The hunters do the first steps to perpetuate the long-awaited trophy themselves when they fresh the animal in the field. The quality of taxidermy product manufacturing by professional taxidermists also depends on the correctness of the primary processing of the harvested animal. Based on our many years of experience, we recommend that hunters participate directly or at least carefully monitor the primary processing of the trophy they have got.
The following trophies can be made from the captured bear: a full-size or partial stuffed animal, a separate stuffed head, a carpet.
The measurements recommended below should be removed from the captured animal, which will be necessary for the taxidermist master for the anatomically accurate production of a stuffed animal (Fig. 1). Measurements must be made using a soft tape measure. Two measurements are performed before the skinning of the harvested animal and two afterwards - directly from the carcass of the skinned animal.
Before skinning an animal:
A - from the tip of the nose to the edge of the eye (third eyelid);
B - from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail (measurements are taken along the back).
After skinning (directly from the carcass):
B - the girth of the neck just behind the ears;
G - the girth of the animal's body in the most voluminous region of the abdomen (approximately in the region of the last ribs).
Now let's take a closer look at the flaying process. In order not to damage the hair, all incisions are made from the side of the flesh (ie from the inside), and not from the side of the hairline (Fig. 2). The incisions must be made in a straight, uniform line, without side cuts.
Let us dwell on the main and most universal method of skinning a bear - a layer. From the skin removed in this way, the taxidermist can make both a full-size stuffed bear and a carpet. In fig. 3 shows a diagram of the sections of the skin for removing it from the layer. First, an incision must be made strictly along the center line from the chin to the scrotum (in females to the genital opening). The skin covering the genitals is not cut in the center, but bypassed from one side (Fig. 4).
The incision in the lower jaw should be started 10-15 cm away from the lip edge (Fig. 5).
Then we make incisions in the front legs. We start from the center of the palmar callus (Fig. 6), then move to the elbow, and then along the inner, least hairy area of ​​the skin we go to the central incision at a right angle. The cuts from the right and left front legs must necessarily (!) Converge at one point of the central cut. If you have the opportunity to deliver the trophy to the taxidermy workshop within 1-2 days (in autumn time) and 3-5 days (in winter), then it is enough to cut off the paws at the wrist joint (Fig. 7) without any further preparation.
On the hind limbs, the incisions start from the center of the posterior edge of the calcaneal callus (Fig. 8) and further as shown in Fig. 3: Along the least hairy area of ​​the hide to the central incision. We also cut off the paws along the joint, as shown in Fig. 7.
After completing all the above cuts, you need to take your time, carefully remove the skin from the carcass of the animal.
In fig. 9 shows the shape of a properly skinned bear as an example. Only according to the above scheme of skinning a trophy can a full-fledged carpet be made.
In fig. 10 we have given a diagram of the main mistakes when skinning a layer. It can be seen that deviations in the direction of the cuts lead to the fact that in some places there are clearly "extra" pieces of skin, while in others (marked with *) these areas are not enough. If you compare Figures 9 and 10, then even a layman will notice how the shape of the skin plate is distorted.
If it is expected that the skin will be delivered to the taxidermist within 1-2 days, then the skin from the head may not be removed. It is enough with a knife to carefully separate the head from the neck along the last vertebra (Fig. 11). Skinned We salt well and store in the coolest ventilated place. At this stage, the skin can be frozen by first placing it in plastic bag... For longer storage of the skin without freezing, carefully read the section "Preparing the skin of a bear for long-term storage."
Let us dwell separately on the method of skinning the bear, making an incision from the side of the back. The skin removed in this way is only suitable for making a stuffed animal. For making a full-sized bear, this method of flaying is the most optimal, because avoids the appearance of a seam on the front of the scarecrow. A similar seam can later be seen on the finished stuffed animal, especially when the bear is hunted in summer or early autumn and is made standing on its hind legs.
Let us dwell in more detail on the removal of the bear skin from the back.
For this purpose, we put the captured animal on its stomach and make an incision along the midline of the back from the tail to the base of the occiput (Fig. 12). Then we make incisions along the inside of the paws from the center of the palmar (calcaneal) callus (Fig. 6, 8) to the elbow (knee) joints. If you have the opportunity to deliver the trophy to the taxidermy workshop within 1-2 days, then you don't have to remove the skin from your head. It is enough to use a knife or gently ax to separate the head from the neck along the last vertebra (Fig. 13). Cut off the paws along the joint, as shown in Fig. 7. After completing all the cuts described above, it is necessary to carefully remove the skin from the animal's carcass. The removed skin is well salted and stored in the coolest ventilated place. The skin can be placed in a plastic bag only during transportation, and the bag must be open. For longer storage, see the section “Preparing the skin of a bear for long-term storage”.

