Check out these pictures of an airman stationed in Alaska that killed this huge bear recently.

http://www.piscatorialpursuits.com/cgi-bin/pursuits/uploader.pl?action=view&epoch=1015965170

http://www.piscatorialpursuits.com/cgi-bin/pursuits/uploader.pl?action=view&epoch=1015965218

Here's the scoop on the bear:

An airman (that's the Air Force), stationed at Elmendorf AFB in Alaska took a shuttle over to Hitchenbrook Island with a buddy to go fishing. They took their rifles because they also both had bear tags, just for safety. While walking to the fishing hole, they see this monster walking towards them, they crouch down, and the guy in the pic gets a good sight picture, hard to miss at the distance of 35 yards, and empties his gun. The bear was measured at 12'6", and estimated over 1600 pounds!

-Coot

I have seen these pictures. That is a fantastic bear!!

I heard a different story though. I was emailed these pics in the fall. That story was this young man was deer hunting on Kodiak and was charged by the bear, so he shot him.

Regardless, its a monster!

Corey

Coot22,

I hate to break-it to you man, but this crowd was all over this story from the get-go, from Nov. - Dec. 2001 - And I think even before that. It was nice bear indeed!

my bad...was told these were very recent, yeah I heard that story too that he was charged by the bear, I got my version of the story from stars and stripes (the military paper). Oh well, doesnt hurt to see a monster grizzly again!

-Coot

Isn't this the bear whose skull was shown on this forum recently? The first shot was to the right side of the nose with a fragment entering the brain case.

The "real" story was published by The Anchorage Daily News on Sunday December 16, 2001. The bear was shot by an airman from Eielson AFB with a .338 WM. It never had time to charge, since the first bullet hit it on the head. However, the original story about a "12' 6" bear" was not true.

Facts:
Weight: 1,000-1,200 lbs
Age: 15-20 years (estimated)
Hide: 10'6" (from nose to tail)
Skull: 28-8/16" (10-11/16" W x 17-13/16 L)

At 28-8/16", it was smaller than the North American record of 30-12/16", but it was a big bear. Nineteen bear skulls have scored above 30" in Alaska since 1904.

[This message has been edited by Ray, Alaska (edited 03-13-2002).]

The bear was closer to 10'6" if I remeber correctly and was shot by one of our fellow forum members. The stories have been exaggerated but it is one FINE bear. Unfortunately, not of the 12' variety that it has been rumored to be.

I can't remember who it was but maybe he'll see this and recap the story. It was pretty exciting.

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Good Hunting & Hunt Safe,
David