Brown bear (Ursus arctos)
Bear has inhabited the Estonian territory for a very long time. At present, 500-600 bears are counted in Estonia; their number is stable. Mating season lasts from mid-May to mid-June. In general the hibernation starts in November and lasts until March-April. Newborn cubs are very small and their weight at birth does not exceed 500 grams. In January and February, if the she-bear is scared away from her den with cubs, the she does not usually go back to her cubs, the abandoned cubs are tried to raise in the shelter for wild game. Bears reach sexual maturity at 3 years of age and have cubs at 4-5 years of age. She-bear has cubs every other year. In Estonia the weight of an adult bear may exceed 200 kilograms. Forage fields and places are established for bears. Bear’s only enemy is human being.Bear, except the she-bear with cubs, may be hunted by hunting from hides or stalking hunt from 1st August to 31st October within the region of damages caused by the bear in order to avoid the damages. Thus, the so-called nuisance bears may be hunted.
The biggest number of bears lives in the Viru County. Bears live in the majority of the RMK hunting districts, but most of all in the Rakvere-Tudu hunting district. Every year up to five animals are hunted in the RMK hunting districts. RMK does not sell paid bear hunting packages.