Polar bears. No, I don't hunt them. As noted, only Alaskan Natives are allowed to hunt them in Alaska, it's illegal for everyone else. It's kind of like the Indian Reservation thing - they get to play by different rules. I can only kill one in absolute self defense, and if I did, I may still end up in trouble. If you follow this thread:
Polar Bear Day in Barrow , you can see a polar bear that was recently killed where I am now (in Barrow Alaska), that's the one they shot with the .338 and .375 simultaneously I mentioned. Just a cub really, but once it had a taste for our dumpster, it would not leave. My avatar is a real polar bear sticking it's head in one of our station's windors, undoctored.
How big? I am not sure. Average 800-950lbs, but in 1960 one was taken at over 2200 lbs. A female weighing 400-600lbs (typical) is about 8' tall, so what, perhaps 12'-13' max (record)? Even Grizzly have gotten over 1600 lbs (record)
How far to shoot? As far away as possible for me. Luckily, there are no trees up here to hide behind, and while they may be in or behind a snow blind, and blend in, they are not all pure white, some are a quite dirty yellow.
I am not knowledgable about costs to hunt in Canada or to have it mounted, but I could easily believe over $6,000 - 8,000 (just a wild guess)- this is the largest land carnivore in the world and semi-protected (though there are over 28K total).
I have seen over 35+ polar bear at once, though normally not a social animal, these were coming in off the pac ice and taking turns eating at a bone yard - a place remoted from the village where bones and meat are discarded to keep the bear from entering the village. Most of the time, I only see one momma and may one or two cubs.
The one you see in the thread slept about 50' away from my window which my bed is next to. Even though this is an Air Force station, we (civilians) are allowed to have a weapon centrally located and loaded if there is an emminent threat. I slept next to my privately owned shotgun loaded with slugs - it also has a surefire light forearm, and tritium ghost ring sights as well as a side saddle with extra rounds. I kept one round chambered - not taking any chances.
Shooting one with a .338 or .375 is just extra insurance (well spent!), a .300 would take one down, it's just a really, really big bear (don't bother shooting the skull, I have seen rifle rounds just bounce off and make the bear mad). I like the .375 over the .338 just because it seems to do everything the .338 does, and hurt me less. I like .300's though, shooting them or say a 30-06 all day doesn't bother me (until the next day).
Check out the link, it follows the story from when it started, to the day they shot it, with pics. In it, you can see some newbie idiots just 10 feet away taking pictures out a window of it eating in the dumpster, I am the one 70' farther away taking pictures of the bear and the newbie idiots. I was the only one on station with a firearm, cause I was smart, and as a reward I slept with that only firearm - everyone for themselves!
BTW, the only firearm you need if you and your buddy are confronted by a Polar Bear? A .22 so you can shoot your buddy in the foot and run the other way...
Had to add, hunting Polar bear has got to be the ultimate big game safari on North America. Polar bear fear nothing, anything that moves is potential food, they have NO predators...