# Paige wanted an 8 ft brown bear and she got one!



## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

When Paige ask me to help her with her Kodiak brown bear hunt I was all over it! I LOVE hunting bears! They had seen on AlaskaOutdoors.com that I live in her unit so she and her husband contacted me for info. I invited them down from their Anchorage home to stay here and I would help them all I could. They were on their own for the first few days since I had to work. Saturday it rained and blew so bad the bears just holed up and nothing moved. It was miserable. It rained off and on all day today but the wind was calm. Anything but wind is perfect bear weather. We jumped in the boat and headed for a lagoon that I knew had bears. The first bear we spotted was walking along the shore. We beached the boat and tried to head him off. Somehow he melted into the old growth and disappeared. They were really excited because this was the first brown bear they had ever seen. He was a pretty good bear too.
Next I took them to a grassy tidal flats. Right away I saw a herd of elk. They seemed nervous. I told Paige that something wasn't right. I'm positive they hadn't spotted us and the wind was in our favor. Suddenly a bear came charging out of a pile of logs and began chasing the elk. Paige said she wasn't comfortable with a 250 yard shot so we sat and watched them for more than fifteen minutes as the bear relentlessly chased these elk around in circles. I've never seen anything like it. He just wouldn't give up! Soon the elk lined up and headed towards us. It couldn't have been more perfect. The whole herd passed 75 yards in front of us with the bear hot on their tails. He stopped for one brief moment and Paige's 300WSM barked. The bear went straight to the ground. A second later, Jeremy's 375 H&H went off with an insurance shot. She made a perfect shoulder shot and dropped him on the spot. I was relieved. I HATE tracking wounded grizzly bears.
It was a great day.

The bear's down. We're just watching it to make sure.









It taped out at exactly 8 foot with no stretching the hide. By the time I had it skinned and in the boat it was getting dark. Boats on the ocean at night is a big no-no in this country. I called my contact on the radio and we hauled butt back across Izhut to Kitoi Bay.









I can't wait for the next chance to hunt bears!!!


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

You're a good man for helping people out all the time. That's a nice bear!


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Wow, way to go!

.


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

Longbow's "cred rating" just went through the roof....again.


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## bowgy (Oct 10, 2007)

Awesome, great story and pics.8)


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

That is what it is all about helping out and the enjoyment of hunting. 

I feel like I need to move to Alaska for a year and declare residency just so that I can hunt one of those brutes on the cheap.


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## bekins24 (Sep 22, 2015)

Wow looks like everything just came together. Nice looking bear!


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## Longgun (Sep 7, 2007)

NICE!


... and yet another feather of badassery in your hat good man! 8)


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

Longgun said:


> NICE!
> 
> ... and yet another feather of badassery in your hat good man! 8)


Remember McDonald Lagoon where you, Jared and I went through that narrow channel back to the big open bay? There was a crap load of ducks back there too. It was in the clearcut off to the left of the mouth of that bay.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

This is my favorite thread.


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

What a cool experience!

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

Guess what was showed at the killsite today. Yup, another bear had already claimed the carcass and dragged it down closer to the beach. This one was a beautiful chocolate brown typical of this area. Man, if I knew of someone with another bear tag I'd be off on another adventure!


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## sambo3006 (Feb 25, 2016)

That is great longbow! I doubt they will ever forget that hunt. I'm sure I'm not the only only one who has been dreaming of a coastal brown bear hunt for years.


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## Longgun (Sep 7, 2007)

longbow said:


> Remember McDonald Lagoon where you, Jared and I went through that narrow channel back to the big open bay? There was a crap load of ducks back there too. It was in the clearcut off to the left of the mouth of that bay.


Yep I do... GREAT looking area all around there. If I remember correctly, that is the same area we narrowly missed that :shock:HUGE:shock: silver fox also. Then again, maybe not lol... there was so much cool stuff going on all around us while I was there its kind of running together now. ;-) GOOD times my friend, good _GOOD_ times.

~ Again, congrats on another successful adventure!


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## Longgun (Sep 7, 2007)

longbow said:


> Guess what was showed at the killsite today. Yup, another bear had already claimed the carcass and dragged it down closer to the beach. This one was a beautiful chocolate brown typical of this area. Man, if I knew of someone with another bear tag I'd be off on another adventure!


