Gents,

A friend of mine broached the subject today of booking a Spring Interior grizzly hunt next year.Are such hunts any good and what should a good one cost??

It depends on if you get drawn for a tag, and if you live in the state. If you don't live in the state, you'll need a guide. They don't come cheap, off the top of my head it will run you 8500.00 to 10,000.00. You might find a hunt cheaper than that, but there is a reason for that too. Factor in the weather, ( I spent 6 days in a cabin during white out conditions on my second hunt), 2 weeks would be the minimum time I'd go.



Now, as to whether or not you should do it. Absolutely. There is no hunt in North America that can compare to the thrill of a Grizzly Bear hunt. Just keep in mind what Jack O'Conner said, "even where there's lot's of em, there ain't many of em". It's big country, hard to get around in, and very unforgiving. That being said, if you look at the latest issues of Boone and Crockett, you will see that record book Bears are coming off of the Seward Peninsula. Go for it! Some say that the Spring is the best time to get a big Boar. I've shot one in the Spring, and in the Fall. If I go again, it will be a Fall hunt. Weather is to unpredictable in the Spring.

Well,More details...

I am not the one who will be going,my friend is.He has never been to Alaska.I have been there on backpacking/animal photography trips(mainly to Denali) and eh just asked me what I thought.I have though,hunted all over the lower 48,most of them self guided hunts,but some times I have paid for a guide.

My impression of cost,and spring weather was the same as yours.Not cheap and iffy that time of the year as toconditions.

This deal he discussed with me is a party hunt(up to 10 hunters) that is being organized by a fairly well known custom handgun maker( who I will NOT name).The gunmithing outfit has a good enough rep,so their basic integrity is not in question here.

What I found weird about the trip was the cost.A $3,500 for a Spring interior Grizzly hunt and the outfitter Guarantees each client a bear!To my mind both the price AND the gaurantee sound pretty fishy to me..

On thse party type hunts many times the Organizer is trying to find enough hunters that will pay for marginal "B" class hunting to subsidize HIS "A" class hunting trip.In any group of people there is a "pecking order" and I'm afraid most of the other hunters in the party run the risk of "getting stuck with out a chair when the music stops"-if the hunting conditions are tougher than expected..

I recently booked a spring grizz hunt in western AK, for next April. Can't wait !

This is a ten day hunt and the outfitter clearly explained the issues with weather, lost hunting days, etc. Despite these issues, they have better success with the spring hunts than the fall hunts. Also the bears are supposed to have prime pelts, fresh out of the dens.

A $3500 guaranteed grizz hunt doesn't exist. Something is definitely fishy with that deal. Sounds about right for a black bear hunt.

Hey

For 3500.00 bucks I'd jump on the chance, but I'm with Steiny, something smells likes it's been sitting in a plastic garbage can in the sun for to long...



But, you never know, and you know what they say, "the worst day hunting is better than the best day fishing", or is it the "worst day fishing is better than the best day working"...

That sounds alot like Gary Reeder trip. I know you are not interested in naming the organizer, but having lived in Flagstaff for a number of years it sounds familiar.

If this is the case I would get everything in writing sent to my attorney before paying my money. His reputation there is not one that fills a person with confidence.

Doug Koenig

A $3500 grizzly hunt?? That in itself sounds fishy enough to avoid, but the fact that the guide guaranteed a bear is a very good reason to look elsewhere. It's illegal for an Alaskan guide to guarantee an animal!

Interior grizzly hunts (over the counter tags) start at about $7500 and go up from there. I would think a guide would be hard pressed to accomodate a group of ten hunters in the same party too. Good luck.

Sharpsman:
What Alasken says. It's totally illegal for any big game guide to guarentee an animal. It's in the guiding regs. I'd run from this one like a scalded cat.
For a spring, interior grizzly, I think I'd try for someone operating in the Brooks Range or perhaps the North Slope but don't know anyone offhand. Bear in Fairbanks

First off,Thanks for the advice.



It could be the guide guarantees a SHOT at a bear,which may not be against the law and would satisfy 90% of the hunters I know..



I don't know who for sure is organising the trip other than my friend said it was a custom handgun MFG..



Even if I did know, I would not state their name as my intent was not to defame anyone or launch an inquisition,just get some info on what you gents thought of the hunt parameters I described.



I am going to print this thread out and give it to my friend.It should help him out a lot..Thanks!