Preparing the skin of a bear for long-term storage
Let's consider the procedure step by step.
- Before starting to skin the head, it is necessary to cut through the junction of the upper and lower lips with the jaws from the side of the muzzle to the maximum depth in a circle. To do this, as shown in Fig. 14, it is necessary to pull the lip with your hand and carefully make a cut to the maximum possible depth, pressing the knife to the jaw bone. This circular cut will avoid cutting the lips when we skin the head.
- After that, completely remove the skin from the head. We cut the auditory canals as close as possible to the skull (Fig. 15). We carefully trim the skin around the eyes and lips. Cut off the skin around the eyes along the bone of the eye socket, so as not to cut the eyelids. The nose is trimmed entirely along the nasal cartilage (Fig. 16). For better access of salt, we cut the nose (Fig. 17) and lips (Fig. 18).
- Special attention should be given to the preparation of the ears. To do this, it is enough to separate the skin of the ear from the cartilage only along the back surface of the ear. We use a sharp penknife or scalpel in our work. Cutting off the junction of the cartilage with the skin, the ear is gradually turned inside out (Fig. 19 a-d).
- For better access of salt to all areas of the flesh where the a large number of fat and muscle, we make longitudinal and transverse "cuts" (notches). We make notches with a frequency of 1-1.5 cm (Fig. 20). A large amount of salt must be rubbed very thoroughly inside the notches obtained.
- The tail should be prepared. For this purpose, it is necessary to make an incision along inside tail, stepping back a few centimeters from the anus, and extract the caudal vertebrae (Fig. 21 a, b). Salt the tail skin thoroughly.
- On the paws, we make an incision around the palmar (calcaneal) callus (Fig. 22 a, b). In no case do we cut off the corn! After that we cut out the paw, cutting off the fingers along the last phalanges (Fig. 23 a, b).
- After all the above steps, it is necessary to salt the entire skin well. A bear skin needs 7-10 kg of salt. We rub the salt thoroughly into all areas of the flesh. We pay special attention to the paws and head. Rub the salt liberally around the eyes, lips, ears, muzzle. Pour salt into the "ear" bag formed during the preparation, after which the ear is carefully turned out. We rub salt on the outside of the auricle, i.e. from the fur side.
- We roll the well-salted skin along the line of the back of the flesh to the flesh, roll it up in the form of a roll and leave it open for a day. It is better to put the skin on sticks or a net so that the emerging brine-like liquid can drain freely. After a day, the skin must be hung through a stick for several hours to allow the liquid that has appeared in it to drain off. Then we remove the remaining crude salt, after which we salt the skin again with the same thoroughness, using 5-7 kg of salt. Roll up the skin as described above and store it open in a well-ventilated, dark and cool place. If it is assumed that the skin will be stored for a long time, then 2-3 days after the repeated salting, the skin must be hung up for drying in a dark place.
If you step by step, carefully and slowly, use our recommendations, gained over many years of work, you will have the full moral right to demand that the taxidermist masters make your bear trophy with the highest quality.
In the end, I would like to remind hunters that life does not consist of the number of years lived, but of the number of impressions. The long-awaited trophy obtained can be safely called a vivid life experience, which the taxidermist artist will immortalize in the form of a professionally executed scarecrow.
Not a feather to you, not a feather!

Evolution has made us what we are used to seeing ourselves in the mirror. However, it is not always clear why in the course of evolution we have retained some capabilities, organs and muscles that we do not need at all. These features of human evolution will be discussed below.

Goosebumps appear when the muscles at the base of the hair follicle contract, for example, when we are cold or when we are afraid. Especially interesting is the second case, if we had wool, it would stand on end, like cats in a moment of danger, but since we have no wool, it becomes unclear why we need this ability at all.

It is not completely clear why we have similar lips that no other animal has. Our lips are very sensitive to temperature changes, and this is because only with us they are completely turned outward.

We retained our ear muscles, but we lost the ability to move our ears.

Since our distant ancestors were herbivores, they had to eat a lot of green plants. In order for all this to be better digested, it was necessary to thoroughly chew food. For this, wisdom teeth were needed. Now there is practically no need for them, but they can cause us a lot of discomfort.

