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Author Topic: Polar bear shot dead in iceland  (Read 1464 times)

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Offline H666

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Polar bear shot dead in iceland
« on: June 09, 2008, 03:43:43 AM »
On the third of June, a group of hunters took down a polar bear just outside of Sauđárkrókur town, in north Iceland.  The bear was believed to have swam from the ice line some 150 km north of the island. 
The bear was a young one, "only" 250 kg and probably no more than 3-4 years old.  It stood over a meter to it's shoulder and over two on his hind legs.

After carefull consideration between local police, ministry of environment and scholars of nature, two hunters shot the bear in a range of 100 yards.

First shot was fired from a 30-06 to the chest and second shot was a 6,5x284 to the neck.  Videos can be seen on youtube.

Polar bears aren't common in Iceland and this one was getting hungry.  Sedatives were unavailable in the country an the gun to fire such rounds was being repaired.  No cage or net to fly the bear off shore to Greenland or Svalbard was ready so this was believed to be the right course of action. 

Civilians were called to shoot the bear because police isn't armed on day to day basis.

Google "polar bear in iceland" or youtube it.

H666, graybeard's unofficial correspondant in Iceland...........
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Offline Chilachuck

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Re: Polar bear shot dead in iceland
« Reply #1 on: June 09, 2008, 04:04:17 AM »
Only two had been known on the island back when I was stationed there. This makes three?

What is hunted on Iceland with a 30-06?
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Offline Redhawk1

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Re: Polar bear shot dead in iceland
« Reply #2 on: June 09, 2008, 07:37:57 AM »
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Offline H666

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Re: Polar bear shot dead in iceland
« Reply #3 on: June 11, 2008, 01:27:23 PM »
There have been about 600 since before 1000 a.d.

I really don't know what he'd use a 30-06 for.  Reindeer maybe.  Or just waiting on a polar bear.........
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Offline Chilachuck

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Re: Polar bear shot dead in iceland
« Reply #4 on: June 11, 2008, 06:28:01 PM »
Wow. "600"?

Maybe the local I heard talking about polar bear only meant "recent".

I was only down near the NATO base, and there wasn't anything around for bears to survive on, except sheep, horses, and humans. Even the sea was empty of seals.

That was some really rough country, just as well there weren't any squirrels, ground hogs, etc for bears to eat or you'd have a heck of a time getting rid of sheep killers.
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Offline H666

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Re: Polar bear shot dead in iceland
« Reply #5 on: June 18, 2008, 05:53:20 AM »
Same guys shot another one, about 50 km. north of the previous location.  There was a specialist in moving large animals from Copenhagen Zoo involved, but the animal wound up shot nevertheless.  The bear was walking 250 meters from a farm most of the time and that farmers daughter was the first one to see it.  she mistook it for a large bag and ran to get it.

She was quite lucky the bear was hurt after the swim fro the ice shelf and probably already dying, so it didn't go after her.
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Offline 454Puma

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Re: Polar bear shot dead in iceland
« Reply #6 on: May 15, 2009, 09:55:18 AM »
That was a pretty long poke on that bear!  ??? I guess they couldn't get any closer. Big Bear not huge but a good sized Polar bear!  ;D I be curious what load he was using in that '06.
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Offline H666

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Re: Polar bear shot dead in iceland
« Reply #7 on: May 17, 2009, 09:46:41 AM »
I'll ask around.  The 30-06 was a shoulder shot and was followed by a 6,5-243 in the neck and into the back of the head.


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Offline Sourdough

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Re: Polar bear shot dead in iceland
« Reply #8 on: May 20, 2009, 06:02:19 AM »
Through DNA testing the scientist have determined that Polar Bears are decedents of Grizzly Bears.  This family split off and adapted to life in the water, and on the ice.  Therefore if the polar ice cap goes away, the Polar Bear is well suited to adapt again to life on land. 

Last year a Polar Bear was found and shot as far south as Ft Yukon Alaska 350 miles from the Arctic Ocean.  As the Polar Ice Cap melts farther I expect to hear of more Polar Bears moving south. 

One major problem is that in their world they are the top of the food chain.  They fear nothing except bigger Bears.  And anything that moves is considered their next meal.
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Offline handi243

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Re: Polar bear shot dead in iceland
« Reply #9 on: May 20, 2009, 02:47:23 PM »
Should have thaken him to the "white house"
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