Brown Bear Hunting · Argeș County · Southern Carpathians
Hunt Romania's Biggest Brown Bears
Eight days in the Southern Carpathians with a master guide, a strict government quota, and an 87% success rate. Gold-medal CIC trophies. Everything handled before you land.
Ministry-Licensed
CAEN 0170 operator
4 Gold Medals
Last 5 seasons
87% Success Rate
5-star client reviews
Argeș County
Southern Carpathians
Why Argeș County
Europe's Last Truly Wild Bear Population — With a Quota You Actually Get
Romania holds the largest free-range brown bear population in Europe — an estimated 8,000 animals across the Carpathian arc. But not all territory is equal. The Southern Carpathians rising through Argeș County are where the bears grow heaviest and the forest is oldest. Body weights above 300 kilograms are documented here. CIC scores above 65 — gold-medal territory — are taken most seasons.
Access is controlled. The Romanian Ministry of Environment issues a fixed annual quota per district. Carpathian Safari holds licensed district agreements covering prime Argeș County ground. When the quota fills, it fills. We advise booking six to twelve months in advance.
If you want free-range bear at genuine trophy weight, under proper legal frameworks, with a guide who has tracked this specific territory for thirty years — this is the expedition.
What We Guarantee
Three Promises. No Caveats.
87%
Harvest Rate
Across all completed expeditions. Unsuccessful hunters receive priority rebooking and a 15% discount on a return expedition within two years.
60–66
CIC Average
CIC combines hide and skull measurements plus beauty points, set by a joint evaluation commission. Gold-medal animals above 65 CIC are taken in four of our last five seasons. The district record stands at 72.4 CIC.
Zero
Paperwork on Your End
Romanian firearm import authorization, Ministry quota tag, CITES export certificate — all in your hands before you board the plane.
Client Results
What Hunters Bring Back
87%
Success rate
60–66
CIC average
4 / 5
Gold medal seasons
72.4
District record CIC
“A 27.4 CIC skull and a guide I will never forget”
Day five, just before last light, on a south-facing slope at 1,200 meters. The bear came from uphill. The guide had read the wind perfectly. I've hunted brown bear in three countries — this was the best-organized, most professional operation I have ever seen.
Marcus T. · Austria
“Every detail handled before I landed”
Firearm import authorization, quota documentation, CITES paperwork — all in my hands before I boarded the flight. The manor lodge is genuinely beautiful. The bear was extraordinary. I would return without hesitation.
David C. · United Kingdom
Understanding the Trophy
How a Brown Bear's CIC Score Is Determined
The final CIC score is set by a joint evaluation commission, not by the outfitter. The methodology combines several measurements taken from both the hide and the skull — so a true trophy is judged on the whole animal, not a single number.
Hide Measurements
The blanket size is calculated by multiplying the length of the hide — from the tip of the nose to the root of the tail — by its width across the front paws, giving an area in square meters. That figure translates directly into points. Additional beauty points are then added for coat quality and condition.
Skull Measurements
The skull is measured for its maximum length — from the back of the skull to the front teeth — and its maximum width across the zygomatic arches. The dry weight of the cleaned skull is also factored into the total, with deductions applied if the skull is damaged or incomplete.
Length × width of the hide, plus skull length, width and dry weight, plus beauty points — combined and ratified by an independent commission — produce the final CIC total used for medal classification.
8 Days · All-Inclusive
From €9,200 per Hunter
See tier schedule on the expedition page.