Once upon a time the appendix played important role in digestive system however, for us it is a completely unnecessary organ.

No animal has breasts like ours, especially a woman's. Most likely, it began to change as a result of the vertical position of our body and became the way we are used to seeing it today.

Probably, not one animal has been composed as many fairy tales, songs, legends and legends as about a bear. The Russian people treat this animal with respect, calling it "forest warlord" and "master of the pine forest." In most fairy tales, the bear appears before us as a kind simpleton, a little awkward sweet tooth, always ready to protect the weak and the offended.

However, according to ancient legends, the bear is not such a good-natured animal. This is one of the most mysterious “creatures on the planet, shrouded in an aura of incredible mystical secrets.

Den - the entrance to the underworld

Almost all peoples of the world have a special relationship with the bear. In some countries he is called the ancestor of people, and in others - a man who became a beast by the will of the gods. One way or another, the treadmill - unusual creature endowed with unknown magic, helper and friend of the gods.

He colorfully tells how a man descended from a bear ancient legend Kwakiutl Indians. It tells about the love of a bear for the first man on Earth. The descendants of this couple subsequently settled all over the Earth. One of the ancient Slavic legends tells that the progenitor of people was a werewolf bear.

The warriors of the ancient Celts also called the bear their distant ancestor. It was believed that it was he who endowed his "children" with courage, strength and ruthlessness. The bear was endowed in ancient times and divine power... The Slavs believed that the god Veles takes the form of this beast, and the bear den is the entrance to underworld.

The ancient Greeks endowed with bearish features Artemis - the goddess of the hunt. In her temples, a tamed bear was often settled, and the priestess-hunters during the feast in honor of the goddess performed a special dance, draped over their shoulders bear skins.

But most of all interesting to historians and mystics is the almost forgotten cult of the cave bear - the mysterious god of hoary antiquity. Our ancestors believed that the skull and front paws of this forest deity possessed special magical powers. Several decades ago, a strange structure was found in the Drachenloch cave (Austria) - something like a huge stone box.

The find was about 40 thousand years old. On the top of the box lay the massive skull of a cave bear, under which the crossbones of the forepaws of this animal rested. In a word, the lid of the ancient chest resembled the famous emblem of the pirate "Jolly Roger". But most of all, the archaeologists were surprised by the contents of this cache. The box was filled to the brim with cave bear skulls.

Scientists are still trying to answer the question of why primitive people kept these skulls and why they needed to decorate their "styling" with an eloquent sign.

I must say that the bear cult left its mark on Russian soil. The most famous temple dedicated to the "owner of the forest" was located on the territory of modern Yaroslavl, where people lived who worshiped a huge mysterious bear and brought generous bloody sacrifices to their deity.

According to legend, Prince Yaroslav the Wise destroyed the bloodthirsty tribe at the root and was not afraid to engage in battle with the fierce "god". The prince emerged victorious from the hot duel, having hacked the defeated toptygin with his ax. In memory of these events, Yaroslav laid on the conquered land new town(Yaroslavl), whose coat of arms is a bear with an ax, standing on its hind legs.

Later, in the era of Christianity, people called the bear "the brother of the devil." It was believed that he kept order in the forest, since all kinds of evil spirits were afraid of the shaggy governor. Devils and witches run away from him, because they know that he can defeat the water one in a duel.

It was believed that the bear can save the cattle from any daring. Therefore, Siberian peasants often hung a bear's head in the barn, so that the "forest owner" would protect the living creatures from pestilence and misfortunes.

Bear children

Ancient myths and fairy tales tell us about the bear as a great lover of the female sex. They say that he often steals the tramps of women in the villages, or leads the gossips who have lost their way in the forest to his den. There, the unlucky captive becomes the wife of the "forest owner" who takes care of her after the birth of their common child lets go home.

By the way, the bears did not deny themselves the pleasure from time to time to shelter a hunter in their lair ... The offspring born from such unions are mysterious werewolf bears living in deep forests. They were considered skillful magicians, endowed with colossal physical strength.

According to legend, bear children did not always stay in the forests. They often returned to the people and became known as fearless and invincible warriors. So, Russian fairy tales glorified the legendary hero Ivan Bear Ushko, the son of a bear and the beauty he stole.

In the Scandinavian sagas, the hero Berserker is widely known - a descendant of such an alliance. A warrior, dressed in a bearskin, terrified enemies with just his appearance. In addition to strength and fearlessness, he differed from his fellow tribesmen in animal fury and did not feel pain. There is a legend that it was this hero who became the progenitor of the semi-legendary tribe of berserkers, bloodthirsty warriors who for several centuries kept the peoples of Northern Europe in fear.

