Alaska hunt...

[Sourdough]

Okay so here is my closest Brown Bear story.

We were fishing for monster Rainbow Trout in the Bristol Bay Area. The Beaver landed to pick us up. We took our gear to the Beaver, which included my 454 Casull with its chest holster. Waiting for the others to load we decided to get in one last pee. Walked down the beach out of sight of the others. Faced the woods (where the threat would come- or so I thought). We are both doing our thing when to our right about 20 feet away a Brown Bear walked from the beach behind us and into the woods.

Where did it come from? How had I net seen it?

I turned around and looked behind me at the sand. Right on top of my foot prints, less than 10 feet behind me, were the bears foot prints. I was so laser focused on the woods in front of me that I never saw this bear come down the beach, walk right behind me, and the turn into the woods.

Neither did I hear it, nor smell it. It obviously didn't care about us one way or the other. Just a bit nerve wracking.

 

[John Havard]

Perhaps I am missing some context here but, in my opinion, this is absolutely untrue.

Actually, it is true. Do the research. If a black bear is stalking you, or being aggressive towards you, kill it. They will be happy to do the same for you, and eat you for a snack.
There is a reason for the 50 foot rule here. An aggressive bear, any bear, 50 feet or closer can be killed as defense of life or property.

 

[F. Vaccaro]

Actually, it is true. Do the research. If a black bear is stalking you, or being aggressive towards you, kill it. They will be happy to do the same for you, and eat you for a snack.
There is a reason for the 50 foot rule here. An aggressive bear, any bear, 50 feet or closer can be killed as defense of life or property.

Boy, I like that rule, but 50’ can be covered by a bear quicker than you can think it.
I used to shoot NRA Pistol Bullseye indoors at 50’, it’s not that far away.

 

[WAB]

IMHO Alaska is a tough mistress that wants to kill you. I suspect more people have flipped boats and canoes, been killed by space heaters and fires, or suffered heart attacks than have been mauled. I'd pick proper preparation and practice over cartridge. Having said that, we all carry 375s and I carry a 475 Linebaugh. I've had to use them, and not found them lacking.

Folks outside don’t understand. I moved from Wyoming to Alaska in 2003. In Wyoming we would just jump in the truck and go deer hunting for a day. That is just not a thing in Alaska. Every serious hunt is an expedition. If you want a decent hunt you have to go by air, water or a serious pack in. Every hunt is an expedition that can become life and death if it goes pear shaped. I’ve been over quite a bit of Africa and I haven’t seen anything remotely close to the remote wilderness of Alaska.

 

[freefall]

You're right that folks Outside don't get it. A hunt here is an expedition, but hopefully NOT an adventure!

 

[akrifleman]

Folks outside don’t understand. I moved from Wyoming to Alaska in 2003. In Wyoming we would just jump in the truck and go deer hunting for a day. That is just not a thing in Alaska. Every serious hunt is an expedition. If you want a decent hunt you have to go by air, water or a serious pack in. Every hunt is an expedition that can become life and death if it goes pear shaped. I’ve been over quite a bit of Africa and I haven’t seen anything remotely close to the remote wilderness of Alaska.

I think what shocks people the most (out here) is how quickly a situation can go south. I grew up on a farm in SD, and hunting was seeing something and pulling a rifle out of the pickup or combine. No fuss, no muss. In the lower 48, you just go back to camp or the truck and drive to town. Out here, little things can quickly become serious emergencies, and at breathtaking speed. Inreach won't help if nobody can fly that day, or can't find you. Your hunt buddy has your life in his hands, and for something as stupid as twisting an ankle, pulling a groin, getting cut, getting nearly drown crossing a innocent looking creek, breaking off a prop, etc.... Some guys go out without a piece of string in their pockets. Those guys you hear about later in the news...

