Bear hunting

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Hunter with a bear's head strapped to his back on the Kodiak Archipelago Bear hunting Kodiak FWS.jpg
Hunter with a bear's head strapped to his back on the Kodiak Archipelago

Bear hunting is the act of hunting bears. Bear have been hunted since prehistoric times for their meat and fur. In addition to being a source of food, in modern times they have been favored by big game hunters due to their size and ferocity. Bear hunting has a vast history throughout Europe and North America, and hunting practices have varied based on location and type of bear.

Contents

Bear are large mammals in the order Carnivora. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern Hemisphere and partially in the Southern Hemisphere. The IUCN lists six bear species as vulnerable or endangered, and even "least concern" species such as the brown bear are at risk of extirpation in certain countries. Poaching and illegal international trade of threatened populations continues.

In the case of the American black bear, however, hunting is encouraged by some authorities to ameliorate past management issues. Historically protected, by 2016 and 2023, higher-than-projected reproduction rates have resulted in over-population and public safety concerns in some areas. Certain populations of black bear remain at risk of extirpation. [1] [2]

Brown bear

The Bear Hunt by Louis Sparre (1894) MECHELIN(1894) p092 Bear hunt.jpg
The Bear Hunt by Louis Sparre (1894)

The brown bear (Ursus arctos) is a large species of bear distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere.

Brown bear tracks have much deeper claw indentations than those made by black bear. [3]

Regional variations

The grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) is a North American subspecies. Grizzly bear are brown in color although not all brown bear inhabiting the interior of Alaska, British Columbia, Alberta, the Yukon, and Northwest Territories are grizzlies. Inland grizzlies tend to be much smaller than their coastal relatives. Grizzly bear seasons open in the spring or autumn depending on local regulations and jurisdictions. In most of the lower 48 US states, grizzlies are considered a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. Grizzly bear are legally hunted in the Northwest Territories, Yukon, and Alaska. [4] The government of British Columbia banned the hunting of Grizzly Bears in 2017, as it did not align with their values. [5]

The Syrian brown bear (Ursus arctos syriacus) is a small and pale-furred bear subspecies found in Turkey, Syria, Iran, and the Caucasus mountains of Russia, Georgia and Azerbaijan. These bear are hunted mostly in the Caucasus, by stalking, where the harsh terrain offers a greater challenge to the hunter. [6]

The Eurasian brown bear (Ursus arctos arctos) is most widespread subspecies of brown bear in the old world. It is mainly found today in Russia, Romania, Turkey and the former Yugoslavia, with smaller numbers being found in Norway, Sweden, Finland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Albania, Bulgaria and Greece, and remnant populations are found in Spain, France and Italy. The non-endangered European population of Eurasian bear is hunted mostly in the north-western part of Russia, while the Asian population is hunted in the Ural mountains and in eastern Siberia. Eurasian browns are usually hunted by baiting during the spring or autumn or by chance encounter while hunting other species. [6]

The Amur brown bear (Ursus arctos lasiotus) is smaller and darker than the Kamchatka brown bear, with a differently shaped skull and much larger teeth. Its range encompasses far eastern Russia, Northeastern Heilongjiang and Hokkaidō. It is usually hunted in the Khabarovsk and Primorsk regions by stalking. [6]

The Kamchatka brown bear (Ursus arctos beringianus) is a large subspecies found in far eastern Siberia. It is similar to the Kodiak bear, though darker in colour. These bear are usually hunted in the Shantar Islands (Okhotsk) and Magadan. In the spring, bear are hunted in coastal areas where they gather for food. During the autumn, bear are hunted while feeding on salmon or wild berries in the surrounding tundra. The average size of the bear taken is around 7.5-8.0 ft in Magadan and Okhotsk and 8.0-8.5 ft. in Kamchatka. [6]

The Siberian brown bear (Ursus arctos collaris) is larger than the Eurasian brown bear, with denser bones and a slightly larger and heavier skull. Its fur is considered to be among the most luxuriant. It is smaller than the Kamchatka brown bear, though it is also said to be equal in aggression to an American grizzly. It lives east of the Yenisey River in most of Siberia (though absent in the habitats of the Kamchatka and Amur brown bear.) It is also found in northern Mongolia, far northern Xinjiang, and extreme eastern Kazakhstan. They are usually hunted in the Krasnoyarsk Region, Irkutsk Region and Yakutia in late August and early June. These hunts usually take place in rugged and heavily forested terrain, in the foothills of the mountains, or along the shorelines, where the forest is less dense. [6]