It is quite possible that such legends gave rise to some physical resemblance of the "forest ruler" to man. It is known that the print of a bear's paw on wet ground is remarkably similar to that of a bare human foot. In addition, according to experienced hunters, the skinned bear carcass strongly resembles a human body.

It is possible that this similarity gave life to amazing stories that were scattered across Siberia at a later time. In many villages, people, freezing with horror, passed from mouth to mouth "horror stories" about how a man in onuchi or a woman in a sarafan was found under the skin of a hunted bear.

"Forgive us, master!"

Despite the beliefs about divine origin and magical abilities bear, a huge animal with thick warm fur was considered an enviable prey. However, the hunt for a clubfoot at all times was a kind of sacred occupation. There was a belief that the "master of the forest" could not be killed just like any other animal.

Fearing the revenge of the brown giant, the hunters, discussing the plan for a future raid, called the prospective prey with allegorical names: "old man", "master", "grandfather" and others. That is why the bear has so many nicknames, among which are Po-tapych and toptygin, known to us from fairy tales. At the same time, it was impossible to speak disrespectfully about the bear, and even more so to scold him, otherwise if the "old man" hears, he will certainly take revenge on the impudent one.

Northern peoples - Evenks, Kets or Nivkhs - tried to deceive the already killed "master". During this action, the hunters kindled a fire and began to ritually feed the bear and give it tea. While treating the "grandfather", they had leisurely conversations with him, convincing that it was not they who killed the "master of the forest", shifting the blame onto the "strangers" - Russian, Yukaghir or Dolgan hunters. Also, during these conversations, they asked the bear not to be angry that people would use his meat and skin, and promised to continue to show all respect to the toptygin.

And at the end of this "meal", when the deceived spirit of the bear rushed away in search of the alien hunters who killed him, the miners butchered its carcass, first of all, cutting off its front paw and head. They were supposed to be freed from meat, boiled and hung on a tree as a kind of amulet.

Often a stranger was present when skinning the carcass of a bear - a man from another tribe. It was believed that the presence of the alien also helped to throw off the trail of the angry spirit of the slain bear. It was the stranger who cut out the heart of the prey and took an active part in the preparation of the ritual treat.

When the hunters returned to their village with their prey, all the women of the village came out to meet them. They greeted the "shaggy old man" as a dear guest and held a real holiday in his honor.

Russian hunters also organized a celebration in honor of a successful hunt. Usually, miners gathered in the house of a person who discovered a bear den, or under the shelter of a brave man who was not afraid to go out with a spear against the "master of the forest."

Real healer

For a long time it was believed that the unknown magical powers that people endowed the toptygin were also transferred to amulets that were made from his skin, teeth and claws.

The bear's claw was considered the most powerful amulet. He was able to drive the otherworldly evil spirits out of the house, as well as grant peace to the noisy baby. The person who wears this amulet on his chest is not afraid of the evil eye and damage. In the hands of an experienced shaman, the bear's claw becomes strong weapon, able to curb the unfolding elements.

According to legend, the teeth of a bear also had wonderful properties. In ancient times, they were hung over the cradle of a baby, so that the spirit of the "owner" protected the baby until he could stand up for himself. In addition, bear fangs were inserted into the walls of the barn and secured between the fence boards. It was believed that they would not allow thieves to the master's good and would protect the property under any circumstances.

The Slavs believed that if a newborn baby is dragged between the jaws of a killed bear, it will save the baby from all diseases.

Special magical properties endowed with the heart of the beast. If a person ate it, then the disease was not terrible for him. The Indian peoples had a belief that a piece of raw bear's heart endowed a person with fearlessness, wisdom and invulnerability. Some peoples believed that if a patient was fumigated with smoke from a burnt bear's hair, then all ailments would recede.

In magical rituals, bear lard was often used. It was believed that if you smear it on a person's forehead, then the latter will improve memory.

People are not the only ones who suffer from hair loss. Whether the hair loss is due to illness or old age, the condition can affect our four-legged friends as well.

Fortunately, the animals and birds on our list seem to be oblivious to the loss of their hair, fur, or feathers. Do you think they look as cute without their fur or feathers?

