http://alaska-native-news.com/...sland-thursday-24371



Kentucky Hunter Mauled by Brown Bear on Admiralty Island Thursday

Alaska Native News Sep 23, 2016.


Troopers are reporting a Brown Bear mauling that took place late in the evening on Thursday on Admiralty Island involving a hunting client.

It was reported to troopers by the United States Coast Guard that they responded to the island at 2 am this morning to transport the injured hunter to Juneau for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

According to the report, a big game guide and his client, both of whom remain un-named, were returning to the beach at approximately 8:30 pm using headlamps when they startled a brown bear, which in turn attacked the client.

The attack was brief, and the bear broke off the attack on the Kentucky hunter and left the area.

After the attack, the guide and client “continued down to the beach and back to the guide vessel,” the trooper dispatch revealed.

The attack was reported to the USCG, and they responded for transport in the early morning hours.

Sure seems like there are a lot more bear attacks in Alaska this year than normal. Seems like every week or two I'm hearing of another bear attack.

I have only hunted Brown Bear Once but the act of hunting them puts you at risk, first of all you generally walk withe the wind in your face or cross wind, you are trying to be quiet, most of the terrain is dense and unless you have a reason to have a bullet in the chamber you are empty. Now those procedures can easily make you walk up on a sleeping bear or a bear that has hunkered down figuring what you are. On several occasions we walked back on our trail in to see fresh scat on our earlier foot prints, kinda makes Bear hunting a tremendous adrenaline rush. Think of the guides they do this all the time, as much as I thought the fee was expensive it was worth it

quote:

Originally posted by swampshooter:
Sure seems like there are a lot more bear attacks in Alaska this year than normal. Seems like every week or two I'm hearing of another bear attack.

Pink salmon runs across much of the state were very poor this year. Bears are not glued to salmon streams like normal.

Funny story 40 years later, same island too.

In '67 Dad n Mom drove up from Colorado for brownies, moose, caribou, fishing just having a great over all trip.

He hired a local with a boat to take him across to Admiralty one after noon. Sun went down, he laid out a tarp and sleeping bag on the beach among the bear tracks.

Next day, took his .375 and crawled about 1/4 mile thru a bear tunnel in the brush. Found a pile of bear shit half as big as a 5 gal bucket. Thought it looked fresh, stuck his hand in it and it was hot. About that time: "I realized just how damned stupid I was, got out to the beach in record time and took several hours to get Dan's attention and get over there to pick me up, that was about the longest day of my life".

Never did even see a brownie, did get the moose and both of them got a caribou and lots of fishing. Then hurried down the coast to see Mom's sister in CA, then rushed home in time to go elk hunting. Got a bull with his cannon too.

Imagine getting a paid 13 week vacation and doing all that.

George

Yup. Poor fish runs equal hungry bears. And tho some, many , most , hungry bears may have a problem with actually eating a human . They will be cranky and cantankerous. Plus there have been a lot more fights along the criks and elsewhere over the best fishing spots. So , there will be more problems with people that are packing out deer. Any bear that smells blood or a dead deer is going to be far more attracted to it. If I were deer hunting in Southeast this year. The only rifle I would be using is my 458. Unless I happened upon a 400 Whelan.
. However. If someone /locals wants to kill a bear this year, it is a great time. Their hunger will keep them moving around more and much less cautious. They will come to a fawn bleat much faster and easier. I don't wander around in the brush without a round in the pipe. But then I mostly hunt with Rugers so the safety is actually safe.