Our Fourtyonesix (Jake Jefferson) posted a Spring Grizzly hunt earlier this year. I contacted Jake and took the late April hunt. We didn't connect with a bear, but it was a success in all aspects. We stayed at Alpine Creek Lodge, on the Denali Highway.

Like all Jake's hunts, this is a one-on-one hunt. Jake is THE man and does it all. You won't find a nicer guy to spend your time with. A wealth of knowledge about everything outdoors and of course, bears. Funny and easygoing, I enjoyed every minute of the hunt.

Even though my snow machining skills were beginner level, Jake was supportive and helpful - I was the only one to vent frustration when I got stuck (which was a lot! ;-)). I also acquired a herniated disc in my lower back a month before the hunt which we worked around.

Everyday we saw spectacular country. The second day we were deep into the mountains and found a nice fresh grizzly track following the trail. It was pretty exciting and we expected to see a big grizzly butt as we rounded every corner, but unfortunately it had travelled earlier in the day and was well out of sight by the time we could glass miles down the trail.

The next day we looked into a big valley and saw tons of moose and caribou. Even better, we came across a very recent wolf kill. A caribou had been taken down neatly and about half had been eaten. The next morning we came back to the kill hoping to catch a bear or wolf. We carefully scouted the area, and just as I was getting ready to sit and glass, Jake said "behind you, up the hill is a wolf". I slowly got out my gun, but the huge gray was at 700 plus yards. Gorgeous and a sight I'll never forget. It didn't seem to look at us, but trotted up the mountain and then slowly dodged back and forth over the spine, working it's way away from us. Incredible.

Jake's game spotting skills are incredible. Knowing that, I concentrated on not getting my snow machine stuck off the trail! Everyday was something new and cool.

Besides the second day, the second closest we got was deep into the mountains on a spectacular blue sky day. We were probably 25 miles in, at a confluence of several drainages where Jake knew there were bear dens. We saw lots of tracks up high and Jake followed a hunch, running his sled over into the next drainage, just in time to see a big bear climb over the top, into the next valley.

While we glassed, the boys from JBER (Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson) and Eilson were dogfighting overhead in their F-22, F-15s and F-16s - sonic booms echoing off the cliff faces. Whether that had any effect on the bears, it was an awesome display.

That morning we had found fresh sow and cub tracks right on our trail where they had been been nosing an old caribou carcass left by March hunters.

Other wildlife was in great abundance. Had a bull moose plow through the timber right between us on a snow machine trail. I've hunted the Unit 13 area many times before and I saw more caribou and ptarmigan than I've ever seen when I was hunting (typical :-)). Wolverine tracks, wolf tracks, owls, tons of bald eagles, and Jake hand caught a vole - the fast food of the tundra, but not fast enough for Jake to catch.

I'll post some pictures later.

I can't say enough good things about Jake as a man and a guide. If you are looking for the type of hunts he does, you won't find anyone better. I'm looking forward to finding an opening with him for a Kodiak bear hunt in the future.

Thanks Jake!

http://alaska-bearhunting.com

Good report.
Sounds like a very successful hunt.
Maybe not a kill but all in all a very successful hunt.
With him being a one man band had to book with him, he is always hunting.
Hope you get the Kodiak hunt with him.

I'm hunting with Jake during the 1st week in June. I've never met him but he seems like the real deal. I'll post a full report when I get back. Hopefully with a photo of an 8 1/2 foot grizzly.

Sincere congrats on a great hunt.

I love that area of the Denali Highway.

I will be there on the Denali Highway the end of May and through June. Scenery is beautiful and critters are common to see. A kill is secondary in country such as this.
Cost for a resident of AK to hunt grizz there--$0!
It's great to be alive.
Double shoot is Saturday.
Cal

quote:

Originally posted by cal pappas:
I will be there on the Denali Highway the end of May and through June. Scenery is beautiful and critters are common to see. A kill is secondary in country such as this.
Cost for a resident of AK to hunt grizz there--$0!
It's great to be alive.
Double shoot is Saturday.
Cal

Hard to believe it has been 30 years since I packed up the Bronco on Memorial Day weekend and drove down the McCarthy road. I was a Co Cdr at Rich, and took one of my new privates with me who had nothing to do. He was climbing a nearby mountain when I spotted a grizzly two miles away. I took off after it and killed it maybe 2 hours later. Not a big one, and a sow at that, but it has beautiful fur. When I climbed back above timberline to where we were camped he had not even heard a shot.

