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[Kiwi]

Wow man, that type of hunt is a dream of mine! But as a non resident alien I need to hire a guide, which I may do even though I can’t really afford it!

The understory looks a bit like Fiordland, New Zealand. Coastal rain forest.

 

[SG25]

looks like an awesome trip and bear!

 

[Deleted member 28227]

I'm been wanting to do a trip like this for a while, not sure I would do bear, but something in SE AK. What gear did you bring and what do you think you could have done without? What's the backstory on the fishing only being a 4? What ended up being wrong with the motor? Sorry lots of Qs

Gear... extra stove, lantern, should have swapped out a cooler with a duffel bag, too many clothes (if it had been rainy could have been a different story, didn't need 4 knives, lots of small stuff like that, we should have just bought all our fishing lures and such up there.

Big trip winners were waders and a nomar gun case. I lived in my waders and I wouldn't hunt out of a boat without a nomar case... super easy to get your gun in and out of, it floats and is waterproof.

Also Randy's gear dump videos are spot on... he brings more than I did, but if you packed his list you would be able to handle anything.

Honestly, I had never fished salt water, we caught rockfish but didn't go out far enough or have the right gear, or it was too early to get into halibut/dolly/steelhead/salmon.

As far as the motor... no idea, to be completely honest. After the first day it would start after 1 pull, but right off the bat it wasn't having it.

 

[utahminer]

Thanks for sharing. I am in the process of planning my first trip to AK and this only gets me more excited.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Awesome adventure! Congrats!! Would you say this type of trip is best done with 1 shooter and one observer? You obviously saw enough bears for 2 shooters to harvest. Probably not a 3 guy type trip based on the size of your boat and plane?

I think 1 shooter is a great way to go, and if I was to go back that's probably what I would do... 2 would likely work, might be tough to get 2 good bears. Just from a conservation stand point I wouldn't do more than that... I just wouldn't want to take that many bears out of one area.

Also I'm not sure if another guy + gear would have worked weight wise... I assume it would have required another trip so additional cost. You are charged for flight time.

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

Tides- 3 (got hosed one day and missed a morning of hunting due to being stranded

This brings back fond memories.....

 

[TrickyTross]

Awesome man!

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Very nice. Thanks for sharing. That last bear to visit while you were packing up camp looks like a pretty good one. I guess it's like they say, the only way to shoot a giant bear on the last day is to not shoot a big one earlier in the trip.

Congrats.

Yeah he was a big bear, although very rubbed out, they all had huge heads compared to the bears I've seen in CO, MT, ID so field judging was tough and humbling. Definitely made me realize that I'm still very much a novice.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

22

 

[RafterH]

Sounds like a trip of a lifetime! Thanks for sharing.

 

[HuntingJudge]

That is a awesome adventure... hopefully some day I can pull something like this together.

 

[3855WIN]

Awesome trip. Do you mind sharing the price of the float plane flight and boat rental?

 

[Coveyleader]

Is it just me or does the bear along the stream look pretty nice? Real wide stance on him, That is a good one.

 

[duckhunt]

Awsome trip

 

[noharleyyet]

Fine recap...thanks wllm.

 

[Nick87]

Great story! Congrats!

 

[Pucky Freak]

What a trip! Beautiful coat on the bear you tagged. I can't wait to make it back to Alaska sooner than later...

 

[BrentD]

Is it just me or does the bear along the stream look pretty nice? Real wide stance on him, That is a good one.

That was my question too. Looked like a fine bear to me. But what do I know?

Thanks for the story. It's a good one and encouraging for certain.

 

[jvanhoy]

Awesome story and pics! Congrats thanks for sharing with us.

 

[Kiwi]

I think 1 shooter is a great way to go, and if I was to go back that's probably what I would do... 2 would likely work, might be tough to get 2 good bears. Just from a conservation stand point I wouldn't do more than that... I just wouldn't want to take that many bears out of one area.

Also I'm not sure if another guy + gear would have worked weight wise... I assume it would have required another trip so additional cost. You are charged for flight time.

That’s interesting. It reminds me of a trip I did in the remote area of New Zealand where we flew in by chopper and had 6 passengers, all our hunting gear for 10 days, a boat and outboard. A full load but made a cheap per person haha