I have an opportunity to go on a spring brown bear hunt April 30 through May 10. This is the outfitters first hunt of the season. It on Admiralty Island. I've read a lot of posts from a lot of different people and I've been told that early hunts are hit or miss. I know that it changes every year, but based on your past experiences is this too early to hunt? Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

I don't have a lot of expiereance in south east but I doubt that your time frame is too early.

Where I hunt ( units 9 & 17 AK penn) The hunting really dos'nt get going untill after the may 10th opener but western AK is a totally differant environment and it is much colder.

Kodiak Island has good hunting in April and like S.E. it is much wormer there.

Remember that if all the bears ar'nt out of there dens yet when you start your hunt the ones that are out will be the big ones.

Thanks. I appreciate the help. How has the winter been so far in Alaska? Have you been pounded like we've been?

i did a hunt about the same time on admiralty a few years back. bears were definitely out, weather was quite wet. remember the island doesn't get the cold etc. that inland does. we saw lots of bears, but the bears in SE run smaller than on the peninsula or kodiak. 9-9 1/2 foot bears are good. you will probably see quite a few in the 8' and under range. get ready to eat alot if you go

Thanks. That was really helpful. Maybe I've got it wrong, but I think I would be happy with an 8 foot, well furred bear. Is that setting my sites too low?

for going to south east alaska your setting your sights realisticly...that will make for a much better hunt!

TRL, 4 1 6 certainly knows much more on this subject than I but when I hunted SE out of Sitka two years ago we saw over 80 bear (yeah some were probably repeats, etc) sixteen or so bonifide shooters. My hunting companion and I both took 9+ bear w/26+ skulls. We had to work hard as we hunted the last hunt and many were rubbed. Ours managed to be late sleepers I suppose. Actually on my first day we got out smarted by the largest bear of the trip but that is another story for another day. Be glad to give you all the info you need. I would recommend the mid-May hunt if you had a choice simply to make your odds best, IMHO. Heck just to see the beautiful country around Sitka is well worth the trip, enjoy.

Thanks for all the advice. I'm really torn on this hunt. Don't get me wrong, it's a heck of a deal. Lots going on at work right now, but my boss told me to go. Can't help having a bad feeling for some reason. That doesn't have anything to do with the outfitter, just don't know why I feel this way. Man I want to go, but even at a discount its a lot, especially with this bad feeling I got. Silly isn't it. I've always wanted to hunt there and now that I have a chance, I'm guy shy.

Muygrande: Thanks. Any information would be helpful. A 9+ foot bear would be more than I would expect. I'm glad you had a good hunt.
Thanks again everyone for the information.

Time of year will be fine. Weather is much milder down there but it IS rainy, so bring some raingear and do NOT bring a wood stocked rifle if you can help it. I missed a good sized bear w/my Sako 375 because the stock warped w/all the wet weather. Admiralty has it's share of small bears but occassionally, you'll find an 8' or better down there. I've hunted Admiralty bear on 4 diff hunts. 2 of them were very successful and 2 we got skunked. The first one we were on foot so it wasn't the way to hunt the limited area we hunted. Putting around a bay in an inflatable from a home camp or cabin is the ideal way to do it. We passed on a lot of small bears on my last hunt in Gambier Bay and the big one we did see was almost impossible to get to due to the tide. Best time to hunt is at dusk. DO it, it's totally a fun time in the woods. I wouldn't hesitate, and it's good experience if you do get skunked. I do know one thing tho, if you don't go, you'll kick yourself the rest of your life for not going.

Yaoughtachoke:
Thanks. That was really helpful. Amen on the wood stock. I missed a really nice billy in Prince William Sound a number of years ago for the same reason. So, if I get an 8' in front of me that is well-furred, I should pull the trigger without hesitation? What happened the other time you got skunked? Bad weather? Bad Luck?

Thought I would add that sows seem to go in heat about May 10-15 in SE Alaska. I am told that if there is a "late spring" (big late snows) many bear will come out a little later. That being said, you might not see as many bears until later in your 10 day hunt. I have made 2 hunts for brownies that started May 10th & been happy. Hope this helps/Chaz

Thanks. That was helpful. I've decided to wait until the fall. Work schedules have changed and getting away would be difficult. I hope I don't regret this decision.

TRL/ fall has its' problems also. Heavy rains, I am told, can wash fish right out of the streams...not good. I am told it can rain every day during fall hunts. My 2 brown and 1 black bear hunt about May 10th. That is my vote. Will be booking my black bear hunt next May with guide Eli Lucas. I am on the waiting list with him./Chaz

TRL,

Check out the fall offerings I have for brown bear on the Discounted and Offered hunt forum.

Mark

Thanks!