Kodiak Island: Kodiak Bear Hunt

[jstew]

I am planning a 15 day hunting trip for 2015 spring to the island to hunt this bear by rifle. It will doubtless be a hunt of a lifetime. A hunter must have a guide.

If anyone has any advice for me regarding a good guide I would appreciate a PM. Cost is not an issue as most are within each others range. There are many guides there offering their services, and as usual, I do not undertake such matters without proper research and due diligence i.e. seeking advice from those who have "been there-done it".

Thanks in advance.

[buckbrushoutdoors]

Check out aaaoutfitting.com. That's who I'm going with in 2015 on the penn. My buddy guides for them. Although not on Kodiak Island there bears are identical in size due to one of the worlds largest salmon runs in the world. 9' is almost a guarantee and they kill much large bears every year

[BigJon]

If I were going on a hunt for brown bears in Alaska I would probably take a long look at Phil Shoemaker's outfit. Once again not on the island but by all accounts he has a very good track record...and I think he would be a cool guy to hunt with....grizzly skins of Alaska...

[nube]

Why not make it really cool and go to Russia? You can kill 2 of them as well !! Price will be about the same and you should get a 9ft bear which is an average sized bear. I know Alaska has bigger ones but there is nothing wrong with a 9ft Russian bear. Most likely that is what you would get in Alaska anyhow.

They also just recently started flights from Alaska to Russia to save some time in travel. Just a thought

[Mutter87]

Is an 11' Bear unreasonable?

[TIMWOLF]

Is an 11' Bear unreasonable?

Not going to happen.

[Mutter87]

Not going to happen.

so 9' Is Average, 10' is huge and 11' is impossible? I am not saying that sarcastically, Just want to know for future reference.

[nube]

Alaska is known for the biggest bears in certain places but I would think a 9' bear is average. Yes you can get bigger and possibly up to 12. Personally I would do Russia. I am not sure the price difference but to me it would be more fun to hunt another country and see a few things over there and make a trip out of it. I am not sure total price would be if you compared them but I bet the hunt would be less in Russia and like I said for a few$$ more you can shoot 2 bears. I know I have a Bear hunt like this on my radar screen but I have a few others I want to do first.

[TIMWOLF]

I am planning a 15 day hunting trip for 2015 spring to the island to hunt this bear by rifle. It will doubtless be a hunt of a lifetime. A hunter must have a guide.

If anyone has any advice for me regarding a good guide I would appreciate a PM. Cost is not an issue as most are within each others range. There are many guides there offering their services, and as usual, I do not undertake such matters without proper research and due diligence i.e. seeking advice from those who have "been there-done it".

Thanks in advance.

I hunted with Preston Cavner, of Cavner and Julian, and took a great bear on the Peninsula in 09. Good outfitter but since that time other outfitters have proven themselves with better results.

From the sounds of it you are taking the right routes in regards to doing your research on your trip. One thing I would like to mention is that statistically speaking the "kodiak bear" is what people say they want to hunt and end up focusing on Kodiak for a hunt. Do not overlook the Peninsula as statistically the larger bodied bears come from there, whereas the Kodiak bears produce bigger skulls but a slightly smaller body size when compared to the peninsula bears.

I think the biggest thing a guy has to look at is what kind of bear he is looking for. Everyone wants a 10 footer but not everyone is going to get one. All things considered the average of all guided bear hunts in Alaska each year produces a bear in the neighbourhood of less than 8.5'. If a guy wants that magical ten footer he absolutely has to be there for the entire season, as is your case by going for 15 days. By holding out for that 10 footer you stand a real chance of going home without one so be prepared to face that as it can happen even in the best areas with the best guides. Personally if I were any hunter wanting to go on a hunt like you are mentioning I would shoot a nicely haired 9.5ft boar without question on any day of the hunt.

Alaska, especially Kodiak also poses the real potential of lost huntng days due to weather, and your hunt will not be extended because of this. You could go out on the first day and pass up a 9ft + bear only to be stuck in your tent for the remainder of your hunt, you have to be prepared for that.

As far as Kodiak, Dennis Harms will be getting my money when I plan my next trip.

[TIMWOLF]

so 9' Is Average, 10' is huge and 11' is impossible? I am not saying that sarcastically, Just want to know for future reference.


if you do your research and get in a good area with a good guide a 9' bear is a good average, a ten footer is possible but I give you a 40% chance, and anything above that is one in 100 even in the best areas under ideal conditions. Like anything though true monsters do come out of Alaska every year.

