Alaska Bear Hunting - Recommendations Please
 

I am gathering information on bear hunting in Alaska (brown or grizzly). Any first hand knowledge would be greatly appreciated - guides/outfitters/areas/general thoughts? I am starting out broad and hope to narrow things down by this fall, for a hunt in 2003. Cost is not the primary issue, I am viewing this as a once in a long time trip.

Thanks very much.

RE: Alaska Bear Hunting - Recommendations Please
 

man I know I need sleep, I am seeing double <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>!

RE: Alaska Bear Hunting - Recommendations Please
 

WHICH DO YOU WANT BROWN OR GRIZZLY? RIFLE OR BOW? BEST AREAS FOR BIG BEARS ARE ON A DRAWING PERMIT SYSTEM SO YOU HAVE TO GET THE PERMIT. KODIAK HAS SEPARATE PERMITS FOR NON-RES. YOUR CHANCE OF DRAWING IS HIGHER THAN IT IS FOR A RES. TO DRAW.
CARL BRENT , LIVES IN WASILLA, GUIDES ON KODIAK. KEN POWERS , LIVES IN ANCHORAGE I THINK, GUIDES ON THE ALASAKA PENINSULA. THEY BOTH HAVE GOOD AREAS AND WOULD GIVE YOU A GOOD HUNT. THEY HAVE GOOD SUCCESS %. DAVE NEEL, LIVES IN WASILLA, ON THE HAUL ROAD GUIDES IN UNIT 26, OUT OF HAPPY VALLEY ON THE NORTH SLOPE FOR TUNDRA GRIZ, THEY DON'T GET ANY PRETTIER THAN TUNDRA GRIZ.
A.B.C. ISLANDS IN S.E. HAVE THE HIGHEST DENSITY OF BROWN BEARS ADMIRALTIY HAS NEARLY ONE BEAR PER SQUARE MILE. THEY GET BIG BUT SKULLS DON'T SEEM TO GET NEARLY AS BIG, S.E BOWMAN MAY BE ABLE TO TELL YOU GOOD GUIDES DOWN THERE IN S.E.
RECORD BOOK SIZE IS WHAT YOU WANT, PUT IN FOR KODIAK, UNIMAK ISLAND OR AK PENINSULA. UNIT 13 (DENALI HWY.) HAS ALOT OF BEARS...THEY ARE CONSIDERED BROWN BEARS BUT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED GRIZ, PRETTY BEARS BUT NOT HUGE. I DON'T KNOW A GUIDE IN THAT AREA. WEST COAST OF AK HAS ALOT OF BEARS.TERRIBLE WEATHER AND DIFFICULT ACCESS. SOME AREAS IN THE FALL YOU COULD HAVE A PRETTY GOOD MULTI SPECIES HUNT. I'VE NEVER HUNTED WITH ANY OF THE GUIDES I MENTIONED BUT I KNOW ALL OF THESE GUYS. I HAVE NO BUSINESS CONNECTION WITH ANY OF THEM, AND NOTHING TO GAIN BY RECOMMENDING ANY OF THEM. I MAY BE GOING WITH A FRIEND THAT IS TO HUNT WITH CARL BRENT THIS SPRING TO FILM THE HUNT.

RE: Alaska Bear Hunting - Recommendations Please
 

AK Nimrod, Marshman, I don't know much about this subject, but you mentioned unit 13 for bear but didn't know a guide. The fella that made the videos &quot;love thunder and bull&quot; series guides for brown/grizz in 13. I can't remember his last name exactly, but will find it and post it for you.

