I am taking a DIY bear hunt for both browns and blacks next summer with my Dad, who lives in Anchorage.

For black bears we plan to go near Seward and fish and hunt from his boat at the same time, we figure about 5-6 days of this. Then we will drive to Denali, see the park (I'm a tourist too) and then hit GMU 13 and float down the Gulkana River while we hunt browns, wolves, Ptarmigan (sp?) and fish for Greyling. I assume to hunt browns you just pick a spot and watch for them?


My Dad hasn't spent much time in GMU 13 for several years, so I'm just trying to get an idea about our chances of seeing wolves and browns there. We expect to take 2-3 days floating the river, and can still take a few more days hunting the unit in other places.

Any ideas on better areas or methods? There will be 4-5 guys, everyone hunting blacks and only my father and I hunting browns, but everybody will be floating the river with us and hunting ptarmigan and fishing. We have a raft, boat for Seward and plan to camp the rest of the time, weather shouldn't be too bad as we plan on going in mid-August.

Any help is greatly appriciated!!

You might have a fair amount of company on the Gulkana. It's a very popular river for "floaters". Quite a few fishing guides work the river also, but may be pretty well finished by August. It may be best to find a high spot away from the river and start glassing around. I've seen blackies down on the river itself, but all the grizzlies were away from the river in the higher country. That doesn't necessarily mean you won't run across them on the river though. Fishing will be great and,in August, nights will definitely be cool. I've been snowed on during August in that country.

Thanks!!

We will be planning a few days in the area, and maybe two on the river giving up time to do some hiking and ptarmigan hunting, and give us a chance to find some good spots to sit and glass for grizz.

Do you think that 3-4 days is enough time to find a grizz in that area?

Grizzlies are pretty thick throughout Unit 13. So much so that 1 a year can be taken by both residents and nonresidents. Your chances there are as good as anywhere.

SCW:

You might go to the following State of Alaska site & view the information there. I don't know if there's anything of value to you but..... It consists of management & harvest reports for a number of game animals for 2001 & 2002 and both black & brown bear reports are there. It's at:

www.wildlife.alaska.gov/pubs/techpubs/mgt.cfm

You could also do a search after going to the state's fish & game site & look for research papers. Some time ago, I saw a bear study that mentioned Unit 13. Don't remember where it was however. Anyway, good luck & have a good trip. Bear in Fairbanks