Hi
I'm in the process of talking to Outfiers about a BB Hunt next year. One of the Outfitters offers spring hunts using snow machines, another offers Boat hunts in SE Alaska. I have never hunted in either manner, does any one have a opinion and advice.
Thanks
Dr B

I've done the boat hunt in S.E. Alaska a couple of times, once for brown bears and once for black bears. The views are wonderful, and the fresh seafood is too! The coastal rain forest is truly something to behold. It is a wet hunt, we wore full rain gear every time we left the main boat. The sun does come out on and off again but it rains every day. Hunting consisted of cruising around the bays and coves in a 16' aluminum boat until a bear was spotted. We saw lots of bears and when one finally gets a look at what he's after the boat is parked and off you go on a stalk. I would love to do one of these again! If you decide on this hunt, use plenty of gun, you want to anchor the bear ASAP. If they get off the beach and up into the forest, tracking is very difficult because they don't bleed much.

A buddy of mine did the boat hunt in the Alaska and loved it. I cant wait to do one now. Have to wait until this deployments over to go play.

Hunting our big bears in SE Ak from a boat is a classic Alaskan hunt another would be a backpack hunt. Nothing against the snowgo's, it's not what I would consider a classic Alaskan bear hunt. The boat hunts can be very spendy, if thats a factor for you.

-Ron

I did a black bear spring boat hunt in 03 and had a friend do a spring interior hunt in 05. I believe the interior hunt will be far more rigoruous than the boat hunt.

The seafood and scenery opportunities will be much better on a boat hunt than an interior hunt.

while snow machines sound interesting, I am suspect of their use when approaching an up and moving bear. Chasing a bear in the snow sounds great, but is more than most people can adequately handle.

I'll be doing future BB hunts in the spring and from a boat.

hunting from the boats is a wonderful experience, also one to bring your better half along. The downside is that the bears are not as large as on the island or peninsula. The black bears are huge however. Snow machine hunts are a bit iffy. You have to be there when the snow is there and the bears are waking up. Given a choice I'll take the boat hunt in early may

A very good friend of mine whom keeps his residence in Alaska but logs in Idaho during the summer has a fishing boat there or atleast did till a cutter ran into it.But he has film on Bear hunting from his boat.Awesome to say the least.Some giants...The whole idea of hunting from a boat seems appealing after watching his video's.

I too would take the boat over the snowmachines.

Jayco

quote:

Originally posted by BHW
....while snow machines sound interesting, I am suspect of their use when approaching an up and moving bear. Chasing a bear in the snow sounds great....

Chasing a bear with a snowmachine would be illegal in Alaska. All the snowmachine does is allow you to access the general area. From there it's spot & stalk, sometimes on snowshoes.

did a brownie hunt by boat 1995; shot with 338 mag 50 yds. enjoyed the experience but not satisfied with the outfitter/guides. had a great hunt 2002 with master guide brad dennison; partner & i both took nice bears, his squared 9'2". would recommend dennison without reservation. am going black bear hunting with him 2007.( my 2nd was at 20 yds-bring enough gun)

My bear.

hardballer;

congrats on your bear. glad you had a nice hunt.

chazgreen; glad you got a bear. tell us about who the outfitter you had the bad experience with was?

Thanks CZ.

Hardballer, nice bear, what rifle are you using?

Chuck

Chuck,
I was shooting a Colt Light Rifle in 300 Win Mag. The rifle look customized because a friend of mine painted the stock for me. I also replaced the Colt trigger with a Shilen 700 trigger. Load was 200 gr Partition. I'll probably catch a lot of "flak" for this but I hunted by myself. Could not find a back up gunner, but I really wanted a brownie. Andrew Air dropped me off and they checked on me the first two days because they were a little concern. Thought about buying a 375 model 70 but I was pretty confident with my 300. The bear only took one shot. Broke it's back with the 300 and finished it off with 4 rounds of 45 Colt loaded with 300 gr Hornady over a hefty charge of 296. Needless to say it was a very exciting hunt.

quote:

Originally posted by HARDBALLER:
Chuck,
I was shooting a Colt Light Rifle in 300 Win Mag. The rifle look customized because a friend of mine painted the stock for me. I also replaced the Colt trigger with a Shilen 700 trigger. Load was 200 gr Partition. I'll probably catch a lot of "flak" for this but I hunted by myself. Could not find a back up gunner, but I really wanted a brownie. Andrew Air dropped me off and they checked on me the first two days because they were a little concern. Thought about buying a 375 model 70 but I was pretty confident with my 300. The bear only took one shot. Broke it's back with the 300 and finished it off with 4 rounds of 45 Colt loaded with 300 gr Hornady over a hefty charge of 296. Needless to say it was a very exciting hunt.

Hardballer,

Good looking bear and done the honest way!

Congratulations and great job.

Greg

Looks like it did the trick in a most efficient manner.

Chuck

hardballer;

you have a large set of balls as well.

i salute you...

quote:

Originally posted by HARDBALLER:
My bear.

Hardballer,

Please spend a few moments here and tell us more about your hunt. Beautiful bear.

DB

I have done two boat hunts on the Penninsula and would highly recommed them. If you would like to PM me (anyone) I can give you guidance but probably too much to write here. I would avoid a snow machine event as I cannot imagine you are really in big bear country. Most likely Grizz. Best bet for large Brown is either Kodiak or the Penninsula. If you want to go to a story called Scarface you can read my story and see pics. Do not know how to link it to this thread or I would. For sure I would hunt spring if you want a large Boar.

bigbbear,
Congratulation on a beautiful bear.

cold zero; email me at chazgreen@intergate.com & we can talk about the hunt i was less than satisfied with/ chaz

My experience in SE Alaska was exactly what Butchbloc described. Very enjoyable but smaller bears. Our group took 5 and 3 were sows. Biggest bear was just over 8 feet. We hunted in the fall. I would do the spring next time when they're on the beaches.

There are also the Kamchatka hunts in Russia. I can't tell you much about them now, as I am taking one in May of '06.

BOWHUNR

Doc B
I have a couple options for Brownm Bear in Alaska in April/May and then in the fall. If your interested give me a call. One spring hunt in western Alaska is diccounted to $8250
Don

quote:

Originally posted by HARDBALLER:
Chuck,
I was shooting a Colt Light Rifle in 300 Win Mag. The rifle look customized because a friend of mine painted the stock for me. I also replaced the Colt trigger with a Shilen 700 trigger. Load was 200 gr Partition. I'll probably catch a lot of "flak" for this but I hunted by myself. Could not find a back up gunner, but I really wanted a brownie. Andrew Air dropped me off and they checked on me the first two days because they were a little concern. Thought about buying a 375 model 70 but I was pretty confident with my 300. The bear only took one shot. Broke it's back with the 300 and finished it off with 4 rounds of 45 Colt loaded with 300 gr Hornady over a hefty charge of 296. Needless to say it was a very exciting hunt.

congrats on having the cahones