Alaska Black Bear - Part II

Big Fin

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For those of you wanting to rent cabins in Southeast Alaska for bear hunting, you might want to start doing that, NOW. Don't complain that Fin didn't warn you with plenty of time to spare.

Here is the link to the cabins on the Tongass National Forest. If you can't get it done with this level of direction, you don't deserve to go bear hunting.

You can make reservations 6-months in advance. Just made my reservations to go back to the same cabin we hunted from last year. I wanted to go later than last year, hopefully the first week of June.

That plan was going to work to perfection, until the world's best camera guy informed me that his first anniversary fell during that week. Too bad for him. Would just have to find a different camera guy.

But, after he begged and offered to do all the cooking and water filtering, if I would go in mid-May, I relented. We have booked the week of May 12th-18th, about ten days later than last year.

I had resolved to go later, due to the lack of bears and lack of green grass on last year's hunt. But like most other hunters, I have lots of other commitments I must work around.

I could have went the last week of May, but my son will be home from school for one week, before heading off for a 10-week internship. I wasn't going to be gone for the one week he would be home. Then have some work commitments that prevent me from going a few days later than what we have scheduled.

So, it will be another hard hunt. Bears will be more scarce. Troy is excited, as the steelhead fishing will be that much better. He has two days to fish on this trip, and that is it. If he can't finally hook one in that time, he can buy one from a guy fishing the docks of Petersburg.

Given the changes of Alaska going to a draw for bear in the SE, starting in 2012, I am not taking any chances. I am going this year. And when they go to a draw, I will go every year that I might luck out and draw the tag.

Here is the story from last year. Hope we can have half as much fun on this trip.

2010 Alaska Bear Thread

pack elk 7.jpg
 
Yep, someone get this set up and let me know what week you want me to show up.;)
 
If the world's best camera guy should get sick or something, I know someone else who can run camera, filter water, and cook. Just sayin... :)
 
If the world's best camera guy should get sick or something, I know someone else who can run camera, filter water, and cook. Just sayin... :)

And I thought you wanted to come along as an additional shooter.

My son has declined the option to be in this episode, as he only has one week off this summer. He knows the sorrow he would see in his mother's disappointed face if he were to spend that week in Alaska and not at home, so he has used good judgment and passed.

So, it looks like it will be just me and a camera guy. Unless........the production company thinks it works better for two hunters and they will spring for all the expenses of hunter number two. :cool:
 
You may want to take a look at some of schmalts' antelope hunting video before inviting Miller. He gets a bad attitude when on camera. ;)
 
So, it looks like it will be just me and a camera guy. Unless........the production company thinks it works better for two hunters and they will spring for all the expenses of hunter number two.


I'll even let you shoot first.:) If I were along though, Troy might have an ally when it comes to spending extra time with the steelies.
 
Tell Troy to fly up a week early and meet me in Yakutat. We'll be there hammering metalheads to our hearts content. We can get the fish fix out of him before the bear hunt :D
 
Tell Troy to fly up a week early and meet me in Yakutat. We'll be there hammering metalheads to our hearts content. We can get the fish fix out of him before the bear hunt :D

I should probably delete that post before he reads it. He is already tying flies and gathering his fishing gear and we have six months to go. If you post pictures, it will only make it worse. :eek:
 
I'm ready to go NOW!!!!!! Got me to thinking real hard now. You don't even have to have the production company spring the expenses.. Let me know asap and ill get it in gear and go.. I'll be in and out after next week. Four grueling weeks of hound poundin fur slingin action coming up .
 
Randy - thanks again for another great show at the cabin in AK. The scenery and camera work were great, and you guys did a phenomenal job of "telling the story." I think someday I would like to rent one of those forest service cabins and fish for steelhead/salmon. What do you think the total cash outlay for the trip was, minus the bear tag? Thanks. hitman.
 
Randy - love the thread on last years Alaska hunt - checked out dates - not sure you would have gotten a cabin in June - most looked booked - may try to get away myself next year with my son. Funny, I was considering the Devils Cabin before I read your thread - not sure I want to get that far off the beaten track. Good luck next year and I really enjoy the show - may even get me to take up pronghorn hunting here in Colorado or even Wyoming.

Ron
 
So, it looks like it will be just me and a camera guy. Unless........the production company thinks it works better for two hunters and they will spring for all the expenses of hunter number two. :cool:

Well if they do, you let me know what to pack:D Never shot a bear before though, I would be a bad candidate but I am better looking than Miller on camera
 
Randy - thanks again for another great show at the cabin in AK. The scenery and camera work were great, and you guys did a phenomenal job of "telling the story." I think someday I would like to rent one of those forest service cabins and fish for steelhead/salmon. What do you think the total cash outlay for the trip was, minus the bear tag? Thanks. hitman.

Hitman, depends upon how many guys you split the costs between. For us, the cost was split among 2 guys and 200 pounds of camera gear, so it really could have been three guys.

Airline ticket = $420 round trip
Air taxi (not necessary if you are going to one of the more accessible places) - $1,400/3 = $466.
Skiff Rental - (This was much higher due to it being delivered 70 miles away, included 50 gal of fuel, salt, and 5 gal of heating fuel) - $1,200/3 = $400.
Cabin rental - $175/3 = $60
License and tag = $400

Other than that, it was meals, which I incur when I am at home, and other incidentals of around $200.

Total per guy was under $2,000, including tags, etc. Not sure where you can have that much fun for an entire week, for that price.

If you were going salmon/steelhead fishing, there are better places to base your operation and you would incur only the air taxi or skiff rental, but not both. I think a week of fishing like you are considering could easily be done for less than $1,500 per week.

Good luck.
 
So, it looks like it will be just me and a camera guy. Unless........the production company thinks it works better for two hunters and they will spring for all the expenses of hunter number two. :cool:

Sounds like the grand prize for the December website give away to me :D
 
Randy - love the thread on last years Alaska hunt - checked out dates - not sure you would have gotten a cabin in June - most looked booked - may try to get away myself next year with my son. Funny, I was considering the Devils Cabin before I read your thread - not sure I want to get that far off the beaten track. Good luck next year and I really enjoy the show - may even get me to take up pronghorn hunting here in Colorado or even Wyoming.

Ron

Ron - I think the reason those June dates are on block out and not available for reservation is due to the six months in advance rule.

Yeah, that cabin is way off the beaten path. We were the first people to use it last year, and the Forest Service folks looked at us like we were crazy to be going in there that early. It does make for some difficult logistics of flying in and getting a skiff delivered.

Thanks for the kind comments.
 
Maybe if you don't get the bear from Alaska you can put in for Nevada and hopefully draw a tag...looks like everything is in place for Nevada's 1st bear hunt as the commission voted 8-0 to have a limited hunt.
 
So far, had three guys back out, and one is still giving me the "Boy I would love to go, but........"

Almost as bad as trying to give away prizes on this site. Sheesh.

Better make some decisions soon. My bear calls just came from UPS yesterday and I now officially have bear fever. Getting worked up here, pouring over maps (even though I know exactly where I will kill that bear this year), and all the other things that come with pre-hunt planning.

Have the skiff lined up, the float plane is scheduled, the cabin is rented, and we leave Bozeman on May 2nd. Was going to go the first week of June, due to much better bear activity, but some camera guy decided he would not be able to make it ....... anniversary, grocery shopping, hair appointment, or some other abstract event was conflicting.

Wish it was May, already.
 
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