Brown Bear Hunting

There are currently eight different subspecies of brown bear that are recognized by Safari Club International. They can be found in the most remote parts of North America, Eastern Europe, Asia and Russia.  Four different subspecies occur in Russia alone: Amur Brown Bear; Siberian Brown Bear; Kamchatka Brown Bear; and the Eurasian brown bear.

Brown Bear Subspecies

Each of these subspecies is unique in its own way. They are one of the most interesting, powerful, awe inspiring animals on earth.

Brown Bears in Europe and Asia

• Siberian Brown Bears range right between the Eurasian and Kamchatka Brown Bear in size. They have larger skulls and are more bold around people than some of the other brown bear varieties.
• Eurasian Brown Bears have a wide range of coloration from brown to blonde to reddish brown and even almost black. There have also been reported cases of albinism . They have round heads, small ears and wide skulls.
• Amur Brown Bears, also known as Ussuri Brown Bears can be identified by their elongated skull, smaller forehead,  and much darker color. Some call them the black grizzly.
• Kamchatka Brown Bears are the largest bears in Eurasia. With a much wider skull than the Alaska Peninsula Brown Bears, they can can grow nearly as large, from 7 feet- 9 feet in length.

North American Brown Bears

Technically these bears are the same as the grizzly bear. There are about 25,000 across Canada and the Northwest Territories; 30,000 in Alaska and about 1,500 in the lower 48. Here’s how to tell the difference between brown and grizzly bears.

• Kodiak Brown Bear is considered by many to be the largest subspecies of Brown Bear, They inhabit the islands of the Kodiak Archipelago. They are most active during the day and tend to go into hibernation in late October and leave their dens in early April.
• Alaska Peninsula Brown Bear are some of the biggest bears in the world. They can range from 750-1250 lbs and can reach over 10 ft. They rival even the Kodiak Brown Bear. They’ve reached weights up to 1,500 lbs.
• Sitka Brown Bear can be found in Southeast Alaska and Admiralty Island, Baranof Island and Chichagof Island (ABC Islands). They look a lot like the Alaskan Grizzly bear with a humped back and a nasty reputation.

Spring Hunts

In Alaska, timing isn’t such a factor as you can hunt in the spring or the fall. We prefer the fall hunts in most circumstances, but the spring hunts are still great and we put hunters on trophy 9′ to 10′+ brown bears yearly.

Glassing is the name of the game on a spring bear hunt.

• The bigger boars are usually the first to emerge from the dens, so hunting early can be an advantage.
• Bears are typically more active in the early spring, because they are hungry.
• Later in the spring, the rut starts, and boars can be seen all day long as they search for sows.
• Hides are at their peak in the spring as long as you catch them before they start to rub.
• Less foliage in the spring makes it easier to see.
• Contact us for pricing and availability.

Early Spring

In the early spring, you will be looking for bears coming out of their dens. Often they will emerge, do some exploring and return again to the den, leaving tracks in the snow. You can find tracks by glassing the high country, but then it’s a long hike in the snowshoes. And hopefully the bear is still in the area by the time you arrive.

Late Spring

Later in the spring, you will be glassing for boars foraging on hillsides, near shorelines or roaming in search of a sow in heat. Expect to be tons of glassing…like A LOT of glassing.

Fall Hunts

In the fall, bears are more concentrated on food sources.

Fall hunts are all about the food sources. You’ll be hunting near salmon streams or berry patches.

• You will typically see more bears per day in the Fall since they are more concentrated on food sources.
• Fall hunts are usually warmer than spring hunts.
• Bears aren’t quite as active. Hunting will be best in the early mornings and right before dark while they are fishing. You’ll need to move quickly once a shooter is spotted.
• There is more cover, making it more difficult to glass.
• In some units, baiting is an option in the spring.
• Contact us for pricing and dates.

Everybody wants to take a monster, but you need to know how to judge them in the field.

• A big bear will look long with short legs. A round bear is a small bear. A long-legged bear is a small bear.
• Big boars will look like they have small heads in proportion to the size of their bodies.
• Ears will be on the sides of the head and appear small.
• Body language is  a dead giveaway. A mature boar will have a slow, deliberate swagger. Everything is calm and understated.
• When a big brown bear faces you, there should be lots of shoulder protruding out from both sides of his head.
• Trophy sized boars don’t have wrists. Their forearm is muscular and runs straight down to the toes.
• On Kodiak Island, guides look at color. Generally speaking, the darker the bear the older it is. A “black” bear will always warrant a closer look.
• One suggestion that we have is don’t overlook a “good” bear with a gorgeous coat.