Rabbit


This cute bunny was born in 2009 and instantly became an Internet sensation because he is bald. Fortunately, after three months he had his first fur coat, and he turned out to be as ordinary as his furry brothers and sisters.

Bear



The she-bear Dolores is one of those she-bears who suffered from sudden hair loss at the Leipzig Zoo, Germany. Some experts believe it was caused by a genetic defect, although the animals do not seem to suffer from any other plagues.

Hedgehog



Meet Betty, a cute bald hedgehog from the Foxy Lodge Rescue Center, UK. She is a healthy and completely normal animal except for the fact that she is bald, and the cause of her baldness is unknown.

Parrot


Oscar was a 35-year-old female Moluccan cockatoo who suffered from the condition, killing birds- diseases of the beak and feathers (Beak and Feather Disease). She tore out her own feathers because they irritated her very much.

Squirrel


Photo: Murph le


Bald squirrels are not uncommon; their hair loss is usually associated with mite disease.

The guinea pig


Photo: Alina Gerika


Skinny is a breed of hairless guinea pigs... Judging by their pink skin, there is no need to explain why guinea pigs are called "pigs." (Photo: margaretshairlesspigs.webs.com)

Penguin



This bald penguin baby was born without feathers and was rejected by his parents in an aquarium in Liaoning Province, China. The aquarium workers decided that the baby penguin's lack of feathers and poor health were associated with difficulty digesting food and absorbing nutrients... Thanks to his caretakers, the penguin managed to grow a feathery coat, and he was successfully reintroduced into his family.

Rat


Photo: CSBeck


Photo: Maxim Loskutov


Bald rats are obtained by breeding various combinations of genes. On the other hand, hairless laboratory rats provide researchers with valuable data on weakened immune systems and genetic kidney diseases. (Photo: CSBeck).

Chimpanzee


Chimpanzees, like other monkeys, large primates and humans sometimes suffer from baldness, a disease that causes them to lose hair from all over their body. These poor creatures attract many visitors to zoos. (Photo: RedEyedRex).

Dog


Photo: sweet mustache


These are Peruvian hairless dogs. Machu Picchu (the 4 month old puppy in the photo above) was offered as a pet to US President Barack Obama. He promised his daughters a new pet for the White House, but the dog had to be hypoallergenic because one of them is allergic to most dog breeds. Peruvian Hairless Dogs are said to be ideal for sensitive individuals due to their lack of hair. (Photo: Karel Navarro)

Wombat




Meet Karmann, an orphaned baby wombat from Australia. Wombats must remain in their mother's pouch until they reach seven months of age. However, poor Karmann was rescued from her dying mother's bag when she was 3 months old, so she has no hair. She is currently being cared for at a wildlife shelter in Melbourne.

Baboon

A bald female baboon has been spotted in countryside Zimbabwe. The animal may have lost its coat due to alopecia. However, this bald baboon has been spotted in wildlife therefore the cause of her baldness is unknown.

Kangaroo




This tiny creature is Sabrina, a female kangaroo who was abandoned by her mother in the Serengeti-Park in Germany. These animals do not grow wool until they leave the mother's pouch. Bald Sabrina always had to be worn close to a warm body or wrapped in a blanket to keep her warm.

Hamster


Bald Syrian hamsters the fur is missing due to a genetic disorder. Hairless hamster cubs are only born to parents with a hairless gene, so they should not breed. (Photo: The Thicket Rabbitry)

He was really very old, but he still had the strength to do a lot of mischief for the rural livestock and was very dangerous for people who picked berries in the tundra. The bear got into the habit of going to the village dump located near the village of Tilichiki, but no one attached due importance to this.

I have been hunting bear for many years. I am not a professional hunter, I am an amateur hunter and have been working for a long time at the airport of FSUE "Kor AP" as an aircraft technician.

Born in the Olyutorsky district of the Kamchatka Territory, from childhood, having constant communication with the tundra, having cognized nature and picking up a gun early in his hands, he learned a lot. Every winter he took a vacation, entered into an agreement with the state industrial farm and hunted.
Once upon a time, before the restructuring of the Russian state in 1985, there was an Olyutorsky state industrial farm in the region. His estate was located in the village of Korf, located on the Korf spit, separating the bay of Baron Korf from the bay of Skrytaya. Under licenses, we had to procure and hand over to the state industrial farm bear skins, bile, and fat; skulls were taken as a trophy.

At first, bear meat was harvested, but since at that time there was still sufficient dietary meat reindeer, bear meat was not in demand among the population, and it was two or three times more expensive than reindeer meat, so the state industrial farm stopped harvesting it. The carcasses of the bear had to be thrown in the tundra to feed the beast, to the crows ...

