2019 SE Alaska Black Bear

[rmyoung1]

I returned from SE Alaska a few days ago, and I thought I'd write up a brief summary. Like all trips north, this one wasn't short on adventure. It's fun on those Alaska Airlines flights from Seattle to start looking around at who is left on the plane. Inevitably, a bunch of fishermen and hunters sit around you as you head for Ketchikan/Wrangell/Petersburg/Juneau. On this particular trip, I had the privilege of sitting directly in front of LCH as he headed for Ketchikan on his way to hunt POW. (Good to meet you, @LCH ) Our party, however, continued to Petersburg. We stayed at Calder Mountain Lodge in Point Baker on the northern tip of POW. Our tags were valid for Kuiu Island, however, and we rented nice 20-foot skiffs with canvas tops and 90hp outboard motors from the folks at Calder Mtn Lodge.

 

[rmyoung1]

There were four of us in our party: my dad, my dad's friend AC, AC's son Scott, and myself. Somehow I drew the long straw on Day 3 after AC harvested his bear the day before. I tried to get Scott to shoot next since I had taken a bear on Kuiu back in 2015. Scott wouldn't hear it, however. He's an oncologist, and I've learned not to argue with doctors. So... I grabbed my rifle and we cruised the many bays and inlets on Kuiu's eastern shore looking for bears. After a long, sunny day with fewer bear sightings than the previous two days, I spotted a bear feeding along a tidal flat at the back end of a large bay.

 

[rmyoung1]

 

[rmyoung1]

We beached the boat about 1,000 yards from the bear, downwind. Scott and I jumped out. Our fathers then backed the boat back into deeper water and waited. Fortunately, the bear was pretty busy feeding on the lush green grass growing at the back of the tidal flat, but it wasn't going to hold him forever. About the time I got to the 300-yard mark, he decided to head for the fresh water stream at the back of the bay.

 

[rmyoung1]

He walked about 65 yards straight away from me, presenting only a butt-shot. With the famously-thick Alaska rain forest just beyond the creek, I was prepared to wave good-bye if he continued walking. Fortunately, at 365 yards, he stopped and turned broadside. By this time, my heart rate had settled, and I was ready. I applied pressure to the trigger, and the shot flipped him into the creek. But... unbelievably... he got to his feet and made it (uphill!) into the brush. I couldn't believe it. What had happened? I walked the 365 yards to find his exit trail lined with bright red lung blood. That made me feel better. Dad then jumped off the boat and ran up the beach to join me. We found him piled up maybe thirty yards into the brush, directly under a moss-covered fallen spruce log.

 

[rmyoung1]

Dragging that big ol' guy back to the water line was serious work that required the use of a cheap poly tarp, but we managed. The boar exceeded my expectations in nearly every respect. His hide is practically flawless, and his skull measured 19-14/16". That's a rough measurement that'll shrink some, obviously, after all the flesh is cleaned up and the drying period ends, but I am thrilled. I wish I could attribute it to my bear-hunting skill. In reality, I was just fortunate. All I knew was that he looked like the thickest bear we had seen and that I should probably shoot since two other hunters in the boat also wanted the chance to punch a tag.

In the end, all four of us tagged bears. AC kept quoting an old Winnie the Pooh episode: "I just thought we were having fun. I didn't know we were making memories."

I couldn't say it any better, myself.

 

[Sask hunter]

Nice bear congrats!

 

[Deleted member 16014]

Great pics. That bear hunting sweater is amazing. Decent bear too!

 

[Trial153]

awesome, thanks for posting!

 

[brownbear932008]

Man thanks I gotta get back there this spring has almost killed me reading these threads. Congrats beautiful bear....

 

[Buschy]

Great hunt and a gorgeous bear! Congratulations.

 

[EYJONAS!]

Man.... you go on some cool damn trips. A stud bruin to cap it off with. Thanks for sharing this hunt is quickly getting higher and higher on my list.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

AC kept quoting an old Winnie the Pooh episode: "I just thought we were having fun. I didn't know we were making memories."

Love this quote, sometimes when you’re caught up in a trip you forget to stop for a moment and take in the experience.

 

[Dave N]

Very cool! Someday, maybe, hopefully... Once I move there it may get easier, but I'll just see how it goes. Great pictures and nice bear!

 

[35cal]

Awesome bear! What fat head on him

 

[muskeg]

nice ...

 

[Twolftg]

Congrats! Hoping to have that be my next big adventure, although planning that trip seems a little daunting!

 

[Nick87]

Congrats! Awesome bear. After reading these posts the last couple days I'm pretty sure Alaska is gonna be the spot year after next.

 

[rmyoung1]

Congrats! Hoping to have that be my next big adventure, although planning that trip seems a little daunting!

Feel free to PM me if you have any questions that you feel I may be able to answer. I’d be happy to help. I’ve gone twice now, which doesn’t make me an expert, but a guy does learn a thing or two.

 

[npaden]

Congrats! Great fur on that boy for being such a big bear!