 

[WAB]

I think what shocks people the most (out here) is how quickly a situation can go south. I grew up on a farm in SD, and hunting was seeing something and pulling a rifle out of the pickup or combine. No fuss, no muss. In the lower 48, you just go back to camp or the truck and drive to town. Out here, little things can quickly become serious emergencies, and at breathtaking speed. Inreach won't help if nobody can fly that day, or can't find you. Your hunt buddy has your life in his hands, and for something as stupid as twisting an ankle, pulling a groin, getting cut, getting nearly drown crossing a innocent looking creek, breaking off a prop, etc.... Some guys go out without a piece of string in their pockets. Those guys you hear about later in the news...

We were running in from Hinchinbrook in a light chop and lost power to a minor electrical problem. The kicker wouldn’t fire so we bobbed like a cork until we completed the repair. That light chop turned nasty with no power. We were taking on about as much water as the scuppers could handle by the time the repair was complete. The zodiac was ready to go but it would have been life and death in it in that chop. One minor failure verged on disaster. Just another day in Alaska.

 

[akrifleman]

We were running in from Hinchinbrook in a light chop and lost power to a minor electrical problem. The kicker wouldn’t fire so we bobbed like a cork until we completed the repair. That light chop turned nasty with no power. We were taking on about as much water as the scuppers could handle by the time the repair was complete. The zodiac was ready to go but it would have been life and death in it in that chop. One minor failure verged on disaster. Just another day in Alaska.

Yeah, I had inland hunting in my mind, but PWS is its own kind of devious. Every time I go out of Seward on that morning glass doing 33kts, I'm wondering if she is going to get angry and have six or seven boats on line behind the biggest guy (usually a 37 or 34) desperately trying to breaking chop on the way back in that afternoon trying to make 4-5kts. I'm pure chicken out there. I smell weather and I'm gone. But sometimes you can't beat the WX report and confused seas. Nothing like a late season trip to Montague or Kodiak. I don't know how those guys out West stay afloat in the Bering. Even the pros loose a boat every few years. I've lost track of how many boats have been stranded for stuff like your talking about. Back when I was foolish, I didn't have the motor manual with me, and my Optimax derated a bay or two past Day. My kicker barely got me around the Wash Machine near Barwell, limped to Fox, and slipped into the bay. Just a stupid reset that if I'd known about, and I'd have been fine. Wasn't even a terrible day... call it a 5-7 day with no advisory.

Bring tools, manuals, and a strong sense of reality.

And yet, like you say. Just another day in Alaska.

 

[Ryan]

Yeah, I had inland hunting in my mind, but PWS is its own kind of devious. Every time I go out of Seward on that morning glass doing 33kts, I'm wondering if she is going to get angry and have six or seven boats on line behind the biggest guy (usually a 37 or 34) desperately trying to breaking chop on the way back in that afternoon trying to make 4-5kts. I'm pure chicken out there. I smell weather and I'm gone. But sometimes you can't beat the WX report and confused seas. Nothing like a late season trip to Montague or Kodiak. I don't know how those guys out West stay afloat in the Bering. Even the pros loose a boat every few years. I've lost track of how many boats have been stranded for stuff like your talking about. Back when I was foolish, I didn't have the motor manual with me, and my Optimax derated a bay or two past Day. My kicker barely got me around the Wash Machine near Barwell, limped to Fox, and slipped into the bay. Just a stupid reset that if I'd known about, and I'd have been fine. Wasn't even a terrible day... call it a 5-7 day with no advisory.

Bring tools, manuals, and a strong sense of reality.

And yet, like you say. Just another day in Alaska.

Honestly, I worry more flying out on a hunt than my time on the Bering on fishing boats working for NOAA. Over 1000 sea days in five years, I've been in some interesting weather. But when you hop into a Super Cub for a fly out you quickly realize that for all intents and purposes you're flying in plastic covered bird cage At 50-60 MPH. And you're flying over a huge chunk of the map so if things go south you'll be lucky if they find pieces to pick up.

And I'm already thinking of my next fly out in a couple years. Ha ha.

