ALASKA in 07 !!

[Muley Crazy]

All this sitting around has been killing me!!

So I just booked my hunt for Ak this year. Headed up to the North slope for a bou or 2 and with my Dad being a resident I can buy a grizzly tag for 500.00 bucks. So I'm kicking that idea around, not being a big bear it doesn't get my blood pumping as much as the thought of a big bou. We are going to do a float hunt 85 miles in ten days DIY style.

AK resident's have it made for tags the unit we are going to be hunting residents can harvest 5 bous a day 365 days a year, 1 moose, 3 black bears, and 10 wolfs the only tag having to be bought is the moose and grizz at 25 bucks each everything else is free!!! Must be nice!!

Round trip everything will run me about 3,400.00 including a grizz tag. If I did harvest a grizz I would of course have it mounted but that will run about 2000.00 for full life size. I currently owe about 2000.00 to my taxidermist as it is right now so to save some money and space in my small game room I have been kicking around the idea of a half life size bear. Any one ever seen a half life size grizz??? if so I would love to see some pic's

 

[Ovis]

Congrats on your up coming trip. You hunting 26A or C?

I've seen some half lifesize, but I am fond of the shoulder and extended shoulder on a habitat pedestal.

 

[MarvB]

MCrazy- Here's a link to a guy that does lots of 3/4 bears....don't really know if that uses/looses that much more space than half or whole when it comes to your game room.

Yeah, I know smart asses...25% more or less

 

[justdada]

Congrats on booking the trip! I anxiously await my next Alaskan adventure...
Not to rain on the parade or anything, but don't you think you should harvest the animals before discussing taxidermy bills?
Albeit, I've seen my fair share of north slope griz, plenty of fellows spends years up there and never have the chance to take one. Don't plan on seeing black bears as they dont' really appear on the north slope...
Will you be going up in September?
Bring your fishing pole, a good camera and rain gear!!

 

[Steiny]

I'd like to know where you can get a full mount grizz for $2000, I've got about $4000 wrapped up in my brown bear, which is essentially the same critter. Like someone else said, get the critter killed first, then worry about taxidermy. Worst case, do a nice rug, but definitely buy the tag, because if you do get a chance, it will be the cheapest grizz you will ever kill.

 

[280rem]

Goodluck on your upcoming hunt!

 

[Cathunt MT]

I think it is a good thing to look in to Taxidermist because if you think you can get a life size mount done for $2000.00 I would really look at his work.
But I would get the tag if I was you. Last time I was up there I did not get a wolf tag and guess what I got to see.....

 

[Hayduke]

Good luck on the hunt! I hope to get up to that country some day. It would be neat to experience country that a person could walk for days and days and days without seeing another human.

 

[waterboy]

Congratulations. A float hunt is a lot of work, especially with meat to load in and out of the raft daily. I'd look into some good game bags and rain gear. Talk to some people that have done it before, and see if you have any weight restrictions with a transporter if you use one.

Also, we do not have to buy any moose tags that I know, but I may be wrong. Only for the brown bear and musk ox.

In Anchorage the life size bear mounts are $4500 give or take, so $2000 is a great deal.

It will be an adventure that you will never forget and time well spent with your Dad.

 

[Moosie]

I had a Black bear done life size for 2k. It's an Awesome job. I've seen a 1/2 size bear but it was a Black one.

I actually have a Life size Bear and a Life size Brown in the Taxidermist right now.... and 2 Sitka deer, and a Life size Fox, and a Mule deer Head, and 13 ducks, 1 goose, and.... Well, never you mind what I have, That sounds good !!! DID you see my post on my AK bear trip last year ? My dad is....Errrrr was a Resident (He jsut quit his Job today.... ) and I could do the same thing. It was a HOOT !!

 

[Muley Crazy]

Ovis I think I will be hunting in 26 C but not for sure. I was thinking about a pedestal mount with the bear standing over a big male red, or chum. I was thinking of doing something like a gravel bar scene.

Justdada I'm one of those people who shoots something one day and wants it mounted ASAP and also vary optimistic hunter so if I plan ahead I will have the cash to get it done as soon a I get back. This will be my 3 hunt in AK and have always been successful in getting what Im after. I dont consider myself a trophy hunter when I go up to AK because no matter what B and C or P and Y call a trophy they are all BIG up there !!!! to me anyway. When I spend this kind of money on a hunt I give it 110 % all the way. One thing I have learned is that there is not a 60 bull moose or B and C bou standing around every corner in AK. I tend to think a lot of out of stater's such as my self tend to have premonitions of this and it can be very discouraging when the game dosen't just come running out to greet you. If by chance you get Eastmans journal you can read my last moose hunting trip up there, floated 8 days and saw 1 moose it just happened to be 58 1/2 inches wide. It was in last mouths issue. Larry Bartlett is who we have booked our hunt with and he said " I would be shocked if you dont see a grizz" which I hope means more then one.

Steiny I have 2 taxidermist that I use, both are part-time and there turn around time is faster them most and dollar for dollar I feel I get more for my money. Both take mounts to shows and win awards. One of the best taxidermist here in town is twice the money and 2 years out. So if you take a flash light and look over my mounts you might find a little flaw but nothing that would make a difference to the average person. Just my 2 cents worth

Water boy you couldn't be more on the money when you talk about hard work
unloading and loading 4 bous and 1 grizz hide 14 times will be time consuming for sure. I use T.A.G. bags and put my meat on drift wood and cover it to keep rain and due off of it or wrap it in heavy duty trash bags and submerge it in the river to keep it cool and dry. We are going to be flying out on a transporter plane that can carry 3000lbs so we are not going to have to make 2 flights. At $800.00 one way that would get spendy for sure.

 

[Muley Crazy]

Moosie your pic fo that grizz was my screen saver for several weeks. My next hunt in AK will be for black tail for sure that was a great story and pics Who are you having do your work here in ID?

 

[Moosie]

I meant the Little Brown bear that I killed. I went to AK 2 times last year. Earlier I killed the Brown bear on a Quick weekend hunt with my dad, and the 2nd trip I went to Kodiak and met PAPA bear

Here is the first trip link :

http://www.hunttalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28286

 

[AkBearHunter]

I was reading the regs on unit 26C, from what I gather you cannot hunt grizz there as it is residents only plus a permit is needed and you have to get it in Barrow. Unit 26A is another story. As for residents having to buy a moose tag, that isn't true, the only tag a resident has to buy is grizz/brown bear or musck ox if he draws. Not trying to discourage you from hunting there, just wanted to make sure you knew about the grizz restictions. Good luck on your hunt.

 

[Muley Crazy]

Well then I looks like we will be hunting 26 A Like I said I was not for sure what sub unit I was going to be hunting as my Dad is setting that part up but thanks for the FYI and yes I was worng about the moose tag its free my bad