I saw an advert on a Russian hunting website about Asiatic Black bear hunts.

What's the deal with that?

They were and possibly still are hunting them in south west Russia. They are CITIES listed so you can't bring them into the US without a permit and the problems with that were up in the air when I was looking 2 years ago.

The same area has Russian Black Grizzlies and these can be hunted and could be brought in with permits but less of a hassle since there was less of a problem with their listing and determination of their standing as a subspecies or part of a specific endangered species.

The Asiatic Black Bear also called the Sun Bear, is a very agressive bear and in Russia is typically hunted in the winter. They semi hybernate in hollow trees and the local guides know where so they take you to a tree and tease the very grumpy bear out. So your choice of big enough etc. is limited to your luck and or speed of retreat!

I can look back into my notes for more detail if you are interested or plan on keeping it in Italy and their laws will allow but it was not likely that we could have brought them back to the states so we abandoned the idea.

Best Regards

Mike O

There are 3 Asiatic black bears.

The asiatic black bear (the one that looks likes ursus Americanus).

The asiatic sun bear (the little one from SE asia).

The asiatic sloth bear (from India... think Jungle Book).

We also have ours, and then one in south America.

5 black bears on the planet, most people don't know that.

Seth,

Where you been hiding? I finally got settled on shore duty for my last tour before I retire. I'm hanging the anchors up in May 2010.

You been shooting anything? All I've got so far is a whitetail buck from down here in North Florida. Never made it back to the Rockies this fall. Have to go next year.

Good luck on this year's CPO test.

Chief Mac

has anyone hunted it? any suggestions for a reputable outfitter?

Many thanks

I now my dad hunt them in Indonesia (when it was a Dutch colony), but it was a long tome ago.

I found a pic of an Asian bear he trapped, in those times.

The Indonesian black bear would be the Sun bear, not the Asiatic black bear.

I coincendentally rescued 2 of them while recovering POW/MIA remains in Vietnam.

The hotel we were staying in was serving them for dinner. I called the embassy and the Viet police came and picked them up. I am sure I didn't save them they probably ended up in the Viet cops soup.