Oh to be young again and living in Alaska!

quote:

Originally posted by Colorado Bob:
I'm hunting with Jake during the 1st week in June. I've never met him but he seems like the real deal. I'll post a full report when I get back. Hopefully with a photo of an 8 1/2 foot grizzly.

You're going to have a great time! Make sure you bring a bug shirt or a Thermacell bug repellant. Jake has some great sites set up. I'm sure you'll get one.

Sounds like an excellent hunt! Hope you brought a camera with you.

I agree with A7Dave, definitely have a Thermacell with you

Great report
Sounds like you had a good time with good company

quote:

Originally posted by Colorado Bob:
I'm hunting with Jake during the 1st week in June. I've never met him but he seems like the real deal. I'll post a full report when I get back. Hopefully with a photo of an 8 1/2 foot grizzly.

I hunted with Jake last Sept on a successful grizzly hunt. I can guarantee you will not be disappointed. Jake is a great guy !

I did this same hunt several years ago with similar results. This Fall will be my 4th time hunting with Jake. One of the best Alaskan guides out there. Thanks for the report.

I just got done spending a week hunting with Jake. I expected to lose a few pounds on this hunt as we were staying mobile. HA, he fed me like an October bear. Bagels with cream cheese and salmon, bacon and eggs with cheese on tortillas.

Jake's a great guy and I had a great hunt with him.

We saw six grizzlies but didn't connect on any of them.
The first bear we spotted was a mature boar feeding on a kill that he estimated at 9'. The wind shifted on us when we were about 200 yards away from him and before we could see him and he blew out of there like a scalded cat. A short time later, we watch a wolverine back trail the bear to the kill.
Bears two and three were a boar and sow traveling together that I spotted at the bottom of the valley. Jake said they looked pretty rubbed up so we didn't go after them.
The weather wasn't cooperating so we flew out to relocate. Within a few hours after relocating we saw bear number 4, a pretty nice boar at about 30 yards but were unable to do anything about it since we had flown that day. We set out the following day and saw bears number 5&6 traveling together about 170 yards in front of us. Totally killable bears, if one of us had a gun in our hand. We had just tested a creek crossing with a big ice shelf on either side of it and left our guns & gear when we tested the crossing. I scrambled back to fetch rifles while Jake kept an eye on them but they covered too much ground into too much brush to get a shot after that.

It rained and snowed quite a bit on us, but we were both all smiles in the end.

quote:

Originally posted by TREE 'EM:
I just got done spending a week hunting with Jake. I expected to lose a few pounds on this hunt as we were staying mobile. HA, he fed me like an October bear. Bagels with cream cheese and salmon, bacon and eggs with cheese on tortillas.

Jake's a great guy and I had a great hunt with him.

We saw six grizzlies but didn't connect on any of them.
The first bear we spotted was a mature boar feeding on a kill that he estimated at 9'. The wind shifted on us when we were about 200 yards away from him and before we could see him and he blew out of there like a scalded cat. A short time later, we watch a wolverine back trail the bear to the kill.
Bears two and three were a boar and sow traveling together that I spotted at the bottom of the valley. Jake said they looked pretty rubbed up so we didn't go after them.
The weather wasn't cooperating so we flew out to relocate. Within a few hours after relocating we saw bear number 4, a pretty nice boar at about 30 yards but were unable to do anything about it since we had flown that day. We set out the following day and saw their number five and six traveling together about 170 yards in front of us. Totally killable bears, if one of us had a gun in our hand. We had just tested the creek crossing with a big ice shelf on either side and left our guns & gear when we tested the crossing. I scrambled back to fetch rifles while Jake kept an eye on them but they cover too much ground into too much brush to get a shot after that.

It rained and snowed quite a bit on us, but we were both all smiles in the end.

Nice adventure with a good attitude.

Tree-em: sounds like a great hunt. Being out in the country and seeing that many animals is worth every penny!

Colorado bob will be home soon....

A7-----We got a beauty of a bear off the lower creek bait. She's a solid 7' grizzly with good fur.

I just walked thru the door and will get a full report posted.

FYI---There was a 9' plus hitting the bait. We got him on camera but not when we were there with the 375 Ruger.

Bob
So happy to hear you shot a great bear. Now you have been hit with the fever. You will probably be hunting again soon with Jake.

Heading back with Jake last week of July. First hunt in '15 was miserable weather in Sept but a great adventure, looking forward to another adventure. Jake is the real deal for sure. Hopefully I will have a good pic and story in August...