# My Alaska black bear hunt 2021



## brushbuster

Haha. Nope, last day bear. Saw some tanks and put 4 stalks on but the bear I shot wasnt a giant. Still a good time


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## brushbuster




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## brushbuster




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## Tilden Hunter

Be sure to tell us about that Remington pump also.


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## ninepntr

Looks like a great hunt, Love your setup!
How was the weather, temp., rain?
Fish pics? Wolf sign?

Looking forward to more pics and stories


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## brushbuster

Well fellas, it was an awesome trip. Due to an extended winter we didn't see but 5 bears. I put down 2 bow stalks on decent sized bear, but couldn't seal the deal with the bow, close but no cigar. The first bow stalk bear was spotted directly across from us on a small island. We just finished a long paddle and had stopped to take a break. As we got back in the kayak we spotted our first bear on Wednesday morning. I Paddled quickly to the island and got out at about 100 yards from the bear, which at this time was starting to walk away from us. I scurried along in the water making my way to the bear and at 50 yards he vanished into the tongass jungle.
Bear number 2 was an absolute tank, dubbed the buffalo bear. This bear was spotted at 5 pm 6 miles from camp. I grabbed the rifle for this Brute as the terrain was steep due to the low tide and Rocky Cliff like shore preventing a close quiet stalk. I made my way along the water with a good wind and got to my target ambush spot just as the wind shifted for the evening blowing my stench directly at him. I peered over the rock and my fear rang true as I searched in vain over the grassy cliff bench.
Back in the Kayak for the dissapointing paddle back towards camp. I looked back at the peninsula that the buffalo bear was on and spotted another bear. We quickly turned around and paddled back covering a half mile rather quickly. Grabbed the bow and back in the water for another stalk. I made it 75 yards and was sight busted. Defeated for the day we paddled back to camp.
Thursday was my last day. I felt I had my chance with the bow and blew it so I grabbed my dad's rifle for the last hoorah. We put in a fill day of glassing the known bear hang outs from the previous day to no avail. Darkness encroached as we faced a 6 mile paddle back to camp. We neared the island of the first bear sighting and waited as long as we dated. Finaly, I accepted defeat and started paddling past bear Island. I turned my head back for one final glance at a grassy patch. My heart rushed as that farewell glance spotted a black figure in the middle of the grass. As quickly as I whispered bear and got the Kayak on course the bear disappeared into the jungle. Determined on getting that bear I commanded that we paddle around the island in a desperate attempt to catch the bear in another opening on the island. My buddy reluctantly sighed as the rain commenced once again. We made our way around the island and wouldn't ya know, out pops a bear. A focused paddle put us in reach I stand up out of the boat feet hitting the water and cross hairs on the bear. She tumbled from the blast to the shoulder, let out a death moan as we both stood in absolute disbelief as to what just happened.
I killed that bear on the last day on our final paddle back to camp with an hour to spare. 
Got her broke down put in game bags lashed it to the kayak and made our triumphant paddle back to camp laughing and joking the whole way. Haha


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## brushbuster

Tilden Hunter said:


> Be sure to tell us about that Remington pump also.


So the 760 game getter belonged to my dad I remember going to the the hardware store with him when I was just 9 or 10. My 2 brothers and uncle got the gamemaster semi autos. All chambered in 30 06. My dad gave it to me several years ago and I rarely use it. I was glad I took it with me. Still drives tacks.


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## Nostromo

Congratulations, you got your bear. Nice work!


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## brushbuster

I'll post more pictures when my buddy dumps them in a drive. He got some awesome video also and we plan on putting together a trailer.
Feel free to ask questions for those that might be interested in a trip like this. I have some contacts and have done quite a bit research. With hunts like this one timing is everything and depends quite a bit on season change like early spring/ late spring/ heavy snows etc. 
On this hunt winter had just left not more than a few weeks ago. It was cold and damp and played a role on grass greening and bear activity.


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## brownty1

Awesome story, pretty epic you got a bear in the last hour. Also sounds like you had a great time stalking bears with a bow, not an easy thing to do and it’s an accomplishment to get within 50 yards, congrats!


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## brushbuster

ninepntr said:


> Looks like a great hunt, Love your setup!
> How was the weather, temp., rain?
> Fish pics? Wolf sign?
> 
> Looking forward to more pics and stories


It rained everyday, but we did see sun and blue skies. Monday it poured on us all day and we were glad we had a stove in the tent. We use charcoal to get a fire going in the stove and added wood . The charcoal really helped in igniting damp wood.
Temps were in the low 50s mostly durring the day with it dipping down into the 30s at night.
We didn't fish much at all the streams were extremely skinny.
We did cut some wolf tracks but no sightings.


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## Tilden Hunter

I'm glad the effort paid off. Sometime you have to hunt down to the wire.


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## steelyspeed

Wow, looks like a great place to spend a week. When does the season close?

If you did it again, would you have brought in a skiff? Or would that not have been possible for where you flew in to?


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## brushbuster

steelyspeed said:


> Wow, looks like a great place to spend a week. When does the season close?
> 
> If you did it again, would you have brought in a skiff? Or would that not have been possible for where you flew in to?


We were on the most remote side of the island, pretty dangerous to bring a skiff over there. If you wanted to fork out the cash to ship a small inflatable zodiak or something similar and rent a small outboard in town that would be the way to go. I would take my kayak again, but I now know the area I would hunt and just hang out there instead of paddling 15- 20 miles a day.
I believe the season ends end of June for that unit.
I would definitely go again but late May and take my chances on rubbed bears. I would also concentrate my efforts on all the small islands. We kinda over looked them and it wasn't until the end of the hunt that we noticed these little island held bear.
We talked with several groups back in town that hunted mitkof and kuupreonof islands, they all ran into people. We didn't see a soul, never heard a plane or boat, totally wild area.


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## brushbuster

Also Kuiu would be a fun place to hunt deer. No brown bears to deal with and we saw several deer every day.


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## brushbuster

I also highly recommend Doug from Nordic air. He charged us 600 bucks a flight. He let us use his hanger to repack and freeze meat and hides, gave us crucial info and was just an accomodating guy. He has a small plane and is limited on weight but 3 trips would still be cheaper than 2 on a beaver. Only 2 pilots on Petersburg.


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## BumpRacerX

Man this looks like an epic adventure!

Did you try any fishing out of the 'yak? That just looks like water that would be great for dragging a spoon or jigging.


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## brushbuster

BumpRacerX said:


> Man this looks like an epic adventure!
> 
> Did you try any fishing out of the 'yak? That just looks like water that would be great for dragging a spoon or jigging.


My buddy threw a line out. He caught a couple small dolly Varden trout. He didn't get deep enough for halibut.
The pictures of this place dont do it justice. It reminded me of northern Canada. A Boreal forest dotted with islands. Wildlife galore.
I think I will be going back for a moose hunt.


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## on a call

brushbuster said:


> My buddy threw a line out. He caught a couple small dolly Varden trout. He didn't get deep enough for halibut.
> The pictures of this place dont do it justice. It reminded me of northern Canada. A Boreal forest dotted with islands. Wildlife galore.
> I think I will be going back for a moose hunt.


yes moose !!!!!
But getting them home is the problem.


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## brushbuster

on a call said:


> yes moose !!!!!
> But getting them home is the problem.


Ill just shoot a small one haha


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