I looking for information and recommendations concerning a Brown Bear, Grizzly/Caribou hunt. My wife and I planned on returning to Africa in 2014 but, it may fall through. So were looking into other options and bear was always on my father's bucket list. He passed away from cancer so I feel a need to accomplish it. My wife hunts and will also be going and needs to be factored in. My primary animal will be bear but, my wife's would be caribou so there needs to be some concentration of both species. It's hunting so there are no guarantees but must have reasonable chance on both . I did some research concerning draw areas, tags, trophy fees, but, it's a little overwhelming. I'm also open to the idea of just hunting bear while by wife hunts something else.

I understand 2014 is right around the corner and we may very well still go to Africa but, I wouldn't mind getting a jump on 2015.

Matt A.
MSG, USA (Ret.) Armor, Infantry

From Pa are ya, so was I twenty some years back before we moved to Alaska. We live on the Upper Yukon now; couldn't ever imagine Pennsylvania nowadays. Originally, wife and I were from Westmoreland Co, but also lived a bunch of years up in Crawford Co.

I've never used a guide, for Ak residents that would be like moving back East. I heard about good ones and bad ones like anything else. I keep hearing that all the big bear have been shot off Kodiac; but that comes from people that live there. Here in the interior, most grizz I see are 400-500 lbers, though bigger ones are seen.

There's a cheap caribou hunt non -residents can take advantage of for two days at the end of August. Most outsiders rent a van in Anch for 20 bucks/day and drive out to Tok and up the Taylor to Jack Wade. Sleep in van, license costs around 400 bucks and most everybody is successful I believe. It's a permit hunt for the 40 mile herd.

If ya want a big bear, you should use a guide and guarantee what ya want.

Thanks. I use to live in Luzerne Co. but, now live on the outskirts of the greater Philly area.

I'm looking for guided/outfitter recommendations to accomadate my wife and myself. Sorry if there was any confusion.

I was in SW Alaska (peninsula) for a caribou hunt in 1997. Awesome country. A friend on mine took 10'9" off the island last year so, I'm guessing they are still there but, wouldn't we all love a 10' around every alder.

There are some great guides that are on here. Hopefully one will chime in and help you out. There are big bears still!

I just got back from Perrins' Rainy Pass Lodge on a caribou/black bear/grizzly combo with a moose trophy fee option.

www.theperrinsrainypasslodge.com

It's a very well run family operation. Several notches up from a concession holder in the Koyukuk I used in 2013.

I did a late hunt, Sep 19 - Sep 30. We hunted hard and had some weather (excessive wind and earliest snow on record), so it kept the animals down. I got a black bear (7'2") and another hunter in my group got a black bear (6'11") and caribou (big)

Even with the weather, we saw lots of moose and black bear. All the caribou (except for one) were at the tops of the mountains. Grizzlies showed up the last 2 days.

The groups before us did pretty well on moose and grizzly.

We hunted for five days from a remote primitive cabin and road out daily from the lodge for the remainder of the hunt.

The family and guides were first class.

I'm going to book a Kodiak Bear hunt with them for 2015.

Highly recommend.

PS: Saw Dall Sheep as well.

Also, there were several women hunters there with their husbands. A young girl, 23, took a moose when we were there.

I'd recommend they hunt primarily from the main lodge unless they are used to primitive conditions and cold. My wife was supposed to go, but hurt her knee. She would not have liked the 16'x16' remote cabin. I thought it was cool.

For brown bear contact Phil Shoemaker, waterrat or Mark Young - all on this forum.

Does it have to be Alaska ?

My booking just told me about an outfitter that might have an opening next year in the Yukon....moose, Mtn. caribou, sheep and grizzly are all present. Might even have some black bear.
I think they have backpack, argo and horseback hunts.

PM me if interested

Thanks for the input so far. I really have to take into account my wife hunting the wilderness. Not that she hasn't spent nights camping but, would like to know if they have guided women hunters before.

Brett - Let me think about it but, would love to go back to Alaska.

just got back from a hunt with Blackstone Outfitters in the upper Yukon. they take quite a few bears each year as well as caribou. as well as great moose hunts. One of the guide teams is a husband and wife, and they also have a couple female guides. great operation, I think it would be a great hunt.

PM sent.