For those of you with personal knowledge of bears in both locations, which one usually offers bigger black bears? If you answer "Alaska," then... coastal or interior?

Thanks.

Russ

Costal Alaska,particularly the islands.Have a few bud's from there that have taken several over 500 pounds and more than one that was close to 7 feet.

Brian.

The biggest Alaskan black bears are in Southeast Alaska. I don't know how they compare to Vancouver. Also, are you looking for big heads, ie trophy sizing, or big hides?

The Bears in "my area" (using that term loosely) of SE Alaska are very large in body size. They seem to have small heads though. Two of my clients did take big headed, big bodied bears last spring. Each skull green scored B&C, but I am sure it has shrunk below the minimum.

Both bears squared 7'3" It was a father and a son on the same hunt.

This is the first big game animal the father has ever shot. I think he was in his early 70's.

Russell,

Queen Charlotte Islands!

Joe

Thanks, Wendell and Ovis. (Ovis, please try to be a little more enthusiastic from now on, okay?)

I'm sure not opposed to big rugs, I assure you. And most of the "small-headed bears" from Alaska probably beat any "big-headed bears" from the Lower 48.

Russ

I have hunted with Shockey and I have hunted
in Alaska. I felt that Jim's place was superb
and I have never seen more big bears in one
area in my life.

Take your pick.......

Ross

Ross, noticing your location, have you visited/used Hawkins Taxidermy? I met Damien when I was through there last year. Nice young man. Quite an operation. Gave me a grand tour of the entire place. Really neat place.

Russ

Hey Russ if your are realy going to jump into bar'hunten see if you can round up a copy of the "Bear hunter" mag theyhave a lot of great info in there as well as a guide/outfitter section

Dave:

I "jumped" in 1997 and have been fairly hooked since. I was a charter subscriber to "Bear Hunting" magazine. Just renewed, as a matter of fact. I really like hunting bears.

Russ

Russ,

Both the SE Alaska and Queen Charlotte Island and Vancouver Island areas have basically the same Black Bear. The difference in these areas and say all the interior areas of Ak. B.C. Alberta etc.....is the fact that the coastal bears have way more food sources such as salmon runs, tidal flats, more vegatation, (an occasional lost fisherman )lower elevations meaning milder temps, occasional dead whales & seals etc......Bears are like pigs. The more they eat they bigger they get. Males get bigger yet. So for big bear you are looking in the right place in terms of body size. And they are going to be all black with the possibility of a rare exception.Big skulls to but ultimately, the biggest skull measurements, I believe have come from places like the continental south west. But they do not have bear hunting anywhere near as good as the Pacific NW.

If you go to Van. Island or Q.C Islands it is superb hunting but you will pay easily $4500 - $5500 for one bear and another $1500 to $2000 for the second bear. Fairly pricey. If you want to see some impressive bears on the Q.C.Islands look at Graham Island under the website of www.prophetmuskwa.com

Go to the archipelago of South East Ak. off of a comfortable house boat and pay $3500 to $4000. Pure service to. Usually two hunters have the boat to themselves. Only one bear though. Great fishing scenery etc......This is the Cadillac of all Black Bear Hunts.

[ 01-17-2003, 05:02: Message edited by: Keith Atcheson ]

I've wanted to do a boat/bear hunt for a long time, but I haven't hit PowerBall yet.

Damien is a good friend of mine who runs a
class business. We have fought the antis
many times together....

Ross

When I met him, he was losing one of the battles. He was selling a bunch of commemorative rifles and what not, because he couldn't keep them anymore under some Canadian law that had just passed, or whatever. He had some really nice guns -- some John Wayne lever actions, Weatherbys, and so on.

Yes, Damien is a class guy. Did a STELLAR job on the bear I blew away with three shots from my .416 Remington Magnum with Speer 350-grain Mag Tips at close range. Not a hole in it -- now.

Russ

I read in a late 90's Western Sportsman Saskatchewan produces 1/3 of all the B&C bears in Canada. I don't know why.

Look at Newfouland, home of some monster black bears. Mine went 21 6/16, squared 7ft. Saw two others as big body wise.

I've always considered Newfoundland for bears because I keep hearing how much bigger (in the body) they are... but I haven't found an outfitter with whom I'd like to book. Of those I've researched, they all seemed like sleazy operations and/or more geared toward moose hunters or fishermen. I don't want a "small" moose, I don't want to fish, I want "a big bear."

Still, if I found someone running a good operation at a good price in Newfoundland whose primary focus was bear hunting, I'd be interested.

Russ

I can attest that the bears in SE AK are the real thing. However, to play devil's advocate, have you considered the areas where Boddington has shot and seen some real brutes? South Carolina or thereabouts I think.

I think that with Shockey you are paying top dollar due to name recognition but I'm sure you get a good hunt.

If memory serves, wasn't the largest black bear killed here in NC? Correct me if I am wrong, but 847 pounds comes to mind.

Yes, I believe you're right, but I also believe those are incredibly rare exceptions -- unless you use dogs or hang out in swamps. I'm not totally opposed to the latter.

Russ

I couldn't remember which Carolina but it could have been NC. I don't think swamps or dogs were used...more like grain fields and big drainage ditches. Hunting was in tripod stands (ala TX senderos) and spot & stalk I think.

Somebody help me here...wasn't it Peterson's Hunting? Seriously, Russell you should at least look into this.

I remember the article and the big tripod but that's about it...didn't seem like much fun to me.

Two other places to consider...(

1) There are some really big bear (7'+) in central California and as I recall the hunters ride mules and follow the dogs. Not very expensive and certainly a different hunt in some difficult terrain but the bears are uniformly big and I believe they take a lot of color-phase bear.

