Skibumplus, Weidmannsheil on a successful and tough hunt. It is funny, I happened to be in the Kalispell area around Sep. 1st, and heard the "adds" on the radio. Always thought it was something to have discounted hunts offered on the radio - now that would not have happened in NYC!
Congratulations, glad it worked out for you. One more dream ticked off, time to make up a new one.
- mike

When: Sept 5-15 2004

Who: Brian Donovan, Nushagak Guide Service

Where: Lake Beverly, North of Dillingham AK



What worked: HH Empertech rain gear. Cheap hip boots, scope covers, tape on the barrel and an illuminated reticle.





Thanks to Terry Carr for posting the pictures.



I have hunted much in the western US and am lucky enough to have travelled to Africa twice. None of those experiences compare to the Alaskan bush! It's big and mostly deserted!



I was sitting at lunch with a co-worker on the 2nd of September when he asked if I had called on the discounted moose hunt being offered on the radio. I called the radio station, got the number and called the guy.



He is the father of a new outfitter/guide and one of his first hunter's had cancelled earlier in the week. He offered to take some money off the price and pay for my airfare from Kalispell to Dillingham. I told him to hold for 20 while I call the War Office and get permission for a sortie.



The call to my wife went well. I reminded her that Alaska has always been a dream of mine and this was a special opportunity. She agreed but the phone got very quite when I told her the hunt was in 2 days, lasted 12 days and I would be missing my daughter's 7th birthday.



My next call was to my father. I casually asked if he wanted to go to Alaska. He was ready to go and only mildly surprised at the short notice. 40,000 frequent flyer miles and he was on the seat next to me.



Next I called a friend of a friend who guides in SE Alaska. He answered his cell phone while sitting on a boat waiting to take a couple of bear hunters out for the evening. Man! I love technology. He quickly listed about 20 items every Alaska hunter needs in his kit.



The last call was to Cabela's. I ordered 3 sizes of everything and paid a fortune for next day delivery.



I headed to the range after work and double checked my .338 Win. Mag, Browning A bolt. I am shooting 230 grain Failsafes with 71 grains of RL 19. The rifle is topped with a Leupold 3.5x10 illuminated reticle VariX III. Everything went well, I loaded 40 rounds and waited ONE day for the hunt.



After a cancelled flight, we arrived in Dillingham a day late. Brian met us at the gate and informed us that low water was a problem and we would fly in to camp rather than boat. Renew Air provide excellant taxi service and we arrived in camp that afternoon to find the other moose hunter had tagged out opening morning on a 49 inch bull with 4 brow tines less than 300 yards from camp. Wow! This is going to be easy.



I spent the next 5 days hating hip boots, tundra, buck brush mosquitos, rain, rain, more rain, and Alaska. We hunted hard. I was seriously doubting a man's ability to call a moose by making rabbit noises with your mouth. We saw nothing! What happened to the Alaska of my dreams with game everywhere? I was about ready to file this under bad experiences and spend the rest of my days hunting Africa.



Day 6 was more heavy rain. We all agreed to go back to sleep. The other hunter had left with his father and 2 guides to look for brown bear. The rain let up some at 8:30, dad elected to stay in the safety of the tent while Brian and I gave it another go across the lake.



Twenty minutes later we were standing on the edge of a very large meadow looking into the thick and Brian was calling. I happened to look back and saw Bullwinkle looking back at me from the other side of the meadow. Long and short of the shooting was.... I am very lucky.... We under-estimated the range by about 125 yards and my first shot took out his left knee. The second was a miss and the 3rd took out the right knee. Penetration was complete. No bullet recovered. The last shot was from 400 to 450 yards and was a complete pass through of the neck where it meets the shoulder. Through the spine, 2 inch exit hole.



If you have hunted moose, no need to tell you about packing one out for a day accross the tundra. If you haven't, you can't imagine how much work it is. I don't want to try it again anytime soon. The bull taped at 61 1/2 and has very good bases, shovels and mass. We had to link the moose and the wolf tag because the moose tag wouldn't fit around teh base of the antler. I'm now a retired, happy moose hunter.



Day seven was moving day. We headed for Lake Nerka and a few days of bear hunting. I fully expected to burn the $500 tag but told my dad this might be a lucky trip. I re-zeroed my rifle and waited for my first day of bear hunting.



The 13th of September was crisp and clear on Lake Nerka. We spent the morning checking out a moose kill and glassing the shoreline. The middle of the day is spent sleeping. About 4 PM, we headed to a creek so we could watch a big meadow and the creek for feeding bears. Please understand. I have never hunted bear or seen a live one close up. I really didn't have a clue what we were getting into.



Dad and I set up on the river and the guide was watching the meadow. Now I got to see critters. Heck, there must have been half a dozen small bears walking all around us. Just before dark, Sean the guide, grabbed me an whispered, "Big bear headed for us. Follow me" He then takes off down the bear trail like a deer. Dad and I look at each other and then head off trying to keep quiet and keep up.



I first spot the bear about 100 yards away. Standing up like a huge gopher, looking in our direction and testing the wind like a coon dog. It was above us and looked huge! We moved about 40 yards to the east and the bear came toward us. Not charging, not scared, just curious. It stood up again at 35 yards and looked like King Kong. I had the scope turned down and the reticle was glowing red but the guide told me to wait until it was on all four feet. The bear dropped, I found the shoulder and sent a Failsafe on the way. The guide then shot twice with a .375 as my shot was blocked by trees. The bear let out a roar and was out of sight in a flash. I jacked a 2nd round and moved 10 steps back to the west. Dad was right next to me as we cleared the trees. The bear was on a run right at us. I doubt it was charging as there was no sound, foaming mouth or snapping teeth. It WAS coming right down a trail I was standing on. I pulled up, saw the nose, touched it off, reloaded and saw the bear slide into home plate. It rolled over and steam/blood was coming out of a hole in the shoulder. Sean was loudly telling me to give it another. I reloaded the clip and didn't shoot. In hindsight, we both should have shot. I forgot, this is dangerous game.



We survived. Lesson learned. My hands were shaking for a good 5 minutes after the hunt. The bear was a dry sow. 8'4'' across the front and 7' 6'' nose to tail. Not the biggest bear shot in AK but the biggest bear I've ever seen and killed like dangerous game should be. Pstmortem showed a pass through in the hump, a pass through in both shoulder and a crease accross the belly. Both shoulders were broken. My last bullet had gone through the chest, through the spine and was found above the tailbone under the hide. It weighs 190 grains. I'm a very happy retired brown bear hunter also!



To conclude, Brian knows how to hunt Alaska. His camps are spartan but efficient. I would hunt with him again. He is as honest as they come.



Thanks for reading. Email me if you would like to see the pictures.



Ski+3

Wow! Great story...I am too damn old and fat to hunt Alaska!
How is your pucker factor?

Congratulations, some outstanding trophies.