In 1990, he acquired a paid license to shoot a bear and could not sell it for a long time.

That year was very poor in plant food and aquatic biological resources... There were few berries - blueberries, cloudberries, mountain ash, shiksha, poor harvest of cedar cones, weak approaches salmon fish- the main food of bears, due to which they accumulate a mass of fat. All this combined forced the bears to migrate to more feeding places in search of food. And time - late fall, we need to prepare for the long Kamchatka winter, make dens ...

October ended. Berry-growers, who were gathering lingonberries, told me that in a wide gorge, about two or three kilometers from the mouth of the stream, a large bear (dead) with a good skin is lying upstream and flocks of crows circling above it.

I was interested in the question, why is the bear dead? I got together, took the MTs21-12 rifle, bullet cartridges, the dog Anchar. Friends were transported on a motor boat across the Hidden Bay from the village of Korf to a wide glen.

I'm going with Anchar. From afar I saw a flock of crows. They sat on the slope of the hill, on the branches of trees, circling in the air. There was a crow market, which means I have reached the place where the dead bear should be. But for some reason he was not in this place. I walked along the gully for a long time, circled, walked back and forth, found fresh spent cartridges from a carbine of 7.62 caliber, but did not find a bear, although I was with a dog.

Disappointed, he turned back towards the house. He began to cross the ravine, its swampy terrain, a swell appeared, swallowed up to nowhere. I looked around: the dog was digging something with its paws in the swamp. I approached, I looked - the head of a bear was sticking out and his tracks were visible. Some bear dragged his relative into the swamp, buried him away from the eyes of animals and crows, and threw moss and grass. And the stream that carries its waters into the swamp washed away the traces and made the burial ground equal to the tundra, and in the cold autumn water the corpse does not decompose for a long time and the smell of rotten meat is not audible. That's why I couldn't find a dead bear for a long time.

I examined the head (the bear was quite large), blood oozed from the ear. Most likely, the bear was seriously wounded by some hunter and left, but the hunter did not look for him. The bear died. He was found by another bear and began to devour a relative. And after the meal he buried the carcass; it is common for all bears to bury food leftovers. Some bears even try to bury the carcass of a dead walrus ...

The bear's fur has already begun to climb. I cut off the head and took the skull as a trophy. I crossed the village of Tilichiki by ferry across the Skrytaya Bay to the village of Korf.

I reported to the state industrial farm about the incident. They drew up an act on the write-off of the dead bear.

The next day, towards evening, he returned to the ravine with the intention of getting a bear that was devouring its kindred.

Approaching the place where the corpse of the bear was buried, he found that the bear had dragged the carcass about eighty meters and buried it. Nearby were trampled footprints of a large bear. When I walked along the valley, the same tracks led to the village dump ...

It was getting late. I outlined the probable exits of the beast from the bushes to the corpse and, by eye determining the distance for the correct shot, chose the place of the ambush.

All my life I have hunted a bear only with the smoothbore gun MTs 21-12 and used bullets of the type "Vyatka" and "Poleva" of various modifications, which proved to be the most reliable. He killed more than a dozen bears. The gun never let me down. I always go to a bear alone with a dog, rarely with a partner. True, you have to shoot with close range... To do this, you need to develop endurance and self-confidence. I have never hunted with a carbine, but I have one headache with our law enforcement agencies.

I am sitting in a concealment. Clouds covered the sky. The darkness is gloomy. The tedious autumn rain began to drizzle. At about one o'clock in the morning, Anchar became worried, twists his head, drawing in air with his nose, but does not give a voice. I took a closer look. A large bear is standing at the exit from the bushes. But, as usually happens, you cannot foresee everything, although I have great experience, you cannot measure all the distances in advance. Three times he aimed at the bear, but did not shoot. It seemed far away, darkness hides the distance. Shooting in the pitch darkness should have been for sure, hitting the bear with the first shot, so as not to look for a wounded animal in the thickets at night. And there were more than six hours before dawn. The wounded animal would have gone far during this time. Anchar was an experienced bugbear, he did not rush to the bear without a command and did not give a voice. In this regard, a very rare dog ... It is a pity that later absurdly died. I’m holding Anchara. The bear, suspecting something was wrong, turned around and quietly left. The branch did not crunch under his feet.

