BEARS 
B EARS are found throughout the Caucasus, and in some localities 
are quite numerous. They vary considerably in size and colour, 
and probably consist of at least two species. One, a grey bear, 
keeps mostly to the high ground, and frequently has a whitish 
collar; the other, a brown bear, is a good deal the larger in size, 
and is usually found in the forests below. I once saw a very 
large brown one asleep at the foot of a cliff some way above the timber 
line, but as I was expecting to find ibex in the vicinity I refrained from 
firing for fear of disturbing the ground. On this trip I saw seven bears 
that I might have had a shot at had I been so minded. 
It is unlikely that the sportsman will visit the Caucasus solely to shoot 
bears; moreover, during the summer and early autumn, when he is pro- 
bably after ibex and stags, the skins are at their worst and hardly worth 
having. 
As beasts of the chase bears do not offer much of interest; but there 
is a great fascination in watching them through a glass, and a good skin 
or two varies the bag and may be appreciated by friends at home. 
The country is so rough and difficult to get about in that I do not think 
these animals could be located and shot in their winter quarters, as is 
done in some of the flatter parts of Russia. 
The best time to hunt bears in the Caucasus would probably be in the 
spring, when they first wake up from their winter sleep; their coats 
are then in good condition. 
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