I came upon this quote of Hal Waugh that was sent to me by a long time hunting partner from the Salcha River. Thought you folks would enjoy it, it goes like this: "There is a great and important difference between hunting and killing. In hunting the shooting is really the aniti-climax, and if nothing is taken during the hunt, this doesn't make the hunt a failure. In hunting, the camp life, the companionship of good friends, the solitude, a place one can feel very close to his Maker,-these are the things that make a hunt" Quote from Hal Waugh, Alaska Master Guide #1, Montague Island, October 1972..

Great quote from "the man." I really enjoyed reading his autobiography. Excellent read and full of excellent info about the Great Bears of Alaska. Another great read is the story of Pinnell and Talifson. Not sure about the spelling on their names, but they sure carved out some space in the Boone and Crockett record book.

jbabcock I was wondering were you found his book at, I would like to pick up a copy

JohnB ---- I bought a Hal Waugh book upon reccomendation of my outfitter, because he guided the territory Waugh hunted for years. I stayed two days on the lake where Waugh had his camp, before I jumped off into the Farewell Burn on a Moose hunt. The two days were spent glassing the mountains around the camp. Just knowing that it was the location of so many hunts by Waugh was indeed inspiring. We looked at many Sheep, Caribou, Bears, Wolfe, Moose while waiting for the outfitter to drive the horses to the Moose camp. I have never spent a more enjoyable two days, not hunting. My fellow hunter was a shooter, reloader, hunter also. We swapped loads and many experiences, as well as many hunting tales, prior to a very successful hunt in the classic Alaskan style. -----summitx--- I got my book from Gene Bryner, a book dealer in Anchorage. His number is 907-345-4168. He sends me a list every few months. It currantly does not list a Waugh book, however you could alert him for the future. Good luck and good shooting.

I read "Game Trails with a Master Guide" (?) It was all about Hal Waugh a very good read.

That's the one I read, it has a picture of "Big Nan", Hal's Model 70, rechambered to 375 Weatherby on the cover. He considered that caliber "thee" Brown Bear caliber. I will get the names of Pinnell and Talifson's 2 books for you as well. They hunted during the same time period out of Olga Bay. Their stories are just as good, in fact maybe better. I think they still have the most hunters who's Bears made the Boone and Crockett record book. Fascinating reading about 2 men who came to Alaska with nothing, and carved out the stuff of legends on Kodiak Island.



It always makes me smile when I read about those who want to shoot the Brown Bear with a 30-06. Pinnell and Talifson swore by the 375 H&H. Read these 3 books and you'll see why they all 3, based upon experience, had the opinions they did about bringing enough gun

Glad all enjoyed the thread. I have the one of Waugh's and am trying to find Fair Chase with Alaska Guides. Also have the Last of the Great Brown Bear Men. Another great read is the biography of Hasselborg when he lived and hunted in SE Alaska. Now there was a Bear hunter...he got whooped one time really bad. Did most of his shooting I think with a .348 Win.

JBabcock: Back then the .375 H&H was the "big" gun for bears, but the .30-06 was also being used by some guides as their own "all around" gun. For example, Bud Kuncle (not sure about the spelling of his last name) had both a .375 H&H and a .30-06. He would use his .375 H&H for backing his clients on polar bear hunts, but he would use his .30-06 on his own hunts.

Pinnell and Talifson had .375's to back their clients, but according to their stories, all sorts of guns from large to small where used by his clients.

Nowadays there are lots of cartridges from the .338WM to the .458 that are used by guides to back their clients, but as an "all around" cartridge in Alaska, the .30-06 is still very popular. The most popular cartridges in Alaska, at least until 1999, were the .30-06, .300WM, and the .338WM. My favorite "all around" cartridge is the .338WM, but if I was only hunting bears I would not mind one of the .416's as a second gun for all my hunting in Alaska.

For those that are interested, the Hasselborg biography is titled "Bear Man of Admiralty Island" by John R Howe. It is a very interesting book.

Another that some of you may like is "Grizzlies Don't Come Easy" by Ralph W. Young. This is the self-written story of a 30 year Alaskan guide/outdoorsman who guided Jack O'Connor and Warren Page on some of their bear hunts. Another one of the "must-have" books for your Alaskan library.

Chip