The American black bear (Ursus americanus) is the most common bear species native to North America. The largest black bear are usually taken beginning in late May and continuing on through most of June during the breeding season. Springtime is the preferred choice of black bear hunters, when their coats are at their thickest. Heavily timbered forests near agricultural lands often sustain large densities of black bear. They can also be found in proximity to cereal crops such as oats. [7]

Uses

Pelts

A bear's fur consists of two types of hair: the underfur and the outer guard hairs. The underfur, which is soft and dense, serves primarily as an insulator. The outer guard hairs are much thicker, longer and coarser, and while they also insulate, they primarily serve to protect the body from dirt, debris and insects, as well as to repel water. [8]

Black bear fur was considered more valuable in the American West than that of grizzly. [9] Bear furs are used to fabricate bearskins, which are tall fur caps worn as part of the full dress uniform for several military units. The Inuit of Greenland use polar bear fur for clothing in areas where reindeer (caribou) and seals are scarce. Polar bear hide is wiry and bulky, making it difficult to turn into comfortable winter garments. [10]

Meat

Canned bear meat from Russia Corned bear opened can asv2018-01.jpg
Canned bear meat from Russia
Canned bear meat from Finland Bear Meat.jpg
Canned bear meat from Finland

In the Middle Ages, the eating of bear meat was considered more a symbolic than culinary act. The paws and thigh of the bear were considered the best parts. [11] It was consumed in traditional Russian (Siberian) and Ainu culture. [12] Polar bear are a primary source of food for Inuit.[ citation needed ] Polar bear meat is usually baked or boiled in a soup or stew. It is never eaten raw. Polar bear liver is inedible, as it contains large amounts of vitamin A and is highly toxic. [10] Bear meat, with its greasy, coarse texture and sweet flavor, has tended to receive mixed reviews.[ citation needed ] Bear meat should be thoroughly cooked as it can carry a parasitic infection known as trichinella and is potentially lethal to humans. [7] It is the single biggest vector of trichinosis in North America. [12] Flavor is extremely variable [12] and dependent on the age and diet of the bear. The best meat apparently comes from two-year-old bear which eat more berries than fish. [13]

Fat

Bear fat has been used historically in Europe to treat baldness, being mentioned in the writings of numerous physicians such as Nicholas Culpepper. The logo of perfume brand Atkinsons of London is a bear, in reference to their popular 'bears grease' product.

It has historically been used as cooking oil and medicine by both American settlers and Native Americans. [14] Bear fat can also be used as lamp fuel, with 40–50 grams being sufficient to last up to an hour. [11]

Traditional Chinese medicine

Traditional Chinese medicine makes use of bear bile and bear paws. Many bear are hunted or poached just to harvest their paws and gall bladders.

History

In Europe of the late Middle Ages, the eating of bear meat was an aristocratic activity. In Tyrol and Piedmont, the village communities had to hand in a set number of bear paws to the local lord every year. [11]

North America

Traditionally, Kodiak Natives (Alutiiqs) hunted bear for food, clothing and tools. Arrows and spears were required hunting implements. Bear heads were usually left in the field as a sign of respect to the spirit of the bear. Kodiak bear were commercially hunted throughout the 1800s with the price paid for a bear hide being comparable to that paid for a beaver or river otter pelt (about US$10). [15]

In 1702, bear pelts were considered equal in worth to those of American beavers. 16,512 furs were sent to the French port of Rochelle in 1743, while 8,340 were exported from the east coast of the United States in 1763. [13] In the 19th century, as the settlers began increasingly moving west in pursuit of more land for ranching, bear were becoming increasingly more hunted as threats to livestock. In 1818, a “War of Extermination” against wolves and bear was declared in Ohio. [16] Bear pelts were usually sold for 2–20 dollars in the 1860s. [13]

Grizzly bear hunting in Northern California in 1882 Return from the Bear Hunt.jpg
Grizzly bear hunting in Northern California in 1882

