Has anyone hunted with Andy Runyan of Exclusive Alaskan Hunts?

DavidP,

I know of him, and his family has a long history of hunting on Kodiak Island. I haven't heard anything negative. Guy's in his business don't make it very long in Kodiak if he was a dirt bag. In a small town, word gets out if someone been has been wronged. Hunters talk among hunters.

How do I know?....Kodiak is where I grew up and went to school, hunted & hunted, and did some commercial fishing.

Chris,
That sure helps. I've never heard anything bad about him myself, only good. He has a good honest reputation. I know he tends to take large bears on a fairly regular basis and has one of the better areas on Kodiak.

I'm hoping to speak with a few folks who have actually hunted with him to get some details and advice from a hunters stand point. I have a hunt booked with him for 2004 and I'm really looking forward to it.

I know he is getting up in age so I'm glad to have the opportunity to hunt with him.

I don't anyone who has personally hunted with Runyan but his name is well known and I've never heard it used badly.

In one of the Gun Digest annuals of the 1980s there was an article by Ray Ordorica (sp?) about bear hunting on Kodiak Island with Andy Runyan. Much of the text covered what would be an ideal bear rifle for the harsh conditions, and close, and not so close shooting of big bears. If memory serves correct, Ordorica mentions using his 450 or 470 double, but definitely did not like all the water that ended up on that fine rifle. Runyon's rifle was described as a 338 magnum necked up to take .411 caliber bullets, with 300 grains for long shots and 400 grains for close encounters. Definitely interesting reading, especially for the specifications of an ideal bear rifle by a guide who no doubt saw a large number of combinations used in the field...

johnnyreb,
I'll have to see if I can find that article, it sounds interesting. The weather conditions will be crummy and wet which is typical for a lot of Alaska so I'm working through all of that. I will be using my Mod 70 - 375 HH but I'm considering installing a composite stock due to the wet climate. I'm still toying with what bullet combo to use but most likely it will be TBBC in one of the higher grain weights.

Decisions...decisions....

david p;

good choices on composite stock and caliber. but, have heard and seen horror stories with the tbbc. especially, on that animal. better choice might be, nosler, barnes xlc, a-frame. m.h.o.

cold zero

cold zero,
You got my attention with that. I hadn't heard anything bad about the TBBC. Can you expand on anything in particular about them?

david;

nov. 1998 on kodiak i watched my friend shoot a deer in the chest with .270 w/ 150 tbbc, he dropped it , it ran into bush they could not find it. i told him i heard bad things about it, before this happened. he never fired another tbbc. he like i have been using noslers to good effect.

another friend from the s.c.i. took his .375 to africa. shot ----? big animal. same thing happened. he too never used them again. he also heard bad things about them. his experienced with them is no good either.

for police snipers shooting thru glass barriers at armed subjects, they are supposed to be the cats ass. are u a police sniper?

good luck.

cold zero

I haven't hunted with Andy Runyan but while returning from an unsuccessful Brown Bear hunt with a different outfitter on Kodiak this spring I asked two different fellows who unload the bush planes at the airport which outfitter typically has more hides unloaded per hunter in the field.

Neither of these fellows were anxious to recommend anyone (they obviously want to continue to work for them all) but after a good bit of conversation I gleaned that Andy Runyan was among the top outfitters from their experience of unloading hides from returning planes.

By the way, Atcheson and Sons books for Andy. Jack Atcheson jr. explained that Andy is getting up in years and is more of a "coach" than guide these days. I gather he has other guides to take you out and Andy uses his experience to direct them.

I am not sure whether Andy occasionally takes the hunter out himself these days but I think it would be great just to talk to this legendary fellow in the base camp.

Palmer,
Thank you for that input. That's pretty much the kind of info that I'm looking for. I'm really looking forward to this hunt next year and am looking forward to hearing some of Andy's stories and experiences. He's been around a long time and has som great success over the years.

This will be a once in a lifetime hunt so I have to make the best of it.

I'd love to hear about your Kodiak hunt and maybe some advice from someone that's been there. If you could email me I'd certainly appreciate it.

palmer;

no censorship here. please tell us who the outfitter was and the details. maybe we can learn something.

cold zero

David,

I have been on two unsuccessful Brown Bear hunts. The first in Spring of 02 was with Chris Goll (Rainbow River Lodge) who hunts near Illiamna. The second in the Spring of 03 was with Brian Peterson on Kodiak. Brian hunts around Ugak Bay. I took passes on bears under 9 feet on each hunt. Both outfitters seem to regularly get larger bears so my lack of success is not to be taken as a bad reflection on them.

Of the two places I have been, I thought Kodiak was by far the closest to my preconceived idea of what Alaska should be like and what a Brown Bear hunt should be like.

If I could back up and redo each hunt there is are several things I would do differently. However, both hunts will live in my memory as the best times I ever spent hunting.

I know others will disagree, but I think Africa doesn�t even begin to compare to Alaska. In Alaska you can still find a real wilderness adventure and I�m glad we can go when that is still possible.

This coming spring I will be returning to the peninsula to hunt with Phil Shoemaker (booked by Ray) and have high hopes for this hunt but if I were hunting Kodiak again there is no doubt that I would try to book with Andy Runyan. That is not to say that he is the best - I really don�t know that. I�m sure there are equally good or maybe better outfitters. However, I doubt any guide still hunting could tell you about the old days on Kodiak like Andy can and that is something money can�t buy once its gone.

Also, I may be wrong, but I believe Andy lives out in his hunting area and thus can observe bears every day. That has to be an advantage over someone who lives in Girdwood or in Silver City, NM.

I think you have the right hunt picked and will be successful in many ways. On this forum there are fellows that have a lot more experience than I who can give you advice but if I can help, it would be a pleasure. I have developed a Brown Bear packing list that I could e-mail if you wish. Please use your own and others ideas about that however.

Palmer,
They say, the third time is the charm so I'm sure you'll fill that tag this time. I'll wish you the best of luck with getting your 9 footer.

I'd appreciate your packing list if it's not too much trouble. Every bit of input helps in putting these trips together and getting a list from someone whose been there is gold.

Andy does live in his hunting area for most of the year so I have to coordinate when I can actually speak with him. He knows his area inside and out. He has been great so far and he seems like a real character with lots of stories. If I have a basic question I speak with his Daughter Shirley who lives in California. She handles the business end and has been a big help lately.

ugak bay, is top notch for brown bear. i have heard of brian peterson.

although, i have not heard of chris goll.

i salute your determination to try 3x's for the bear. it is bad enoungh paying the first time let alone three times!

i salute your wallet and your fortitude.

b.t.w.
how much did these guys charge?

cold zero

Palmer,

I also would be interested in your packing list, I'm head for the Penisula next spring.

Many Thanks

HBH

HBH
I had some PM's requesting the packing list so I just posted it on this forum so others could take a shot at improving on it. Hope that works for you.

Cold Zero
Most outfitters will charge $10,000 to $15,000 for the hunt.

Assuming you have your rifle and equipment you will also need airfare, basic tips, gifts for the family, licenses and bear tag. I usually figure all that at about $3,000. If I ever kill a bear I plan to add more to the tip depending on how hard the guide tried and how big the bear is.

If you don't have your bear rifle and equipment (binoculars, rangefinder, extra scope, clothing etc.) I would allow another $3,500 for that.

Then if you kill one you get to pay the taxidermist also.