It is no secret that a Kamchatka bear hunt has become a premier destination and is a self selling brand now. Still there are a lot of questions asked regarding the hunt itself and what season is better. Here are some details of the different hunts and what we can recommend for those who are interested:
Kamchatka bear Spring hunt
Hunting season is from April 25 to May 25. This spring hunt is weather dependant but according guides with many long years of experience the best time for hunting is generally the first 10 days of the season which is April 25 – May 5. Springs in Kamchatka have been rather unpredictable for the past couple of years with the snow melting quickly making it impossible to hunt after May 5.
The main method of spring hunting is spotting and stalking. Travel is done with the help of a snowmobile pulling sled behind it. The hunting guide drives the snow-mobile and the hunter rides behind in the sled. Together they search the area looking for big tracks and glassing for big males. Once a big male is found they close the distance and then the hunter makes the final stalk to get within distance to make the shot.
Kamchatka bear Fall hunt.
Hunting season is from August 20 to September 30. The main method of hunting is spotting and stalking again but in the fall it’s done on foot. A hunter and a hunting guide search the river banks looking for big males eating fish or sit watching good bear fishing holes. Once a suitable bear is spotted a stalk is executed to close the final distance on your bear. In September it’s also possible to hunt near cedar bushes.
Fall hunts can be easily be planned to include fishing. September is a beautiful time of Indian Summer in Kamchatka and without the annoyance of insects.
To sum up all of the info on Kamchatka bear hunting, the main points of difference are:
- Method of hunting in each season.
- Pricing. Spring hunt is slightly more expensive due to the extra expense of snowmobiles being used.
- Spring hunt is considered to be easier for finding a big male but you never know what to expect from the unpredictable weather.
- Bears’ coats are almost the same quality in spring and fall.September I would say the coats may be even slightly better than in April.
- Fall hunts have the advantage of better weather and provide more additional opportunity such as fishing and are cheaper than spring hunts.
As an example below we will give you two offers from top outfitters in Kamchatka. Have a look at them and you will see each offer contains the detailed information regarding the itinerary, terms of accommodation, pictures of the trophies and etc. The biggest bears are normally taken in the north of Kamchatka and we are working only with most reliable outfitters.
Send me more info on spring hunt please.
With current developments, this destination may not be advisable to consider.