Between 1850 and 1920 grizzly bear were eliminated from 95% of their original range, with extirpation occurring earliest on the Great Plains and later in remote mountainous areas. Unregulated killing of bear continued in most places through the 1950s and resulted in a further 52% decline in their range between 1920 and 1970. Grizzly bear managed to survive this last period of hunting only in remote wilderness areas larger than 26,000 km2 (10,000 mi2). Overall, grizzly bear were eliminated from 98% of their original range in the contiguous United States during a 100-year period. [17]

Prior to Anglo-American colonization in 1820, black bear were widely distributed throughout all major eco-regions in Texas. The supply of both meat and fat lasted about a century after the first Anglo-American settlers arrived. However, after their value for grease and food had decreased, black bear continued to be pursued and killed for their trophy value. Black bear in East Texas were seriously reduced to scattered remnant populations or eliminated altogether in many areas largely as a result of indiscriminate and unregulated hunting by the time the first organized survey of mammals took place from 1890 to 1904. [14] The last native East Texas black bear is believed to have been killed in the 1950s. [18]

Methods

Bear are hard to hunt, as they generally live in dense forests or thick brush. They are, however, easy to trap. [19] Where they are hunted frequently, bear become purely nocturnal. [9]

Once a general area is identified, a bear hunt usually begins by looking for claw marks on trees. [7] Scores in bear hunts are based on the width and length of the skull. [13]

Firearms

Bear hunt in Dalarna, Sweden, early 20th century. Bjornjakt i Dalarna - Nordiska Museet - NMA.0052736.jpg
Bear hunt in Dalarna, Sweden, early 20th century.

Hunters carrying firearms tend to favour calibres large enough to inflict as much tissue and bone damage as possible, as grizzly and brown bear can generally withstand a number of direct shots to the limbs or torso without ceasing their attack. Bears have the ability to dramatically lower their heart rate when hibernating and will readily do so if injured, as a defense mechanism against blood loss. Hunters pursuing the animal deliberately might use a caliber larger than they would for the deer, elk and caribou that commonly co-inhabit the same area. If they intend to keep the hide, and to ensure a quick and humane kill, they may prefer to use a large bullet that will break the bear's shoulder and continue through the vital organs, ideally leaving an exit wound large enough to leave a blood trail to assist locating the downed animal. It isn’t uncommon to see bear being hunted from helicopters or in the air.

Bear spear

The bear spear was a medieval type of spear used in hunting for bear and other large animals. The sharpened head of a bear spear was enlarged and usually had a form of a bay leaf. Right under the head there was a short crosspiece that helped fixing the spear in the body of an animal. Often it was placed against the ground on its rear point, which made it easier to hold the weight of an attacking beast.

Baiting

Often, bear will be attracted through the use of baits such as a rotting carcass, bakery by-products, sweets, or even jellies. A hunter will then watch one or more baits from a stand, armed with a rifle, bow or shotgun. Many states within the US have changed their hunting regulations and banned baiting as a form of bear hunting. [20]

Snaring

In the Russian Far East, a lasso-like rope loop is hung across a path which bear are known to frequent; its end is tied to a tree. The bear passes through the rope as it walks by and the lasso tightens around its body as it continues to move. Eventually the bear becomes so entangled within the rope that it can no longer move. After a few days, the hunter arrives to finish off the immobilised animal. [21]

Calling

It is possible to attract bear by calling, imitating the sound of injured prey. Bear seem to have very short attention spans and if they are responding to a call and the sound stops, generally the bear will cease following the sound. Two callers are often better than one when calling bear as they can keep up continuous calling for longer periods of time. Bear can hear a call for distances up to a mile and often will take their time in responding. [22]

Hunting dogs

A medieval bear hunt with dogs Hirschvogel Bear Hunt.jpg
A medieval bear hunt with dogs

In his book Hunting the Grisly and Other Sketches, Theodore Roosevelt wrote that though small terriers could be used against bear, they usually only worked against bear which had never had the experience of being hunted before. The terriers would irritate and distract the bear with their yapping as the hunter creeped unnoticed. However, once the bear would notice the hunter, it would immediately ignore the dogs and retreat. [9]

He did however mention big half-breed hounds sometimes used in the Alleghanies of West Virginia, which were trained not merely to nip a bear, but to grip the grizzly by the hock as it ran. A pack of such dogs, trained to dash straight at the head and hold on like a vice, though unable to kill the bear, would hold it in place long enough for the hunter to finish it. [9]

