Many of us know Phil Shoemaker as 458Win on AR and a thought provoking author for Rifle Magazine. Now I know Phil, his wife Rocky Harrison & crew at Grizzly Skins as first class guides, awesome hosts, and great all-around Americans! I had the privilege of accompany my cousin on a spring bear hunt with Grizzly Skins. This was my first guided hunt so I’m no expert, but I can’t imagine any outfit doing a better job.

No, my cousin didn’t get his bear, but he was the only hunter out of five who did not get a “trophy” class bear. My cousin came looking for a 9.5 foot or better bear and Mother Nature just didn’t cooperate (State Troopers told us it was slow/late on the entire peninsula this year). I can say unequivocally, it was not Grizzly Skin’s fault. Besides the rotten weather, my cousin is 70 and was not up to any long stalks. When our spotting hill, which usually sees a lot of action, turned out to be an especially late producer, Phil offered to move us. Phil knows his hunting area. Phil & Rocky built a home and raised a family in their hunting area on the Kejulik River. They still live in it for much of the year; they know this area like you know your backyard.

Having gotten his client a very mature 10 footer with a 28” skull during the first week, one of Phil’s guides volunteered to join us to help spot. You often hear of 2 clients per 1 guide; how often do you hear of 2 guides per 1 hunter -- for over a week!

Our two guides, Luke & Mike, worked their butts off both in camp and on the spotting hill. I actually gained weight on the trip thanks to Luke’s cooking. Oh yea, did I mention Rocky’s pies, biscuits, breads, and cookies (which Phil resupplied at least twice during the hunt).

My only regret was not being able to spend more time at base camp. First, there is Rocky’s wonderful cooking. More than once during our 16 days I volunteered to return to base camp for some made up reason but was always denied. Next, Lon Paul spent the season with Phil, who wouldn’t want to pick his brain. Phil & Rocky’s son Taj had sent a year guiding in Africa, I had a few questions for him also. And finally, there is the Master himself, Phil has forgotten more about bear hunting and rifles than most of us will ever know; and he has some mystical powers.

I remember one particularly nasty, cold, rainy day on the spotting hill (again the weather was nasty & cold this spring even by Peninsula standards) the wind let up and Phil flew in to check on us. We had not seen a bear in over 30 hours when he made it to the well trampled area on our spotting hill. Upon his arrival, the sun came out and he quickly pointed out a bear that just magically appeared in a snow field across the valley. No sooner than he left, the wind picked up and it started raining hard again for 2 days; we went another 24 hours without a bear sighting. Phil says hunting bears is like hunting a jack-in-the-box; you never know when they will pop up. To quote one of Phil’s guides, you have to have patience & optimism when brown bear hunting. Before I forget, the highlight of each day was the 10 o’clock “As the Tundra Turns” radio updates and listening to excitable Ben’s reports on the day’s activities at his camp and the world’s luckiest packer Wes as he jumped from camp to camp.

I did get to a few precious hours at the “40” (base camp) and spent part of it touring Phil’s “man cave” (gun & reloading room). Point of order, I should come up with a better name for the room because Phil & Rocky’s daughter Tia is a crackerjack guide and expert shot with her 375 Ruger. I think “tool room” is a better description. The highlight of my tour was fondling “ole Ugly” which stands loaded and ready by the front door.

Bottom line: If you are looking for a Master guide who knows how to do it right; a crew of knowledgeable and experienced guides who will work their tails off to get you a bear; a hostess who meets you with a smile as you get off the plane and makes you feel welcome from the very first minute until you get back on the plane; a group of outdoorsman who will make you feel comfortable and safe; look no farther than Grizzly Skins of Alaska


Thanks again to my new friends: Phil, Rocky, Luke, Mike, Taj and Cecil

After re-reading my initial post, I don't want to give you the impression that all Rocky does is bake & cook; she is an integral part of the operation; she manages things from base camp while everyone is out doing the fun stuff in their hunting camps; trust me, she is on top of everything that is happening

cheechako from Ohio on spotting hill




Alaskan guide on same day

Abob

Thanks for posting those pictures, I hope someday I can save enough money to go hunt with Phil Shoemaker before he decides to retire. I have talked to him about bear hunting thru e-mails and he seems to be a very knowledgeable about bears and calibers. If I remember correctly I use to read articles about him or from him years ago.

Take care

Steve

Steve, you are spot on about Phil & his knowledge of Brown Bears & bear guns

His hunting area is surrounded by active volcanoes; here is a shot of Mt Martin in Katmai National Park taken on one of the very few good days we had during our 16 day hunt

Hello Jim

I could just sit back and drink coffee and look at that country all day long, sure is beautiful. Hopefully it's in my near future, in fact I'm having a rifle built right now for my hunt up there.

I read from a few post that spring came late this year and made the spring bear hunting very tough. Thanks for sharing the picture, makes me wish I were there now.

Steve

quote:

Originally posted by Abob:
Steve, you are spot on about Phil & his knowledge of Brown Bears & bear guns

His hunting area is surrounded by active volcanoes; here is a shot of Mt Martin in Katmai National Park taken on one of the very few good days we had during our 16 day hunt

GREAT pix..
Thanks for posting it!!

Folks seem to like pictures so here's another

Too bad this one wasn't about five years older.

Thanks Mike, it was fun watching him come down the mountain, over the disco penguin and across the valley.

We had 3 bears come within 250 yards of our spotting hill that day.

The big bear taken with Phil's assistant guide PWS this year

Here is ABOB holding Ole Ugly

Both he and Dan were great to have in camp and I'll attach photos of the other bears as he didn't get to see all of them before leaving

See you in the valley this fall when we get in Jim
Thanks for the kind words

Guide ben with Scott's bear

You can see they had to hike high for this one.

Taj & Bob with Bob's bear

That is Taj's 475 Turnbull that he was carrying

Phil & Lon with Bob's hide
Notice large scar on it's back between shoulders

Phil, thanks for posting the great pictures....some wonderful animals there.

Really good stuff, thanks for taking the time to post it for our benefit.

Here is the bear my client Doug shot. He was the second hunter to fill his tag, which is why I was available to drop in on other camps.


The rifle I carried this year is one of the new Zoli Z-gun 450/400 doubles so I let PWS carry Ole Ugly. I didn't need it as a single shot from Doug's Tikka .338 and 230gr Winchester FailSafes took the boar just behind the on-side shoulder and broke the off shoulder for a quick one shot kill.