Another solid 8 footer?


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

I bet you're right on the money. Maybe a titch over 8' if any.


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## hunting777 (May 3, 2009)

Good looking bears! Congrats on the hunt! How does one go about hunting bears up there? Do you have to draw or is it over the counter? How does it work for out of state hunters? I have always been curios.


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

hunting777 said:


> Good looking bears! Congrats on the hunt! How does one go about hunting bears up there? Baiting for brown bear is illegal in Alaska except on the Kenai. In the spring we mostly glass the lower clear cuts down where the grass greens up first. Early in the spring we hit the beaches where they look for kelp, washed up dead things and crabs. In the fall, we keep a sharp eye on the salmon streams. In either season we watch for any dead carrion. You have to find them fast because they'll have the place cleaned up in a day or two. Do you have to draw or is it over the counter? It's a draw in most areas but they do have a few registration hunts where you can buy a tag over the counter and hunt until the quota in that area is filled. How does it work for out of state hunters? It's nearly a 100% draw but nonresidents have to hire a guide. That can be expensive. I have always been curios.


...


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## AF CYN (Mar 19, 2009)

You are awesome! Congrats on helping someone accomplish a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.


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## hunting777 (May 3, 2009)

Longbow, thanks for the info. My son and I are going to look into this here in the near future.


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

hunting777 said:


> Longbow, thanks for the info. My son and I are going to look into this here in the near future.


Are you looking to hunt Alaska? Afognak maybe?


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## Bob L. (Jan 11, 2015)

Awesome. Dream hunt for many. Good work! Thank you for sharing.


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

Bob L. said:


> Awesome. Dream hunt for many. Good work! Thank you for sharing.


Bob, I can't help you with brown bears but if if you ever want to hunt Sitka blacktails in Alaska consider this an invite.


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

I've tried eating five or six brown bears and they've ranged from not-so-good to horrid. For some reason this bear smelled fine and uncharacteristic of any brown bear I've helped skin, he was easy to skin. (One hour and 10 minutes. Mostly by myself. WTH?) So as we were leaving I hurried and cut a backstrap off and stuffed it in my pack. I know it's a brown bear but I still have a hard time not taking some meat.
I didn't have much to throw in the crock pot and I really didn't have high hopes for it so I dumped in a can of mushroom soup, some mushroom bits and pieces, potatoes and onions.










I added the potatoes and onions about half way through. It turned out great!! I wish I would have taken more meat.


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## BigT (Mar 11, 2011)

Great story and pic's.. Thanks for sharing!


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## Idratherbehunting (Jul 17, 2013)

An Alaskan hunting-fishing trip is on my wish list to take my dad. Brown bear haven't ever really been that high on my list, but this almost talks me into it. Awesome bear! Congratulations!


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

Idratherbehunting said:


> An Alaskan hunting-fishing trip is on my wish list to take my dad. Brown bear haven't ever really been that high on my list, but this almost talks me into it. Awesome bear! Congratulations!


You should consider taking your Dad hunting Sitka blacktails and/or fishing. If you plan well you can do it fairly cheap. Let me know if you need help with your planning.


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## Idratherbehunting (Jul 17, 2013)

longbow said:


> You should consider taking your Dad hunting Sitka blacktails and/or fishing. If you plan well you can do it fairly cheap. Let me know if you need help with your planning.


The fishing is for sure. And I think I could talk him into chasing blacktails. Last time I suggested him going hunting with me, he made it sound like that was a young mans game. He hasn't hunted since fall of 2004, last time I was able to hunt with him.


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## 35whelen (Jul 3, 2012)

that is amazing! awesome pictures and story!


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## scott_rn (Sep 11, 2007)

Well done. I hope you're still up for helping me with this next spring.


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

Absolutely Scott, I'd love to!


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## crimson obsession (Sep 7, 2008)

Wow! Great job Chuck! I'm still looking into another trip up there in the future to give it another go, hopefully next time we can chase some blacktail and ducks.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

crimson obsession said:


> Wow! Great job Chuck! I'm still looking into another trip up there in the future to give it another go, hopefully next time we can chase some blacktail and ducks.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Heck ya! Maybe next time we'll have better weather.


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