However, bear were dangerous quarry for the dogs to tackle, and pack losses were not uncommon. Though a large number of dogs could kill sick or very young bear, they could not do so with healthy adults. [9]

These big dogs can only overcome such foes by rushing in a body and grappling all together; if they hang back, lunging and snapping, a cougar or bear will destroy them one by one. With a quarry so huge and redoubtable as the grisly, no number of dogs, however large and fierce, could overcome him unless they all rushed on him in a mass, the first in the charge seizing by the head or throat. If the dogs hung back, or if there were only a few of them, or if they did not seize around the head, they would be destroyed without an effort. It is murder to slip merely one or two close-quarter dogs at a grisly.

— Hunting the Grisly and Other Sketches, Chapter III: Old Ephraim the Grisly bear

Today, it is more common for hunters to use dogs to track a bear. Often riding in the back of a truck to catch a scent, the dog will start to bark when there is a track. Dogs will then follow the track showing the way for the hunters. [23] Modern bear hunters use hounds of mixed breeding to tree bear. [24] Bear dogs used to track and tree American black bears in Michigan are typically cross-bred hounds, often with GPS tracking collars on one or more dogs to help locate the pack in the dense forest. [25]

Poison

In the expansion era of the American west, poison was usually only practiced by the owners of cattle or sheep who had suffered losses from bear, though this was rarely put into practice seeing as bear were harder to poison than most other carnivores such as wolves. [9]

Facts

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brown bear</span> Species of large bear

The brown bear is a large bear species found across Eurasia and North America. It is one of the largest living terrestrial members of the order Carnivora, rivaled in size only by its closest relative, the polar bear, which is much less variable in size and slightly bigger on average. Adults of different subspecies range in weight from 80 to 600 kg, with males being heavier than females. Despite its name, brown bears aren't entirely brown; the pelage can be reddish to yellowish-brown, and dark brown to cream in color. During winter, brown bears in some populations hibernate and emerge during spring to regain up to 180 kg (400 lb) of weight. They have well developed dentition and claws, ideal for their lifestyle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Polar bear</span> Species of bear native largely to the Arctic Circle

The polar bear is a large bear native to the Arctic and nearby areas. It is closely related to the brown bear, and the two species can interbreed. The polar bear is the largest extant species of bear and land carnivore, with adult males weighing 300–800 kg (660–1,760 lb). The species is sexually dimorphic, as adult females are much smaller. The polar bear is white- or yellowish-furred with black skin and a thick layer of fat. It is more slender than the brown bear, with a narrower skull, longer neck and lower shoulder hump. Its teeth are sharper and more adapted to cutting meat. The paws are large and allow the bear to walk on ice and paddle in the water.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American black bear</span> Species of bear

The American black bear, also known as the black bear, is a species of medium-sized bear endemic to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most widely distributed bear species. The American black bear is an omnivore, with a diet varying greatly depending on season and location. It typically lives in largely forested areas but will leave forests in search of food and is sometimes attracted to human communities due to the immediate availability of food.

In American folklore, the Golden Bear was a large golden Ursus arctos. Members of the Ursus arctos species can reach masses of 130–700 kilograms (290–1,540 lb). The grizzly bear and the Kodiak bear are North American subspecies of the brown bear.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California grizzly bear</span> Extinct population of the brown bear

The California grizzly bear is an extinct population of the brown bear, generally known as the grizzly bear. "Grizzly" could have meant "grizzled" – that is, with golden and grey tips of the hair – or "fear-inspiring". Nonetheless, after careful study, naturalist George Ord formally classified it in 1815 – not for its hair, but for its character – as Ursus horribilis. Genetically, North American brown bears are closely related; in size and coloring, the California grizzly bear was much like the Kodiak bear of the southern coast of Alaska. The grizzly became a symbol of the Bear Flag Republic, a moniker that was attached to the short-lived attempt by a group of U.S. settlers to break away from Mexico in 1846. Later, this rebel flag became the basis for the state flag of California, and then California was known as the "Bear State".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asian black bear</span> Bear species native to Asia

