Gents,

Took a few days this week to run up north about 90 miles with a friend from work, and hunt brown bear.

He shot one, I held out, still waiting for something a bit larger. The one he got is a very nice looking seven footer.



This is how he fell. Like my black bear this Spring, this bear fell nose first into the water too. It was high tide though and we didn't have to move the bear before skinning it out. But, there wasn't much 'breathing room' between the bear and the trees.


The area we were hunting was chocked full of bears, but just no really big ones. It was quite the nursery, as we saw lot's of young bears and sows with cubs. Here's a track that seemed bigger than the rest. Never saw the bear that made it though. That's a 416 Taylor cartridge laying in the track...


View of the dock were we could buy gas. My boat is of course the smaller one on the far side of the floating dock. The ladder is the only way up to the big dock, and is quite slippery at low tide. It's still not completely low in the shot, it's got a few more feet to go.


Came across these two Blacktails swimming between the islands while we were heading back home.


They darn near swam straight in front of the boat! I think when they turned their heads to look at us, it caused them to change course. This is what 'full reverse' looks like on my boat.


It was a very fun hunt. Lot's of walking up rivers and tromping through very thick rain forest trying to sneak up on bears.

I'll be going again soon, as the salmon runs are starting to die out.

Yeh BW reeeaaal small boat!!! Nice bear too.Is that how much the tide moves? Would be a nightmare to navigate if thats the case.

Brian... here's wishing you the best of luck finding a big bruiser! Looks like you got a nice boat, too. ~~~Suluuq

Thanks, BW, for the homey photos of SE. Brings back some memories.

It wouldn't do to shoot a brown that was smaller than your black. What a nice black bear that was.

Go Taylor!

Nice bear. The pics of the dear are cool

Thanks for the pics. Very beautiful area!

HI,

BW, nice bear.How far was the shot and I may some day see you there as I plan on moving there in a few or more years.And what did the bear dress out at. Great bear. Thanks,Kev

Some more pictures...

This picture was taken the day before we shot the bear. Basically I'm standing a few hundred feet offshore from where the bear was killed. But at low tide of course! The buildings in the distance are the old cannery...


A sow and two cubs. The light color cub will look really nice in a few years...



Looking up at the dock. That's where the gas is, but we didn't need any. When you climb the ladders, the first thing you get is a face full of dog!


To 'P.S.',

Yes, the tides are fairly extreme at about 20 feet. Certainly not the most extreme tides in the State, or the world, but they do cause lot's of navigation hazards. Even commercial boats hit rocks every year. The tides also cause some extreme currents in the narrow areas. Here's a picture I took from my boat while traveling through a spot called 'Sergius Narrows'. This is not a river, but just tidal current between two larger bodies of water connected by these narrows. Sometimes these bouys get pulled completely under...

HI,

BW, those are great PICs post more of them.Also I cannot believe the picture of that bouy, that is some serious current. Thanks for the PICs, Kev

Yeah, those extremes in tides is what helps the bears get big; leaves lots of goodies for the bears to eat.

Brian,

That's a dandy bear. I've been out a couple of times this fall, so far nothing to shoot at, had a huge sow and 3 year old come up on us while deer hunting on Admiralty. What a thrill! They were going after a couple of yearling blacktails that were on the beach which we were watching. Hope to find a nice one before too long. Need to use that .416 Taylor this year...
John B.

It was a nice bear. Not exactly huge by most standards, but the hunter was very pleased. That's what counts the most.

I spent this weekend at home. The weather was suppose to be snotty (blowing gale) but that never really seemed to happen. Darn weather guesser's!

John, this bear was taken at Sitkoh Bay, just across Chatam Straight from Admiralty. We thought about going across and hunt south of Angoon, but chose to hunt inside Peril St. I assume you hunt the north end of Admiralty?