After Polar Bear Import Ban

[DillonG]

I had a random thought pop back into my head this weekend. I was cleaning up old hunting dvds that my wife is claiming take up too much space. I ran across my copy of Tom Miranda’s super slam that he filmed back in the day. It has me thinking now. Is there anyone in the US that is considering taking all 29 species? Unfortunately, one of the hardest and most expensive hunts (Polar Bear) is banned from import.

I always thought it would be a pipe dream myself, but I’m not sure how many hunters would drop that kind of cash to not even bring a hide home. Perhaps the super 10 is the most realistic pursuit now? Share your thoughts.

 

[PARA45]

This is a great thread to follow.

https://www.africahunting.com/threads/trophy-room-build-after-45-years-of-hunting.80898/

 

[LucasK]

Had an aquantince get one of the reproduction mounts recently it looks just like the real thing.

 

[wildwilderness]

I have a polar bear sitting in Canada. It is what it is. At least I have never been tied to taxidermy and only have a few mounts. The experience is what I am after. I have like 23/29 so far and most with a bow..... (If it wasn't for so many trips to Africa I would probably already have all 29! )


The bigger problem is the closure of the Quebec/Labrador Caribou hunt. GSCO has substituted a wolf to count instead for the 29

 

[Boyd Brooks]

Does someone have the list of the 29 animals? Or point one in the right direction to look. One other question, is there no polar bear hunt in Alaska? If there is why can’t you bring one home from there?

 

[DillonG]

I believe polar bear hunting has been banned in the states since the 70s.

 

[K E Johnson]

I was black bear hunting in Alberta in the late 1980’s. There was a shop in Peace River that had polar bear hides for sale. One of the guys from camp was really interested in one. I told him he couldn’t bring it back to the states. I always wondered how many times some of those hides got sold and bought back from that. The shop owner knew we were not locals eh!

 

[wildwilderness]

Does someone have the list of the 29 animals? Or point one in the right direction to look. One other question, is there no polar bear hunt in Alaska? If there is why can’t you bring one home from there?

Lots of Polar Bears in Alaska, but since 1972 you have to be Alaskan Native to hunt them.... a few are killed every year and I see them at the tannery, taxidermist shop. They can also still hunt whales, seals etc in Alaska.... (and I thought all Americans were equal) You can legally have a polar bear hide/skull killed before 1972 but you should have documentation to prove it.

The importation ban is more recent though- off and on in the 80's and 90's and finally permanently banned in 2008. There is no reason or justification for it and actually is a violation of CITES agreements. But try telling wacko leftist animal rightist politicians that.

The current group that keeps records of the Super Slam and other hunting awards is Grand Slam Club Ovis (GSCO)

Super Slam | Grand Slam Club – Ovis – WildSheep.org | Official Site

They have lots of lists

 

[K-man]

Who is telling you that you can't hunt a polar bear any more? There are a few tags issued every year, just can't be imported into the U.S. Obviously the prices are high and you will wait a few years before an opening comes available. Go hunt one and support the First American families and community.

 

[Scott CWO]

I had a random thought pop back into my head this weekend. I was cleaning up old hunting dvds that my wife is claiming take up too much space. I ran across my copy of Tom Miranda’s super slam that he filmed back in the day. It has me thinking now. Is there anyone in the US that is considering taking all 29 species? Unfortunately, one of the hardest and most expensive hunts (Polar Bear) is banned from import.

I always thought it would be a pipe dream myself, but I’m not sure how many hunters would drop that kind of cash to not even bring a hide home. Perhaps the super 10 is the most realistic pursuit now? Share your thoughts.

I bought a reproduction mount at an auction a couple years ago but haven’t used it yet. Hope to do the hunt in the next couple years.

 

[BeeMaa]

Canadians can keep the hide last time I checked. Would be about the only time it would be advantageous to be Canadian citizen in current times.

 

[Namagiqa]

Polar bears are covered by the Marine Mammal act and cannot be taken by non-indigenous people, generally Alaska Natives. However, Alaska Natives cannot sell a polar bear hide unless they have worked on it to convert it to a craft. For example, my brother-in-law lived in Barrow (as it was then called) for a few years. He purchased a bear of polar bear hide gloves. The bear was lawfully taken by an Alaskan Native and the hide was legally tanned and then cut and sewn into gloves. He legally purchased the gloves but a purchase of the hide without any further work would not be legal. (He now lives near Anchorage and says that they are too warm to wear.) In the same way, Alaska Natives can carve walrus ivory and sell the carvings. I'm not Alaska Native so I cannot harvest a walrus, nor can I possess raw tusks. But I can purchase the carvings.

The numbers are high enough we should allow a limited season but I don't think the feds will be allowing that any time soon. I think it would be fascinating to hunt one but it would be cold beyond what you can imagine.

 

[Trophyhunter01]

Took this at Dallas Safari show this year. Replicas are nice.

 

[K-man]

Sean Lingl with Canadian high adventure guides is currently advertising polar bear hunts. I talked with him at DSC a couple years ago. Non-natives can book these hunts. Also Canada North outfitting. Many others also. I believe it is necessary to have an Inuit guide along, but not necessary to be Inuit to hunt one.

 

[bakerb]

I know a couple guys that either just completed or are close to an archery super slam. Polar bear is already done for them.

The repo mounts are very realistic. There were several at SCI and I don’t know if I would have been able to tell without signs

 

[wildwilderness]

Sean Lingl with Canadian high adventure guides is currently advertising polar bear hunts. I talked with him at DSC a couple years ago. Non-natives can book these hunts. Also Canada North outfitting. Many others also. I believe it is necessary to have an Inuit guide along, but not necessary to be Inuit to hunt one.

No one is saying polar bear hunting is closed, just that it IS closed in Alaska, USA to non Natives.

In Nunavut, Canada the villages are issued the permits with a certain number set aside eligible to be sold to anyone with a local guide taking them out. You have to get the permit from a village. Outfitters have ties and contacts in the villages and arrange certain number of hunts

Yes many countries allow the importation and possession of polar bear hides, just not the USA.

So the comparison is to a Non US importable elephant hunt. As an American yes you can hunt polar bear, No you cannot bring home to the USA.

So the question was who would pay for it?

I did-

 

[PARA45]

Our wonderful government has not learned from passed experiences that banning (Prohibition) does not work.

 

[DillonG]

No one is saying polar bear hunting is closed, just that it IS closed in Alaska, USA to non Natives.

In Nunavut, Canada the villages are issued the permits with a certain number set aside eligible to be sold to anyone with a local guide taking them out. You have to get the permit from a village. Outfitters have ties and contacts in the villages and arrange certain number of hunts

Yes many countries allow the importation and possession of polar bear hides, just not the USA.

So the comparison is to a Non US importable elephant hunt. As an American yes you can hunt polar bear, No you cannot bring home to the USA.

So the question was who would pay for it?

I did-



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Congrats on the great hunt! I might just be at a different stage in life to justify the trip. It’s easy for me to go on a moose hunt in Canada or Alaska. Very hard to go on a very expensive hunt with only memories on the back end. I may be lucky enough to make that mindset change in the upcoming decades.

 

[RR 314]

Dang Coke advertisements are to blame.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

Does someone have the list of the 29 animals? Or point one in the right direction to look. One other question, is there no polar bear hunt in Alaska? If there is why can’t you bring one home from there?

Polar bears were.lumped.in.with the other marine.mammals and fully protected in the US in 1972 or 73. Whales, seals, walrus, and polar bears. Hell my Labrador retriever s probably on the list too.