Taxonomy:  While there has been much confusion about the taxonomy of brown bears (Ursus arctos), taxonomists agree there are at least two subspecies in North America -- the grizzly bear (U. a. horribilis) and the Kodiak bear (U. a. middendorffi).  There is confusion about whether to consider others, like U. a. gyas and  U. a. macfarlani, as separate subspecies. 

We don't know.  The mount came to us with no information about its place of origin.  It is probably a Kodiak or coastal brown bear from its large size and non-grizzled fur.  That would make the fish in its mouth appropriate because fish are an important food contributing to the large size of both of those subspecies.   

No, not any more, although grizzly bears may have lived within 50 miles of Ely 5,000 to 8,000 years ago.  At that time, much of Minnesota was prairie.  Grizzly bear skulls have been found as far east as Ontario and Labrador.   

In the last 5,000 years, forest reclaimed much of the Minnesota prairie and pushed grizzly bears to the western edge of Minnesota.  In the 1800's, grizzlies lived from western Minnesota to California and from central Mexico north through Canada and Alaska.  They also may have persisted into the 1800's east of Hudson Bay because a grizzly bear skull dating from the late 1700's was found in an Eskimo midden in Labrador. 

Kodiak bears are among the largest of all living bears, being comparable in size to polar bears.  Sixteen of the twenty largest brown bears killed by hunters have come from the Kodiak Archipelago.  A large male can stand over 10 feet tall on his hind legs, and 5 feet on all four legs.