Dates (in field hunting): September 19-September 30, 2013

Outfitter: Perrins Rainy Pass Lodge

Location: Alaska Range (look up Puntilla Lake on Google)

Animals Taken: Black Bear, 7'2"

Animals Hunted, but not taken: Moose, Caribou, Grizzly

Other Big Game Animals seen: Dall Sheep

Rifle: 375 H&H Mauser M03 Extreme with 300 gr TSX and Zeiss Diavari 1.5-6x42mm

Field Transportation: Horses


This was my second time to Alaska. My first hunt was in early September 2010 for Moose and got skunked due to the warm weather then. This was the exact opposite - earliest snow on record for the area and a late Spring.

The trip was originally planned as a Caribou hunt for my wife and I, but she hurt her knee earlier in the year. So, I decided to go ahead and go on the trip and change the package up a bit. Grizzly, Caribou, and Black Bear were in the base package, Moose was an additional trophy fee. Guiding was 1x1 and there was another hunter in my party from Kentucky.

We started off the first day in the field by riding from the lodge, which sits on Puntilla Lake and is very nice, to a remote cabin on Halfway Lake. We stayed there 5 days during which time the other hunter got a nice Caribou. We both had stalks on Moose, but they turned out to be under 60". The Spring was late in the area and the Moose had just come out of velvet late and did not even started to breed while we were there. It was very unusual. We spent the time at the cabin glassing the surrounding mountains and valleys. On the 4th day, we were weathered in from the wind. It was intense to say the least.

On the 5th day we headed back to lodge versus continuing on to a more remote cabin. There was a big front in the forecast. I was fortunate on the way back to spot and take a nice Black Bear. We saw him from about 2 miles and rode and then made a stalk to within 200 yards. It was a nice 7'2" bear. Very large for the area. We continued back to the lodge to hunt from there the remainder of the trip.

Two days later, there was an early snow that kept us in for a day. All of the hunting from the lodge was done from high points where we could glass the valleys and mountain sides. We saw a good number of moose, but nothing over 60". We also saw a good number of Black Bears everyday, with the other hunter taking one after a 3 miles stalk. All of the Caribou we saw were at the very top of the mountains and had not come down. The grizzlies had totally disappeared. We didn't see any until the last 2 days.

Overall, it was a great hunt and experience. The Perrins family and lodge is top notch. A good family with the Steve Sr and his wife Denise running the show. They have 5 sons, 3 of which are part time guides, with Steve Jr being full time in the business. I couldn't have asked for better hosts and guides. The groups before us had done well on the Moose and Grizzly, so I will rack this trip up to the weather. I plan to book with them in 2015 on Kodiak.

Here's a link to a video of my pics:

Pictures

Black Bear

Nice.

I hunter there in the mid 90's. Very nice place!

Very nice, I like your choice of cartridge and bullet!

Congrats AH!!!

Thanks!

Beautiful set of photos. They really give you a sense of depth; not just pretty heather and mountain tops. Thanks for sharing this.

Thanks for sharing.
Great report and photos.

Makes me wanna go

Good deal
For those that don't know Rainy Pass Lodge is a safety valve for pilots coming from the West slope an run into bad flying weather. Our pilots have spent a few nights there over the years when flying was impossible
They accept them with open arms no charge
Great service to the pilots and there passengers
Thanks
Larry

Thank you for taking the time to write up the story and posting the photo. better luck next year
tim

Thanks for sharing - great pic !!!

Santa Claus