Hunter Down

I know they were hunting black bear, so even in AK a guide would not be required; my point is how dangerous it is to track a wounded Brown Bear

Jim, just reading about it gets the hair on my neck up.
I GUARANTEE THAT ANYONE WHO HAS EVER FACED A SERIOUS, CLOSE RANGE CHARGE FROM A WOUNDED BEAR IN THICK "PUCKER BRUSH" WILL DO THEIR VERY BEST TO AVOID EVER HAVING TO DO IT AGAIN.

The hunter who shot this bear told me that if I put a bullet in "his" bear that he would not tag it and that I would have to use my own tag. Then after he shot it in the hind foot, rear end and guts and it got into the pucker brush and he could hear it roaring and thrashing around he told me that he was afraid to go in after it and that I would have to do it alone and shoot it myself.
I hear those stories all the time and it usually indicates a guy who can not shoot well. That is why Alaska has the law that a guide is responsible for for makeing sure a wounded animal does not escape.

Phil,

That looks like your 30-06!

Alan

It is, the client was so sure of himself and insistant that I not shoot I chose to carry it instead of my 458. I knew I could get the job done with the 30-06 and 220 Partitions as I had done it before but in all honesty I was wishing for the 458 when the bear came for me.

Phil, you telling me, you can kill a Brown Bear in Alaska with a 30-06 blued gun in a wood stock, what will they think of next.

thank you Lon Paul

Phil, great bear and great story!

It reminds me of Hemingway's PH in the Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber: "You don’t have to go in, of course. That’s what I’m hired for, you know. That’s why I’m so expensive."

The 220 partition is my favorite 30cal bullet. I use 53.5 grains of I4831. What load do you use?

Cheers,
Bob

Let's see......

.458"
-.308"
=.15"

15 hundredeth's of an inch! My pucker factor would be a lot SMALLER!

Great job Phil! Please share more of "your" involvement with putting that bear down and the other bear put down with your 30-06.

Alan

The interior grizz have been feasting on caribou gut piles of late where I call home. I have seen 8 bear in last couple weeks, while out moose hunting. Neighbors have shot 3, most around 4-5 hundred lbs. Here's a pict of one got last night, typical interior bear. We don't get those huge coastal bear, but friends from Kodiak tell me all the big bear been shot off down there too, mostly 400 lbers remain. Everytime I stop and glass I see bear myself, just don't want to take the time to shoot one.

nothing like thinkin' its a black, wounding it, then getting killed by it...not a good day to buy a lotto ticket.

I always love the "don't shoot my bear!" speech from clients...i guess they think i like tossin' 8 dollar bullets around...kill it yourself and save me money! thats what i'm talkin' about! nice bear phil!

What a monster bear Phil! Great job! Too bad about the client. What did it measure out (square and skull) to be if you don't mind.

On large and dangerous game if I would muff the frist shot or two. I would welcome the extra holes in the hide.


Going into the thick stuff after some one or something that wants you dead. Surely does increase the pucker value

I am very happy to make it dead so one would't have to chase it.

Just a little update for this story as I read an article in the Idaho Statesman last week that gave more information.

Apparently the hunter that was killed was actually killed by a bullet fired by the hunting partner. It fully penetrated the bear and hit the hunter in the chest. Pretty tough situation for those guys.

I happened again this year! Out of the half dozen shots fired by the client there was one solid gut shot, two front claws shot off and two hits that only tore hide off. The client and his buddy stayed on the gravel bar while I unraveled the bear's trail, playing cat and mouse with it in the thick stuff until it raised up 30 yards ahead to see where I was and I was able to place a 500 gr Swift through it's shoulders.

Yet another great bear you've gotten Phil!

I shot this one in September in Upper Togiak. My first shot at 13 yards broke the shoulder, tore up both lungs and turned out to be the killing shot. I went into the willows with Jason to finish him, but it wasn't necessary. We found him dead a tense 10 minutes later after following the blood trail.

Phil,

which would have been more dangerous, going in alone, or taking one of these clowns in with you?

Rich

I think I already know the answer

Foreigners! Was Wes in camp this year? How about brother Luke?

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
Phil,

which would have been more dangerous, going in alone, or taking one of these clowns in with you?

Rich

I think I already know the answer

I was going to ask that too Rich, but I was too polite lol ...

Chuck, that is a nice bear. "Fatboy" (Jason) is a good guide.

ABOB, Wes is back in school in Bozeman but Luke was here and left this morning.

As for having clients help me follow-up wounded bears -- while I might like, or sometimes need, help - if someone can not place a killing shot on a bear at fifty or sixty yards when they are relatively calm, I certainly don't want them "helping" me from behind with a loaded rifle when things are happening fast and furious at close range!

Here is another photo of my 458 I titled "Beauty and the Beast"

Thanks Phil, I mentioned to Jason I had asked you via this forum for advice before I went and he said you were one of the few legendary Alaskan brown bear guides.