(2) Arizona bear hunts in September in the mountains...when the bear come down to stuff themselves before the winter....the hunts are referred to "hunting in the pears" which, I believe refer to blossoms on cactus but I'm not sure....again, very large bear and a lot of color-phase....priced around $2,000.

you cant beat the swamps of easten nc. they got the biggest there period ! seen a 808lb taken this past season with hounds.

bearbait

A HUGE black bear was killed by a car in MAnitoba last year. It was about 950 pounds. But that doesn't make it the norm.

I hear there are some huge bears in Penn., s. Carolina, etc, but that doesn't make it the norm.

The "Norm" for coastal BC and Alaska, are good, big, bears.

I have a hard time believing you will not be able to shoot a big bear, maybe not a record breaker, but big nonetheless, in BC or Alaska.

Shockey has a great area (it's by Port Alberni, I think) on Northern Van Island. Plus, he's a celebrity, so his prices are going to be higher. That being said, I'd hunt with him any day. He's got a good record, and would be fun to hunt with.

there are plenty of outfitters in other areas of BC that can offer good bears as well, and are a little cheaper.

I understand that Jim Shockey's main guide is Guy Shockey (cousin?). He's supposed to be pretty good and a fighter pilot for Canada or something. If I was going to hunt in Canada (and I might someday) then I would probably hunt with Shockey.

If you want a once in a lifetime kind of hunt you might consider going after a glacier bear which is a color phase that is almost blue. They are only found in a very few places in Alaska around Yakutat, etc. I've seen photos and they would truly be the trophy of a lifetime. Special draw I believe.

Russell...as long as you stay north of Los Angeles and well south of the Bay area you will be OK in California...Oh..stay away from the coastal areas too.....and I forgot..even San Diego isn't what it used to be and just to be sure don't go near ....crap you're right!

How about telling the story of the black bear that took 3 shots from your 416?

[ 01-18-2003, 08:47: Message edited by: DB Bill ]

I would also like to hear that story. It's been mentioned before but I never heard the details.

SE Alaska around Prince of Wales has big Bear. Out of five bear two made all time B.C., two made the three year book and one was a mistake.

Russel Southeast around Prince of Whales has some real brutes if you have the time to hold out and be selective. Modern Taxidermy is right. I spent several months on Prince of Whales and one thing I can say is you better be ready to see some bear. Make sure you practice up on judging as this will prove to be the toughest task. I flew a buddy of mine out in 2001 and he took a 21 inch bear that was so heavy we couldn't even move it a foot. It was as heavy as a bull elk. Lots of great places to hunt there and you will never have a hard time spotting bear. For example, when the berries were ripe we counted over eight bear in less than a two mile stretch of road. When the humpies are running you just sit and watch them majicaly appear out of the brush. Awsome man. NO shortage of bear there, and no shortage of big ones!! You can take your rig to the island by way of Prince Rupert-Ketchican-Prince of Whales, or Bellingham, Washington-Prince of Whales. No guides necessary and very affordable


[ 01-18-2003, 14:43: Message edited by: ray capp ]

Russell
Thanks for posting that story again. It's still good to read, even the second time. Have you thought about publishing it? Pocket money is hard to come by these days.

John: Yes, I have. Several people told me I should, after I posted it the first time, but I wouldn't know who would pay for such material.

You're right, though... money is hard to come buy.

Glad you liked it (again).

Russ

Russ, try sending a copy to Hunting magazine. that's at least as good a story as anything i've read in their publication (maybe edit the "drunker then a three peckered owl" part). Yeah, highway 6 is a bitch. You should have tried it before they put asphalt down. When you go to Thompson are you flying right to Thompson, or to Winnipeg and then driving? Highway 6 gets WORSE north of Grand Rapids (where it meets up with old 391). When I lived there, I had skid plates on my oil pan, tranny, and gas tank. It's one of those learning experiances. Now I just drive trucks and SUV's, it's easier. There are some astounding bears on the west coast (and up around Grand Prairie here in Alberta), but I have to say that the largest black bear that I ever saw was in Manitoba, NE (about 75 miles) of Winnipeg, towards the Ontario border. My cousin was driving a Dodge Volare station wagon at the time (Mid 70's or so) and we were at his place out in the bush. The bear walked out of the bush and by his car parked in front of his house, I watched it though the front window. On all fours, that bear was as tall as that car. Now some of that was surely fur, but that is a big damned bear. Good luck in your search for ever bigger bears, I also think the color phase idea has merit. You have the "blue" or glacier bears, the white or "ghost bears" of the west coast (actually a white colored black bear), there are cinnamon and red/auburn colored bears up around Peace River. If you go a little farther north then where you're going in Manitoba to hunt black bears, you can hunt polar bears (in Nunavet, used to be the eastern North West Territories). bears give you lot's of options, and lot's of seasons. - Dan

[ 01-18-2003, 21:48: Message edited by: dan belisle ]

OK guys now that we know where to go.When should we go?

Russell you know about 99% of the time I absolutely can't stand your fouled mouthed, need to prove your some type of tough guy attitude on the net, but that Manitoba story was great. Just FYI, I've spent a lot of time in both Manitoba and Saskatchewan and the roads aren't any better in SK. If you showed your creative writing side more often rather than that demon split personality, a guy might learn to enjoy what you had to say.

Russell who said anything about Polar bears?I thought we where talking blackies.I'm in the same boat you are if the lottery ever comes in i'm sure that polar bears would be at the top of my list.