trip more sated by impressions.
The usual plan of hunting on the rivers is such. After
a dinner by a motor boat, hunters get as it is possible
above on a watercourse, and along toward evening alloy
downwards, observing a maximum of care. Animals start
to come on riverbanks, as a rule, more close by the night,
it is possible to find family groups and separate young
medium-sized individuals which are not so cautious on
the river in the afternoon. In twilight, there are good
trophy copies here again very importantly to operate quickly.
Having found out extraneous sounds and smells, the animal
instantly disappears in coastal willow shrub formation.
A large bear - a predator rather cautious and about it
necessaryly to remember. However "even the wisest
of us can make a mistake" and the hunter will come
across in the clear afternoon a magnificent trophy on
the open place. Walking on foot in the afternoon and in
the evening on fine springs and channels too can bring
weight of emotions. Depending on intensity of a course
of a late salmon - coho salmon, bears can and to visit
in October spawning channels, eating simultaneously and
a nut cedar dwarf siberian pine.
Usually, after September, 20th, bears less willingly come
on the rivers, passing on a meal by berries (a rowan,
a blueberry) and a nut cedar dwarf siberian pine. As a
rule, hunters already know such places by the end of September
and there we put camp.
Camp. In the autumn we widely use stationary fishing camp.
They are comfortable, there is all city convenience (a
shower, a toilet), light, a satellite communication, residing
in spacious tents or small houses. In places of concentration
of animals on a nut and a rowan we put mobile tent camp,
a little less comfortable, but, owing to warm tents-yurts
and the modern equipment, hunters has no any inconveniences.
Despite of all difficulties of an autumn season, the rare
hunter leaves Kamchatka without a trophy.