The first snow fell at night. He walked all night. We're back home. On the third day, by lunchtime, the snow stopped falling. The sun came out and the snow has almost completely melted. I got on the bus and together with Anchar got to the village of Tilichiki. Friends drove by car to a wide ravine. We walked to our place. We made a new skradok. I took into account all the mistakes I made the day before. Good overview... In the evening, the last shots of persistent hunters on the last ducks flying off to the south died down. It became quiet. Dusk fell quickly, but you can still see something. Suddenly a magpie chirped, flying from branch to branch. A magpie does not speak in the dark until you scare her away.

Anchar began to twist his head, got up and began to sniff the air. Suddenly a branch crackled. Prepared. I saw a very large bear emerging from the bushes. After walking a little, he stood on his hind legs, looked around, sniffed the air and, not suspecting anything dangerous, boldly went to the buried bear. I came to a very convenient position for a shot - a hillock, a dry place, about forty meters. He took aim at the left shoulder blade, as he walked towards me with his left side, pulled the trigger. The shot was very successful.

The bear immediately fell on its front legs, the hind legs became motionless, paralyzed. The beast was breathing heavily. Came close and shot in the vertebra under the back of the head. The bear went limp, but stirred in convulsions, jerked and, like a huge barrel, rolled down a hillock into a very narrow hole, so unsuccessfully that he crushed his front legs under him. All my attempts to turn the bear onto its back for butchering were unsuccessful. And besides, the horse-racing flashlight began to sit down.
Frustrated, at night he went to the village of Tilichiki for “ ambulance"Where my friend Valera was on duty. I told him my misfortune. As is customary in the village, on this occasion he got alcohol, four hundred grams, and we washed this case.
In the morning I called my brother in Korf to come by boat to a wide clearing and help butcher the bear, and explained how to find me.

On an all-terrain vehicle, Valera and I went to the killed animal. With the help of a machine, they pulled him out of the pit, chopped the branches of dwarf cedar, laid him down for cutting.

Valera, seeing the bear, exclaimed with admiration, walking around him: “This is a beast! I've never seen anything like it. Last remaining from ice age... Yes, hefty! And from where he came to us, looking at the winter. "
Valera went home to Tilichiki and began to tell the villagers about a large bear that had been killed near the village.

I laid out the instrument and began to butcher the carcass. Soon my brother came up, and we earned two knives. It takes an hour and a half to cut the fat from the surface of the carcass, remove the internal fat and bile. Here, the bear was so old that from the shoulder hump to the muzzle, the skin had to be separated from the meat by almost a millimeter. It was as if glued with powerful glue. The blades of the knives quickly became dull, and they often had to be sharpened. Everything took us five and a half hours without a smoke break, we were exhausted to death.

The bear had three canines broken down to the gums, the incisor teeth on the lower jaw were worn out along with the gum. The bone of the lower jaw is all in some kind of holes. The left eye saw nothing, swam with a very powerful thorn. I don't know how much he weighed, but he was healthy.

The boiled skull was 40 cm long and 24.5 cm wide along the zygomatic arches. He did not accumulate fat. I only melted one and a half liters of fat from it.

In such a state, the animal, of course, would not lie down in the den, but would have become a connecting rod, since October ended, frosts set in and snow began to fall. In general, the bear was not ready for winter. True, the fur on the skin was good. Smooth, dark brown in color, with a good undercoat.

Nearby was the village dump, which he constantly visited. But you can't save up fat in a landfill. The dump was rarely set on fire at that time, fearing that the sparks carried by the wind could set fire to the tundra, which often happened, and it is oh so hard to extinguish the tundra.

By killing this bear, I saved him from an agonizing hunger, and made people safe.

And the last thing. Advice to bug hunters. Many hunters do not know how to choose the right way, without problems. internal fat, separating it from the intestines, stomach. As a rule, everything is taken out to the shoulders, sorting out the intestines and separating fat from them. There is a very simple and reliable way, which does not require any physical costs and time. After the skin is removed, the carcass is placed on its back and, so that it does not waddle on its side, is placed under the sides of the support. Then, with a knife with a narrow blade, preferably a folding one, with a blade length of 10 cm, the rectum is separated through the anus. With two fingers, they take the rectum and pull it out. If the intestine is well trimmed, it comes out easily clean and does not leave a single gram of fat on it. The intestine must be pulled out until it stretches.