The Asian black bear, also known as the Indian black bear, Asiatic black bear, moon bear and white-chested bear, is a medium-sized bear species native to Asia that is largely adapted to an arboreal lifestyle. It lives in the Himalayas, southeastern Iran, the northern parts of the Indian subcontinent, Mainland Southeast Asia, the Korean Peninsula, China, the Russian Far East, the islands of Honshū and Shikoku in Japan, and Taiwan. It is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, and is threatened by deforestation and poaching for its body parts, which are used in traditional medicine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kodiak bear</span> Largest subspecies of Brown Bears/Grizzly Bears

The Kodiak bear, also known as the Kodiak brown bear, sometimes the Alaskan brown bear, inhabits the islands of the Kodiak Archipelago in southwest Alaska. It is one of the largest recognized subspecies or population of the brown bear, and one of the two largest bears alive today, the other being the polar bear. They are also considered by some to be a population of grizzly bears.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atlas bear</span> Extinct subspecies of brown bear in Africa

The Atlas bear or North African bear was a population of brown bear native to North Africa that became extinct in historical times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ursid hybrid</span> Bear hybrids

An ursid hybrid is an animal with parents from two different species or subspecies of the bear family (Ursidae). Species and subspecies of bear known to have produced offspring with another bear species or subspecies include American black bears, grizzly bears, and polar bears, all of which are members of the genus Ursus. Bears not included in Ursus, such as the giant panda, are expected to be unable to produce hybrids with other bears. The giant panda bear belongs to the genus Ailuropoda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grizzly–polar bear hybrid</span> Cross between grizzly and polar bear

A grizzly–polar bear hybrid is a rare ursid hybrid that has occurred both in captivity and in the wild. In 2006, the occurrence of this hybrid in nature was confirmed by testing the DNA of a unique-looking bear who had been shot near Sachs Harbour, Northwest Territories, on Banks Island in the Canadian Arctic. The number of confirmed hybrids has since risen to eight, all of them descending from the same female polar bear.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hunting in Russia</span>

Hunting in Russia has an old tradition in terms of indigenous people, while the original features of state and princely economy were farming and cattle-breeding. There was hunting for food as well as sport. The word "hunting" first appeared in the common Russian language at the end of the 15th century. Before that the word "catchings" existed to designate the hunting business in general. The hunting grounds were called in turn lovishcha ("ловища"). In the 15th-16th centuries, foreign ambassadors were frequently invited to hunts; they also received some of the prey afterwards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kamchatka brown bear</span> Subspecies of carnivore

The Kamchatka brown bear, also known as the Far Eastern brown bear, or in Russian: Камчатский бурый медведь, romanized: Kamchatsky bury medved, is a subspecies of brown bear.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bear attack</span> Ursine species attacks on humans

A bear attack is an attack by a bear on another animal, although it usually refers to a bear attacking a human or domestic pet. Bear attacks are of particular concern for those who are in bear habitats. They can be fatal and often hikers, hunters, fishers, and others in bear country take precautions against bear attacks.

Romania has a long history of hunting and remains a remarkable hunting destination, drawing many hunters because of its large numbers of brown bears, wolves, wild boars, red deer, and chamois. The concentration of brown bears in the Carpathian Mountains of central Romania is largest in the world and contains half of all Europe's population, except Russia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ussuri brown bear</span> Subspecies of carnivore

The Ussuri brown bear, also known as the Ezo brown bear, Russian grizzly bear, or the black grizzly bear, is a subspecies of the brown bear or a population of the Eurasian brown bear. One of the largest brown bears, a very large Ussuri brown bear may approach the Kodiak bear in size. It is not to be confused with the North American grizzly bear.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grizzly bear</span> Subspecies of brown bear

The grizzly bear, also known as the North American brown bear or simply grizzly, is a population or subspecies of the brown bear inhabiting North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alaska Peninsula brown bear</span> Subspecies of carnivore

The Alaska Peninsula brown bear or "peninsular grizzly" is a colloquial nomenclature for a possible brown bear subspecies that lives in the coastal regions of southern Alaska. It may be a population of the mainland grizzly bear subspecies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ungava brown bear</span> Extinct population of grizzly bears

The Ungava brown bear is an extinct population of grizzly bear that inhabited the forests of northern Quebec and Labrador until the early 20th century. It was once considered its own subspecies, as Ursus arctos ungavaesis.

