Brown Bear Hunting in Russia

Sergei Shushunov and his Russian Hunting LLC offer bear hunts all over Russia, including European North-West, Central and Southern Siberia, the Pacific coast and the Caucasus mountains. Without a doubt, a Russian brown bear hunt is the best in the world. The population of brown bears in Russia has been stable for years. According to estimates, Russia has around 140,000, which is more than in any other country. The Russian brown bear habitat runs uninterrupted from the Finnish border to the Pacific Ocean for 10000 km. (6000 mi.). The Pacific coast and the European parts of the country have the largest density of bear population.

Eurasian Brown Bear in St. Petersburg, Novgorod, Vologda and Karelia regions. Spring season over baits is offered only in Karelia from April 20-25 until May 20. Majority of Eurasian Brown bear hunts are conducted from high stands over bait. Early fall hunts are done from stands along oat and barley fields. Later, bears are hunted by stalking or baiting. The season usually starts on August 15 and ends around October 30. The largest European bear ever taken by one of our clients was 360 kg. (790 lbs.), with a hide 260 cm. long (almost 9 ft.).

The Siberian Brown Bear is a large representative of the species. Both Spring and Fall hunts are offered. Spring hunts usually involve stalking and glassing over the hillsides. In the Fall, bears are hunted by stalking and baiting, and occasionally with dogs.

Far Eastern Brown bear of Kamchatka peninsula and the Pacific Coast of the Russian Far East produce the largest bears in Russia, or perhaps in the world. These salmon-eating bears rival in size, and in density of population the bears of Alaska and the Kodiak Island. However, the prices of these Russian hunts are usually lower than those in Alaska. Kamchatka has become the number one destination for bear hunters in Russia, although many hunters do not realize that the less-often hunted areas of the Russian Northern Pacific Coast offer as good, or perhaps an even better chance of getting a very large bear. For example, in May or June the density of bears along the shore line of the sea of Okhotsk can be so high, that from a well position hill a hunter may spot up to 50 bears.

For many years Russia allowed den bear hunting. It was closed in 2012 to great disappointment of some thrill seekers.

Due to high density of the bears, hunters traveling to the Russian Far East or to the European regions of Russia frequently have an opportunity to take more than one trophy.
For more information on bear hunting, please visit www.russianbearhunt.com.