Alaskan Brown Bear Hunt

I made a trip to Alaska in June to hunt Brown Bear. This was a guided hunt because, by Alaska law, a guide is required for non-residents to hunt brown bear or grizzly bear. The hunt area was along the Cook Inlet region in southern Alaska. My group was the first of the year to hunt, since the pandemic restrictions caused Alaska Fish & Game to close the bear season to non-residents through the end of May. But it opened back up on June 1st to NR's. Lucky for me that was the first scheduled day of my hunt.

We were flown into a huge river bottom area by Super Cub bush plane, where we set up a tent camp. This was a baited hunt, and the bait site was located about a mile away from camp, on the opposite side of the river. We had to wade the river each day in chest waders to get to the stand. It doesn't look like much of a crossing in this pic, but the braided stream had about 6 crossings, each spanning about 10-40 yards wide, with swift water waist deep and higher. The racing water would shift the stream bottom every day, forcing us to move further upstream or downstream to find a crossable spot.

This is a view looking up river from the far shore where the stand was located.

The main species of animals we saw in this valley were Moose, black bear and brown bear, with lots of tracks visible cutting across the soft sandy bottoms.

Daylight ran from about 2 or 3 am thru about 12 am each night. We would go out to hunt in the early afternoon, with a plan to stay all night if needed. Shooting is legal around the clock, 24 hours a day.

The bait used was ordinary dry dog food. The black bears and brown bears both love it. So much in fact, that the outfitter had to fly back in every day and replenish the bait with two or three 50-lb bags. Generally the food would all be gone by 8 or 9 pm. After the food was gone, the bears would still come in, but didn't usually stay very long or offer good shot opportunities.

In this area hunters are allowed to shoot 2 brown bears, and up to 5 black bears (3 for NR). The Alaska Fish & Game obviously has recognized an issue with controlling an over-abundant bear population.

The plan though was to shoot a brown bear first, before even thinking about shooting any blacks. But there was a constant stream of black bears coming in, and tussling over the food.

Sow with three cubs.

This one was curious. I think the bears knew we were there pretty much at all times, but didn't seem too afraid.

We finally had to shoo him off when he started coming up the tree.

These were the first brown bears that came in....a sow and a boar. The sow is the smaller, lighter colored bear.

I didn't get a shot on the boar in that instance, because he got nervous right after this pic was taken, and they both took off.

A couple hours later though, they both returned, and I was able to shoot the boar. Didn't get any video of the shot, just the grip and grin pics afterwards.

He was a pretty good sized one!

That he was "big"...is kind of an understatement. It took everything three of us could do to get him turned over.

We didn't measure the cape yet, but the skull later green-scored well above the P&Y minimum.

Once we got him all sorted and sent back to base camp by Super Cub, I spent a couple days hunting black bears. Shot this decent one.

By the way, those white spots you see in front of my face and the bear are not dust specks, they are Alaska's State Bird...the "megamosquito"....

I even spotted a few morels while we were in the woods...never knew they had them up there.

Hard to understand how imposing and intimidating those Brown Bears really are, until you have one up-close and personal!

The mountain just left of center is the Redoubt Volcano, overlooking our camp.

Great pics and story....thanks for sharing.

Great pics and story as usual! Not to mention a couple great bears!!! Congratulation!!!

You keep all the fat. Is it all what everyone rants about?

Those coastal bears are pretty much inedible due to the high amount of fish in their diet, unfortunately.

Great pic stick, looks like a great time !

Congratulations Greg... on another awesome, beautiful, and successful bow hunt!
I'm jealous of all your hunting excursions... but yet very happy for you that you have those opportunities and experiences!
Gorgeous bears bro... congrats again!!

Got an update for anyone who might be interested in scores.....

The brown bear skull was officially measured by Pope & Young scorer Jack Fields last week and measured 25-10/16". Minimum for P&Y is 20", so he'll make the book.

Very nice Greg!
He made it in with ease too!
Big headed bruin for sure!!
Thanks for sharing your final score

Thanks Ernie.

I'd actually love to do that hunt again, but it's not in the cards.

But maybe a grizzly hunt will be!