just found an old german newspaper article (maybe 1910) about such a bear hunt in russia eleven hours with train from Sankt Petersburg. its said that then was a real bear trading floor in Sankt Petersburg were such sleeping bears were offered. sometimes a bear was booked from hunters in central europe and such a small world it was than you could reach the area in some days.
the bear here was waking up and drive against the hunting party. they hire 110 locals for 70 rubel a day as beater what was a lot of money than