Formerly or currently considered subspecies or populations of brown bears have been listed as follows:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dietary biology of the brown bear</span>

The brown bear is one of the most omnivorous animals in the world and has been recorded to consume the greatest variety of foods of any bear. Throughout life, this species is regularly curious about the potential of eating virtually any organism or object that they encounter. Certainly no other animal in their given ecosystems, short perhaps of other bear species and humans, can claim to feed on as broad a range of dietary opportunities. Food that is both abundant and easily obtained is preferred. Their jaw structure has evolved to fit their dietary habits. Their diet varies enormously throughout their differing areas based on opportunity. In spring, winter-provided carrion, grasses, shoots, sedges and forbs are the dietary mainstays for brown bears from almost every part of their distribution. Fruits, including berries, become increasingly important during summer and early autumn. Roots and bulbs become critical in autumn for some inland bear populations if fruit crops are poor. The dietary variability is illustrated in the western United States, as meat made up 51% of the average year-around diet for grizzly bears from Yellowstone National Park, while it made up only 11% of the year-around diet for grizzlies from Glacier National Park a few hundred miles to the north.

References

  1. ↑ "A State Plagued by Bear Encounters Turns to an Old Solution: Guns". The New York Times. 2023-08-24. Retrieved 2023-08-24.
  2. ↑ Ursus americanus: Garshelis, D.L., Scheick, B.K., Doan-Crider, D.L., Beecham, J.J. & Obbard, M.E., IUCN, 2016-03-18, doi: 10.2305/iucn.uk.2016-3.rlts.t41687a45034604.en
  3. ↑ "To Hunt the Grizzled Bear". Biggamehunt net. Archived from the original on 2007-07-06. Retrieved 2007-09-27.
  4. ↑ Grizzly Bear Hunting Archived 2007-07-06 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ↑ "B.C. Government ends grizzly bear hunt | BC Gov News". 18 December 2017.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Brown Bear Hunting in Russia". Russian Hunting Agency. Archived from the original on 2007-03-20. Retrieved 2007-09-27.
  7. 1 2 3 "25 Things Every Black Bear Hunter Should Know". Biggamehunt.net. Archived from the original on 2007-06-09. Retrieved 2007-09-27.
  8. ↑ "The American Bear Association Home Page (Web Pages2/index)". Archived from the original on 2013-07-29. Retrieved 2013-02-25.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Roosevelt, Theodore (1902). Hunting the grisly and other sketches. G. P. Putnam's Sons.
  10. 1 2 "Polar bear (Nanuq)". Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. Archived from the original on 2007-09-26. Retrieved 2008-01-06.
  11. 1 2 3 Pastoureau, Michel (2007). L'ours; Histoire d'un roi dechu. Éd. France loisirs. p. 419. ISBN   978-2-02-021542-8.
  12. 1 2 3 Shaw, Hank (November 29, 2010). "Bear: A Meat Worth Trying". The Atlantic . Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Brown, Gary (1996). Great Bear Almanac . Lyons & Burford. pp.  340. ISBN   1-55821-474-7.
  14. 1 2 "East Texas Black Bear Conservation and Management Plan_ 2005 - 2015". Texas Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 2007-09-27.
  15. ↑ Van Daele, L.J., 2003, The History of Bear on the Kodiak Archipelago. Alaska Natural History Association, Anchorage, Alaska, USA.
  16. ↑ Wolf Nation: From the Brink of Oblivion and Back Again? – Articles from Animals in the Wild: Wildlife Photography by Jim Robertson
  17. ↑ Grizzly bears in the USA Archived 2008-01-08 at the Wayback Machine
  18. ↑ TPWD: Conservation Status
  19. ↑ "Black Bear Hunting Primer". Biggamehunt net. Archived from the original on 2007-04-06. Retrieved 2007-09-27.
  20. ↑ Bear Hunting via Bear Hunting Laws 2010 - Educational Bear Hunting Site for Hunters
  21. ↑ Kamchatka Brown Bear
  22. ↑ "Fall Black Bear Basics". Biggamehunt.net. Archived from the original on 2007-08-31. Retrieved 2007-09-27.
  23. ↑ "Wisconsin Bear Hunters Association". wbha.us.com. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  24. ↑ Brian'sHounds. "YouTube Video of Bear Dogs At Work". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
  25. ↑ Michigan Out of Doors. "YouTube Video of Bear Dog Training". Michigan United Conservation Club. YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
  26. ↑ "Loaded for bear? Good luck getting a permit". Yle. 27 June 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
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