# My Twin Visits Alaska!



## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

I haven't seen my twin brother in years. He moved to Michigan to edit a newspaper there 20 years ago. Now he's the editor for the Billings Gazette in Montana. Finally we made a date for him to come and visit me. He's an accomplished photographer and had a blast. One of his goals was to get pictures of Kodiak brown bears. NO problem!!! Here's some of the pictures he took Tuesday and Wednesday.

A view from my front deck.


The Puffins are done nesting and have abandoned their burrows. I found this egg at the mouth of one of the burrows.




My co-worker's sailboat.


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

We took a tour of my front yard to see the sights. I love these little buggers. I can't help but wave at these guys when I drive by.


An abandoned fishing boat.



We visited a Stellar Sea lion rookery.





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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Beautiful!

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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

His main goal was to see and photograph bears. Did we see bears? Good Lord I'd say! We saw 12 Wednesday. Here's a few pictures.







I keep a constant sharp eye on the bear's actions and attitude while whispering instructions to my brother as he snaps photos.






My brother was physically shaking when we backed off of this bear. It was the closest he had ever been to a bear much less one the size of a Volkswagen.
The most taxing thing about walking around in this kind of bear area is staying completely focused at all times. It can wear you out. Honest! You can't become nonchalant and start thinking about anything else for one second. You absolutely, positively have to see that bear first.

A sleeping bruiser!

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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

Chris had had enough of close encounters so we hopped into a skiff on a lake 1/4 mile from my house. There were several creek infleunts that still had running sockeyes in them. I slowly motored along and glassed the shores.

This guy was peaking out through the brush.


This youngster took off with his salmon when he saw us coming.


This old girl was pretty agitated with us being so close to her 1 1/2 year old cubs. even the cubs were huge! She was stomping and huffing her warnings. These sows with cubs are the reason you have to stay focused and aware at all times while hiking around. Fortunately we were a safe distance in a boat.


Her cubs are as big as most black bears I've seen! They're only 1 1/2 years old.


What a pose!!


This ol' girl was asleep in the water with just her snout laying on the bank. I glassed her from across the lake and quietly oared close to her. One click of the camera and she lunged up and out of there.


What a great few days I had with my brother. I've missed him very much. While we were standing on the beach waiting for his floatplane to come get him, he said, " this is such a wonderful place you live in." I said, "I have a job and live in a place that I never want a vacation from." 
I'll miss my brother. I hope it isn't another 14 years before I see him again.
.


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## willfish4food (Jul 14, 2009)

Awesome pictures! Glad you got a good visit with your brother.


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## bowgy (Oct 10, 2007)

Pretty awesome, thanks for sharing.


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## dididraw (Sep 1, 2016)

Spectacular!


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## 3arabians (Dec 9, 2014)

Very nice! I'd be lost without my twin. Can't imagine going 14 years without seeing him.


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

Awesome story and pictures. By the way what caliber handgun is that?


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

It's a S&W 44 Mag. I use a load with hardcast bullets developed especially for bear defense by Alaskan Backpacker here in Alaska. It must be +P because they kick like hell! It's not my first choice for bear defense but a pistol is super handy. Not something you'd want to track a wounded bear with.


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

longbow said:


> It's a S&W 44 Mag. I use a load with hardcast bullets developed especially for bear defense by Alaskan Backpacker here in Alaska. It must be +P because they kick like hell! It's not my first choice for bear defense but a pistol is super handy. Not something you'd want to track a wounded bear with.


Typically what is the minimum accepted handgun for bear defense. Just wondering if my .45ACP semi auto with 10 rounds meets the needs or if I need to upgrade if I'm ever in grizzly country.


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

Check this out....

https://www.americanhunter.org/articles/2016/8/10/alaska-outfitter-defends-fishermen-from-raging-grizzly-with-9mm-pistol/


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## T-dubs-42 (Sep 8, 2015)

That's the dream right there.


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

LostLouisianian said:


> Typically what is the minimum accepted handgun for bear defense. Just wondering if my .45ACP semi auto with 10 rounds meets the needs or if I need to upgrade if I'm ever in grizzly country.


 I'm not sure honestly. I've been in on quite a few brown bear kills and I'm AMAZED at the pounding these bears can take. A 45ACP with ball or hardcast would certainly work if you could place your shots. But if you were going after a wounded browny, I wouldn't take a pistol, shotgun or spray. If he charges, one of you are going to die so you better have a big bore rifle. 
I was bluff-charged (big difference) by a sow with cubs last year. I fired a couple .45ACP rounds to the side of each front paw. It changed her attitude but, had she full-on charged, I think things would have been different for me.


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

gdog said:


> Check this out....
> 
> https://www.americanhunter.org/arti...ishermen-from-raging-grizzly-with-9mm-pistol/


I have a guy that works for me between guiding seasons for Phil Shoemaker. I also talk to Phil's son Taj about twice a week. We've talked a lot about Phil. If anybody can pull that off it'd be Phil. I still wouldn't carry a 9mm.


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## AF CYN (Mar 19, 2009)

Those pictures are amazing/scary. My favorite is the top down picture of the bear in the water--what a cool shot.


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## Longgun (Sep 7, 2007)

Good stuff from the land of enchantment! 8)


- I love that place...


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