Included
- Hunting license and Ministry of Environment quota tag
- Romanian temporary firearm import authorization (arranged pre-arrival)
- Master guide assigned one-to-one, all eight days
- Full-board accommodation at mountain manor lodge (7 nights)
- Daily transfers — lodge to hunting grounds, all terrain
- Field dressing, skinning and field trophy preparation
- CITES export documentation for the trophy skull
- Airport transfer from Bucharest, Sibiu or Pitești
- Welcome and farewell dinners with regional wine selection
Not Included
- International flights
- Trophy fee (see tier schedule below)
- Rifle rental (optional add-on, €450)
- Trophy taxidermy and international shipment (quoted separately)
- Personal travel insurance (required)
- Gratuities for guide and lodge staff
The Ground
Argeș County · Southern Carpathians
The Argeș basin is where the Southern Carpathians reach their full height — ridgelines cresting above 2,500 meters, with dense beech and fir forest from 800 to 1,600 meters providing the cover and food that sustain Romania's highest-density bear population. Hunting ground sits between the Argeș and Dâmbovița river valleys, 120 kilometers south of Brașov and 100 kilometers north of Pitești.
Brown bear (Ursus arctos) hunting in Romania is governed by Law 407/2006 and annual quotas issued by the Ministry of Environment. As a CITES Appendix II species in Romania, each harvest requires a named quota ticket and CITES export documentation for skulls and hides. Carpathian Safari holds licensed hunting-ground agreements in Argeș County and manages the complete permit chain before your arrival.
Spring season runs from 15 March to 15 May, when bears emerge from hibernation with excellent coat and peak feeding activity at forest clearings. Autumn season runs 1 September to 30 November, targeting bears in full pre-denning condition with prime winter coat. Both windows consistently produce gold-medal trophies from this district.
Process
Three Steps to Your Expedition
01
Reserve Your Quota Slot
Select your season window and submit your booking. We allocate a quota slot from our licensed district agreement and confirm your dates. A 30% deposit secures the slot.
02
We Handle All Paperwork
Firearm import authorization, Ministry quota tag, hunting license, CITES pre-authorization — all delivered to you before your departure date. Nothing to arrange at the border.
03
Arrive and Hunt
Private transfer from Bucharest, Sibiu or Pitești to the Argeș Mountain Manor. Your master guide meets you at the lodge. Hunting begins the next morning before dawn.
Common Questions
Everything You Need to Know
What CIC score can I realistically expect?
Spring and autumn bears from Argeș County average 60 to 66 CIC on the skull measurement scale (length + width in cm, per CIC methodology). Gold-medal bears above 65 CIC are taken in four of our last five seasons. The largest skull from this territory reached 72.4 CIC.
What caliber and rifle do I need?
Minimum recommended is .300 Winchester Magnum with premium controlled-expansion ammunition. We also accept .308, .30-06, .338 Lapua, and .375 H&H. We supply Blaser R8 and Sauer 404 rental rifles in .300 Win Mag at €450 for the expedition duration.
When exactly is the season open in Argeș County?
Spring season: 15 March to 15 May. Autumn season: 1 September to 30 November. Exact quota dates are confirmed each year by the Romanian Ministry of Environment. We advise booking 6–12 months in advance, as Argeș County quota slots fill early.
How does the permit and quota system work?
Bear hunting in Romania operates under a strict annual quota issued by the Ministry of Environment. Each hunt is conducted on a named individual quota ticket. Carpathian Safari holds licensed district agreements covering Argeș County. We handle the full permit chain — from quota allocation through CITES export certificate — before your arrival.
How demanding is this expedition physically?
Moderate to challenging. You should be able to walk 6–10 km per day on broken mountain terrain with elevation changes of 300–500 meters. The pace is adapted to your fitness, and hochsitz (static) hunting days alternate with stalking days. No technical mountaineering is involved.
What happens if I do not harvest a bear?
The trophy fee is selected on booking along with the expedition fee. The expedition fee and lodge costs are non-refundable. Unsuccessful hunters receive priority rebooking and a 15% discount on a return expedition within two years.
Spring & Autumn Seasons Open
Argeș County Quota Slots Fill Early
We issue a limited number of quota slots per season. If you are serious about a brown bear trophy from Romania's Southern Carpathians, the right time to book is now.
· Priority rebooking for returning hunters
From
€9,200