 

[akrifleman]

Honestly, I worry more flying out on a hunt than my time on the Bering on fishing boats working for NOAA. Over 1000 sea days in five years, I've been in some interesting weather. But when you hop into a Super Cub for a fly out you quickly realize that for all intents and purposes you're flying in plastic covered bird cage At 50-60 MPH. And you're flying over a huge chunk of the map so if things go south you'll be lucky if they find pieces to pick up.

And I'm already thinking of my next fly out in a couple years. Ha ha.

No shortage of ways this country can eat you. I suppose I'm more comfortable in the air, but I don't underestimate the ability for things to happen anywhere here. Even in the safe confines of the valley, a bear walks into Walmart, earthquakes screw up your house, water, and sewer, or an avalanche eats your car or snow machine. We all get a little blase about the familiar. Every once in a while I have to remind myself nature is boss, and we live in a beautiful wild postcard.

But, I fear this hijacked the thread. Point is, preparation is far far more important than caliber up here.

 

[WAB]

Yeah, I had inland hunting in my mind, but PWS is its own kind of devious. Every time I go out of Seward on that morning glass doing 33kts, I'm wondering if she is going to get angry and have six or seven boats on line behind the biggest guy (usually a 37 or 34) desperately trying to breaking chop on the way back in that afternoon trying to make 4-5kts. I'm pure chicken out there. I smell weather and I'm gone. But sometimes you can't beat the WX report and confused seas. Nothing like a late season trip to Montague or Kodiak. I don't know how those guys out West stay afloat in the Bering. Even the pros loose a boat every few years. I've lost track of how many boats have been stranded for stuff like your talking about. Back when I was foolish, I didn't have the motor manual with me, and my Optimax derated a bay or two past Day. My kicker barely got me around the Wash Machine near Barwell, limped to Fox, and slipped into the bay. Just a stupid reset that if I'd known about, and I'd have been fine. Wasn't even a terrible day... call it a 5-7 day with no advisory.

Bring tools, manuals, and a strong sense of reality.

And yet, like you say. Just another day in Alaska.

I poked my nose out of beartrap one morning (down toward Cordova), it was blowing honest 16’ swells. We went back in, anchored up, and came out that night. Fighting that crap is a good way to die.

 

[double rifle newbie]

Perhaps I am missing some context here but, in my opinion, this is absolutely untrue.

i agree that, while black bears are nothing to take for granted, they arent in the same category as brownies or griz as far as a dangerous game animal. browns and griz can take bullets like vitamins when their adrenaline is up. wounded brownies and griz will try to find what hurt them, and will wait in ambush. blackies “pile over” much easier. just my humble opinion.

 

[R eight]

Hello people! My question is what rifle and caliber do those who hunt in Alaska use or prefer to use? It's a doubt I have... Thank you

I booked my first Alaskan hunt almost 2 years before I hunted. Straight after booking, for some illogical reason, I decided I needed a new rifle for the hunt. After much procrastination and research I choose a Blaser R8 Professional. Probably the best decision I’ve ever made.
As to cartridge….well I went for the ever faithfully 30/06 with 180 grain partitions. A pretty good all rounder for the animals I had tags for; moose, sheep, bg caribou, brown bear and wolf.
My last hunt was for costal brown bear. A spring hunt. I took the same rifle, but with the 9.3 x 62 barrel. Shot my bear at around 60 yards.
The 30/06 is never a bad choice….but if you’re only hunting brown bear…then either the 9.3x62 or the 375H&H would be hard to beat.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Folks outside don’t understand. I moved from Wyoming to Alaska in 2003. In Wyoming we would just jump in the truck and go deer hunting for a day. That is just not a thing in Alaska. Every serious hunt is an expedition. If you want a decent hunt you have to go by air, water or a serious pack in. Every hunt is an expedition that can become life and death if it goes pear shaped. I’ve been over quite a bit of Africa and I haven’t seen anything remotely close to the remote wilderness of Alaska.

