Leupold BX-4 Rangefinding Binoculars

Alaska Spring Bear Hunt - Report #2

Bill Hefner

New member
Joined
Dec 17, 2000
Messages
51
Location
St. Petersburg, FL USA
2001 Spring Bear Hunt -- Report #2
April 16, 2001

About 30 minutes ago my outfitter friend, Tony Lee, called me from his spring bear camp in Unit 19 in Alaska with some great news. After only being able to fly about 5-6 hours a day for 2½ days out of 10, because of bad weather, one of his hunters finally took his bear late on the last day.

But this bear may be the new pending #3 or #2 SCI grizzly. The skull measured an impressive 28 1/8”. And, without checking the SCI record book, because Tony didn’t have one, he said it could even be a new #1. He said it wasn’t real fat, but it wasn’t real skinny either. When he saw the carcass he knew it was going to be a big bear. He estimated the live weight at approximately 900+ lbs.

It was on a fresh moose kill just 10 miles from Tony’s cook tent. They got some photos as best they could because it was so big and then got it skinned and back to camp and then just barely made it to Iliamna at 5:45 pm for the 6:15 pm flight back to Anchorage. Now that was cutting it close.

Unfortunately the 3rd hunter was not able to get his bear on the last day. Another pack of wolves chased the bear off a winter moose kill over night. The bear they saw the day before left and the hunter ran out of time and had to go home without filling his tag. However, he’s booked another hunt for the spring 2002 season.

It’s still snowing there now, as it was yesterday but the weather looks like it may clear some tomorrow to fly. Tony has only been able to fly for one day out of the last 3 days. The new hunters are suffering from cabin fever and getting anxious.

I’ll give you another update as soon as I hear from Tony. He’s had problem with his satellite phone and has had to call me from the lodge when the phone works.

Bill Hefner
St. Petersburg, FL
 
Thanks for the updates Bill!!!!! Cant wait to do my bear hunt someday. bcat
 
Bill-We will see. Dont know whether Thump has booked the hunt or not. Got to see how this fall goes I suppose too. Dont know if I can get away with two trips to Alaska in one year!! :D :D bcat
 
bcat...

last time I spoke with Tony he had not received a deposit yet from Thumper. I know he wants to go and, knowing Tony, he'll keep the spot open for him 'til he hears from Thump one way or another. But when hunters wave a fistfull of big bucks in his face, well.....you're an outfitter, you know what happens. This is sorta like oral sex, you just talk about it, right?

Hef
 

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
110,817
Messages
1,935,473
Members
34,889
Latest member
jahmes143
Back
Top