I'm still waiting for Sean at D&C in Anchorage to come back with both a squaring and skull measurement, but regardless, I had a great hunt "up close and personal". Jason was not only a wonderful guide but great company.

Man what would Joe Want say about these clients gut shooting these bears. I find it very sad, myself!

It's worse than sad, it makes a guy start to wonder why he is in the business. Bears deserve better.
I know Jow Want had to put plenty of his bullets into bears that were poorly hit by his clients. That is why he carried a 500 H&H Royal for years

On a happier day

Phil,

That undoubtedly is the ugliest hunting rifle I've ever seen. I have one nearly its twin but not as well worn as yours.

Mark

She may be ugly - but she sure can cook

Mark, glad you said ugly "rifle" & not ugly "hunter"

Guns can be like some women -- they can't tell you what they want; but they don't hesitate to tell if they don't like it; until you find just the right thing

Not all of my guns are ugly. My second most favorite rifle is pretty easy on the eyes. And works well also.

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
Phil,

That undoubtedly is the ugliest hunting rifle I've ever seen. I have one nearly its twin but not as well worn as yours.

Mark

Must run in the family - you should see his son's .375 Ruger. Makes "Ol' Ugly" look like Cinderella!

Nice bear chuck375!

A good first shot, as you did on your bear, would make threads like this all but disappear!

No drawn out follow up needed on this one. The hunter broke the boar's shoulder with his first shot and visibly deflated him with a solid double lung hit with his second.

Nice bear PWS! Awesome job by both guide and hunter!

I do wonder what the bear behind you in the photo is thinking though ...

quote:

I do wonder what the bear behind you in the photo is thinking though ...

Probably something along the lines of "cool, I got me a new fishing hole!"

Nice bear by the way!

Mike, looks like your leg healed up nicely

quote:

Originally posted by 458Win:
It's worse than sad, it makes a guy start to wonder why he is in the business. Bears deserve better.
I know Jow Want had to put plenty of his bullets into bears that were poorly hit by his clients. That is why he carried a 500 H&H Royal for years

Phil my hat off to you going in after those bears... Me if I had to do it I would be scared shitless lol. My bear gun is a 416 rigby that I can shoot pretty good.. Like to shoot a big one with it need to stop messing around in 16b and go find the bigger ones up in unit 13...

Mike, thats the first photo I've seen of that bear. Maybe this thread should be "why we need guides like PWS"

Some big old bears! Hats off to Phil for making sure the bears didn't get away.

quote:

Originally posted by PWS:
Nice bear chuck375!

A good first shot, as you did on your bear, would make threads like this all but disappear!

No drawn out follow up needed on this one. The hunter broke the boar's shoulder with his first shot and visibly deflated him with a solid double lung hit with his second.

PWS whats teh story on the bear looking over your shoulder?

Nice bear by the way and good job!

quote:

Originally posted by broncoformudv:

PWS whats teh story on the bear looking over your shoulder?

That was my thought as well.


Nice bear and great photo.

.

Hunting is man's oldest endeavor and the celebrating and telling of stories at the end has played an integral and important part in our developement as humans.
The success I have had over all the years is due in no small part to all the great people who I have worked with. The hunters, guides and crew this year were as good as they come and I want to thank everyone who made it all work this past bear season.

Thanks to all of you

quote:

Originally posted by guns68:

quote:

I do wonder what the bear behind you in the photo is thinking though ...

Probably something along the lines of "cool, I got me a new fishing hole!"

You're pretty much spot on guns68.

With the way the wind was blowing, the best approach to where the bears were fishing the creek was right up the stream. We worked our way upstream past 6-7 smaller bears when we got to a tight bend with three bears giving each other the stink-eye over fishing rights. Big Boy sauntered in and pushed the other two out of the hole so I told my client that's the one we want. Being an experience sheep hunter, he wriggled around and got a good steady rest even though we weren't much more than 40 yards away. BOOM and the boar starts spinning around, biting at his shoulder. After a good pause, I put a 9,3 into it's back but didn't have much effect. The bear then clawed his way over to the creek bank and tried to climb out despite only having one front leg working. The client thumped him hard across the chest and that pretty much sealed the deal.

That fat sow in the background of the picture wouldn't leave us alone until we hazed her pretty good with rocks and logs. She'd give Rosie O'Donnell a run at the snackbar and definately knew where the good fishing was - and wanted to be there whether we had guns or not!

The whole time the packer and I skinned the bear, the client kept watch and at least another 6-7 bears came past, wanting to fish in the same hole. I'll admit a bit of relief when we finally loaded up and moved out!


FWIW, we went six for six, all good 9'6"+ boars and Tia's pistol shootin' client got the big one of the season. It sure is a pleasure working with Phil and the crew!

who was the lucky charm packer this year since Wes is in school?

WE had four outstanding packers this season and all of them got to help skin and pack. Each of them have the skills to make good guides if they decide to stay with it.