Remoteness is the attraction to Alaska, and I'd put Yukon into the same category. I hunted BC last year and it wasn't truly remote, as we were driving logging roads and occasionally bumping into other hunters doing the same. I've hunted brown bear way down the Alaskan peninsula and Dall sheep in Yukon and they are my most memorable hunts. Both were truly remote, fly in camps. In a few weeks, I am heading back to Alaska, this time for moose. Will fly in via bush plane and then ride horses to camp. It's a 10 day hunt and hopefully will be another epic adventure, assuming I live to tell about it.

 

[WAB]

Have a great trip! If you ever get a chance, drive up to Alaska. It’s an amazing drive. I’ve done it at least a dozen times hauling boats in and out and such. You’ll find that Northern BC is very much like the Yukon and Alaska. Absolutely incredible.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Have a great trip! If you ever get a chance, drive up to Alaska. It’s an amazing drive. I’ve done it at least a dozen times hauling boats in and out and such. You’ll find that Northern BC is very much like the Yukon and Alaska. Absolutely incredible.

I Googled the mileage Louisiana to Fairbanks, Alaska...........4000 miles, one way. I think I'll pass on driving. I then thought, fly to Calgary, rent a car and drive up to Alaska. That's still 2000 miles, one way.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

I lost track of this thread. @WAB is spot on with what he says.

At this time I am packing for a moose trip up river by boat. I will leave Labor Day weekend and stay as much as a couple weeks. A few days after that I fly out to a remote location with my youngest daughter for a caribou tag she drew.

The remoteness is a part of the attraction for me. But... make real sure of your packing list, and be fully prepared for really sucky weather. Don't take any of it for granted. It is stunning how fast it can turn deadly.

 

[WAB]

I Googled the mileage Louisiana to Fairbanks, Alaska...........4000 miles, one way. I think I'll pass on driving. I then thought, fly to Calgary, rent a car and drive up to Alaska. That's still 2000 miles, one way.

Yep, I towed one of my boats down from Kenai to Bama. 4,200 miles. The highway was blocked by an avalanche South of Muncho lake. Luckily I had snowshoes in the boat so I checked into Northern Rockies lodges and went snowshoeing for a day while they cleaned it up.

I know it sounds like a long drive, but you would see some of the most stunning country on earth.

 

[akrifleman]

My son completed his service at Camp Pendleton, and we drove back (from San Diego airport) three weeks ago. Perhaps I've gotten blasé, but I stopped enjoying the scenery several trips back. Now I just worry about what can go wrong, and try to click off miles. Got held up by bison for a while because of fresh rain. They were licking up all the water and salts off the highway, and wouldn't get off the road. Not sure when I went from "Oh look, bison!" to "Come on, get off the road you massive walking carpets", but I'm a little Alaska Highway'd out. Gets old trying to get home, and having some RV parked in the middle of the highway with all the doors open, because somebody spotted a moose. Every other pull off somebody trying to buy gas or a tire off you, because they didn't bring spares, or didn't replace it the *first* opportunity to do so in the next appreciable town. Somebody needing tools they didn't bring to replace a trailer bearing, etc... And in the Yukon, karma being what it is... you don't help somebody and one day nobody will help you.

 

[Scott CWO]

i agree that, while black bears are nothing to take for granted, they arent in the same category as brownies or griz as far as a dangerous game animal. browns and griz can take bullets like vitamins when their adrenaline is up. wounded brownies and griz will try to find what hurt them, and will wait in ambush. blackies “pile over” much easier. just my humble opinion.

We are talking about behavior, not how tough they are to kill.

As a brown bear and black bear guide, I completely agree with @Sourdough that if a black bear decides to attack, it is going to try to kill you and eat you. Once they start, they usually don’t stop. It’s rare but if a black bear comes for you, hopefully you have a firearm because bear spray will be a joke.

Alternatively, most grizzly/brown brown bear attacks are a warning and they are trying to reduce a threat, not eat you. There are some rare exceptions, especially with inland grizzlies as they are known to always be hungry.

Of course, a brown bear or grizzly is extremely dangerous if wounded but that’s a different situation than general behavior.