Beej

RE: Alaska Bear Hunting - Recommendations Please
 

here is the guy for unit 13.


http://www.alaskaremote.com/

RE: Alaska Bear Hunting - Recommendations Please
 

great site beej but he isnt in unit 13 according to his web page.... <BLOCKQUOTE id=quote<font size=1 face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>We hunt Game Management Unit 16B (Northern Cook Inlet,) <hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' size=2 id=quote>

RE: Alaska Bear Hunting - Recommendations Please
 

oops. I must have him mixed up with another site I saw. sorry about that. It's the effort that counts, right?<img src=icon_smile_blackeye.gif border=0 align=middle>

RE: Alaska Bear Hunting - Recommendations Please
 

lol..no worries, heck he could hunt in 13 also, just doesnt say that on his site so I could be wrong also <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>! I did however reference the 16b. Great stuff though thanks for posting for all of us!

RE: Alaska Bear Hunting - Recommendations Please
 

yeah, yeah, that's the ticket. He hunts in 13, but doesn't tell anyone., yeahhhh.
hah. what can I say, I overlooked the obvious and screwed up. thanks for not burning me at the stake!!!<img src=icon_smile_tongue.gif border=0 align=middle>
beej

RE: Alaska Bear Hunting - Recommendations Please
 

Thanks AK Nimrod and lilhunter for the info. I am checking out your recommendations - I really appreciate your time.

AK Nimrod - Rifle hunt, have not decided on Grizz vs. Brown - combo hunt is a consideration - what are your thoughts on this? How about Spring vs. Fall hunts?

Thanks again.

Marshman

RE: Alaska Bear Hunting - Recommendations Please
 

hey Marsh, dont pass up Beej's recommendation...Wayne has made a name for himself and I would definatly check him out!

RE: Alaska Bear Hunting - Recommendations Please
 

MARSHMAN- KODIAK AND THE A.B.C. ISLANDS IN SOUTHEAST YOU COULD HUNT DEER. YOU CAN'T BAIT FOR BROWN OR GRIZZLY BUT IT IS LEGAL TO HUNT OVER A GUT PILE.....IF YOU DON'T MOVE IT FROM THE KILL SITE. ON THE AK PENINSULA YOU COULD GO FOR CARIBOU OR MOOSE. UNIT 26 UP NORTH CARIBOU AND MAYBE EVEN SHEEP. WOLF IS ALSO ANOTHER TAG YOU MAY WANT TO PICK UP. FALL HUNTS YOU ALSO CAN STILL HAVE SALMON IN THE STREAMS AND THIS HELPS CONCENTRATE BEARS IN SMALL AREAS. ONE TIME ON KODIAK IN THE FALL A FRIEND SAW 7 BROWN BEARS IN TWO HRS. TWO WERE 9 FT + BEARS. THERE WAS A STREAM WITH SILVERS IN IT VERY CLOSE TO WERE THEY WERE. IF YOU HUNT THE COASTAL BEARS I WOULD USE A .375 , A .338 WOULD ALSO BE A GOOD CHOICE. THERE ARE PLENTY OF OTHER CALIBERS THAT WILL DO THE JOB AND HAVE STOPPED THEM QUICKLY. AND SOMETIMES THE BIG CAL. DON'T DO IT FAST, BUT I LIKE THE BIGGER CAL. I HAVE A .375 AND USE THAT FOR BACK UP WHEN BROWN BEAR HUNTING( OR MY SHOTGUN), I PRIMARILY BOWHUNT. SO THINGS CAN GET UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL.

RE: Alaska Bear Hunting - Recommendations Please
 

Just a follow up to what Nimrod said. The A.B.C. Islands definitly have the bears, but if you are looking for the bigger sculls you need to go for the Ak Peninsula or Kodiak. I agree with the fall, as this gives a better chance for a combo hunt and the concentration of bears needed to be picky. The bears in SE are beautifull, but not as large as the others. My taxidermist said that his average brown bear for the last 3 years was about 7 1/2 feet, all of these came off of the ABC Islands, or SE mainland.

RE: Alaska Bear Hunting - Recommendations Please
 

cool Se, I nabbed a 8'8&quot;er in the spring of 2000 on Baranof. Saw a bigger one, thought it was a sow and waisted to much time looking instead of stalking for a better look. By the time my stalk started it was over. We hit the beach and never saw that bear again and man o man was it thick as snot in the woods LOL!