Usually its length, depending on the size of the bear, ranges from 12 to 18 medium steps. Inside, it will remain about a meter, that is, from the stomach to the anus. For the first time, for control, you can cut the bear's belly and watch how the intestine comes out, so as not to tear it off the stomach and not to stain the internal fat with the contents of the intestines. After the intestine is completely pulled out, it is tied tightly with a thread, and if there is no thread, then the intestine itself is tied in a knot, and the excess part is cut off. Internal fat from the intestines is easily collected from the carcass, open access to the kidneys and stomach, from which the fat is separated without any problems.

In this way, the internal fat from the intestines can also be separated in pigs.

In conclusion, I would like to talk about the problem of the relationship between a man and a bear. It did not appear immediately or suddenly, but is associated with the social, economic and financial life of a person in the last 15 years.

IN last years in the north of Kamchatka, they practically stopped guarding spawning rivers, and there is no one to guard them. At one time there was a fish inspection, she somehow kept order. Poaching was strictly suppressed. Then it was abolished, creating the "Rosselkhoznadzor". And they cut everyone down there. One inspector for two districts ...

Poachers began to cut salmon for the sake of caviar. Red caviar salmon breeds fish in the city cost 850-1000 rubles per kilogram in July. Easy profit has undermined salmon stocks. Although this is a renewable aquatic biological resources, when fish are not allowed to spawn, they will not recover. What to do?

Several years ago, the press asked this question to the Koryaksky prosecutor. autonomous region... He, a terry official, replied: “The tax is paid for fish, not for caviar. Pink salmon, chum salmon - 4.5 rubles per kilo, sockeye salmon - 20 rubles per kilo. This is how much the user pays. And caviar, as you can see, is a waste. There is no tax rate for caviar in the Tax Code ”. That's how it is, but the trouble is, caviar has become a profitable part of poachers, and the fish itself has become a waste. It is thrown away, and the caviar is taken away.

As a result of this pressure from the poachers, the rivers became empty. In our Olyutorsky district, salmon did not come to spawn this year, but where does it come from if it has been cut for almost 15-20 years! There are no spawned salmon in the rivers along the banks. The bears became hungry. Nowadays there are no berries or mushrooms, no cones of dwarf cedar have been born. The bears went out to the river in the hope that the salmon would come, but in vain. Hunger forced them to visit the villages, they walk the streets at night, visiting landfills.

In July, a bear disfigured the bodies of two watchmen at a geologists' site at a protected range. Created a brigade to shoot animals. Issued 20 free licenses. When shot, only plant food was found in the stomachs of bears, fish products not. Cranks should be expected in winter. Bears can abandon their cubs, as there is nothing to feed them. The mother herself walks hungry.

It turns out - they did everything to leave the bears without food, and then sentenced them to death. It is necessary to decide something on federal level... Here, on the ground, do not shout, no one wants to listen. It's easier to put a bullet in the bear and all problems are solved.

So you can knock out all the animals. The bear has nothing to do with it, for all this, the person who is popularly called - brakusha (poacher), and it is necessary to fight with him mercilessly.

In conclusion, let me remind you of one curious historical fact- the invasion of crank bears in Kamchatka in the 18th century, and I will cite an excerpt from the book of a modern researcher.

“... According to the explorer of Kamchatka A. Sgibnev, in 1769 there was a terrible fish-bait in Kamchatka. “... It is difficult to describe all the disasters suffered by the Kamchadals ... Leather bags, belts, riding (sled) dogs, carrion and, finally, the corpses of relatives who died of hunger were used for food ... As a result, the Russian government in Kamchatka lost 70% yasak (that is, payers of the fur tax) ... ". During 1816, 1817, 1818 and 1820, there was such a lack of fish catch that if it were not for the energetic orders of PI Rikord (the head of Kamchatka), then the matter would not have been without a high mortality rate between Kamchadals. At that time, whole herds of bears appeared on the peninsula, which, in need of food, wandered around the villages, ate cattle, dogs, a meager supply of fish, rushed at people and even ate each other ... and the inhabitants of the peninsula were afraid to leave their homes unarmed. From the fall of 1816 to the spring of 1817, up to 5000 bears were killed by the natives (Kamchadals) ... The bears seized 80 heads of cattle, 3 people, 9 people were severely bitten ... "(II Ogryzko. Essays on the history of the rapprochement of the indigenous and the Russian population of Kamchatka (late 17th - early 20th centuries). - L., 1973).

Science knows these natural disasters due to the lack of salmon in the spawning rivers of Kamchatka and the Far East at that distant time. And she explains their unfavorable solar activity.