Another thing, the square footage of a bear has to be taken with a grain of salt. There are many outfitters that have magic tape measures, or strong forearms that can stretch a bear hide to make it something it really isnt. Put the skinned bear on the ground pull the hide taught width ways and length ways and let it sit there, then take your measurements.

[buckbrushoutdoors]

Lots of good info there Tim. A much more detailed version of what I was trying to say.

[buckbrushoutdoors]

Tim, any pictures of your bear

[TIMWOLF]

have a few posted in some of my threads if your want to look. My photobucket account will not let me view larger versions of my uploaded pics so they would not be suitable to post on a thread. sorry

[full_throttle]

I'm headed to AK for a big brownie in May of 2014. Interested to know how many guys drove there and if anyone has a pre-trip checklist that they would like to share. Send me info by pm if you like. Thanks.

[1899b]

If I were going on a hunt for brown bears in Alaska I would probably take a long look at Phil Shoemaker's outfit. Once again not on the island but by all accounts he has a very good track record...and I think he would be a cool guy to hunt with....grizzly skins of Alaska...

x2!!!!! I`m a huge Shoemaker fan. He goes by 454Win on the 24 hour campfire forum and their is an alaska section on that forum as well. Ask your questions there. I have had some PM banter with Phil on their in regards to reloads for my .45-70 and .454 Win Mag

[TIMWOLF]

I'm headed to AK for a big brownie in May of 2014. Interested to know how many guys drove there and if anyone has a pre-trip checklist that they would like to share. Send me info by pm if you like. Thanks.


for the price of the flights to get there from alberta its not worth the drive. If you are considering bringing back your bear with you, you will have to wait for cities permits, vet inspections, and sealing before you can do so.

[H380]

Might I suggest checking out Gus Lamoreux{ outfitter} on the Peninsula ? My buddy Gus Congemi of " Live the wild life " TV show hunted with him last year and took the new SCI Archery world record Brown bear . His fellow prostaff member Tim Peloso also took the new #5 as well on the same hunt . He comes highly recomended by these 2 hunters .

[nube]

x2!!!!! I`m a huge Shoemaker fan. He goes by 454Win on the 24 hour campfire forum and their is an alaska section on that forum as well. Ask your questions there. I have had some PM banter with Phil on their in regards to reloads for my .45-70 and .454 Win Mag

I have heard good about him as well. He posts under the same name on Accurate reloading as well and is worth talking to.

[1899b]

I have heard good about him as well. He posts under the same name on Accurate reloading as well and is worth talking to.

Thats a great forum as well in regards to their backpack hunting section as well as their Alaskan hunting section. :)

[1899b]

x2!!!!! I`m a huge Shoemaker fan. He goes by 454Win on the 24 hour campfire forum and their is an alaska section on that forum as well. Ask your questions there. I have had some PM banter with Phil on their in regards to reloads for my .45-70 and .454 Win Mag

Obviously i meant .458 Win Mag. LOL. Sorry have a 454 Chev Blazer on my mind tonight..... :)

[bush monkey]

Dick Rhoars bear camp would be a good one to look into as well. Sam Rhoar is his son which does a lot of guiding for the family buisiness as well. These guys provide stand up hunts. A good friend of mine had an awesome hunt with these guys. Bart Lancaster has put a video together with about ten hunts out on Dicks bear camp. Was just unreal. Bart also took a big bear with his 30-30. I can probably provide you referance if you would like!

[Jamie]

This is way to important to leave to a Internet search.
Get on a plane and go to SCI down in Reno.
Meet these guys face to face.
The cost of going to Reno is nothing compared to the cost of the hunt.

[bush monkey]

Sam's Alaskan adventures I think the camp is called now.

[Pierre Tessier]

Buckbrushoutdoors' buddy shared deer camp in Kansas with us this year. He has guided a very good friend of mine on his brown bear, the picture doesn't do it justice, maybe he'll let me post pics of the full mount he has.

http://img577.imageshack.us/img577/3121/38616830079059662828015.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/577/38616830079059662828015.jpg/)

[Jamie]

Buckbrushoutdoors' buddy shared deer camp in Kansas with us this year. He has guided a very good friend of mine on his brown bear, the picture doesn't do it justice, maybe he'll let me post pics of the full mount he has.

http://img577.imageshack.us/img577/3121/38616830079059662828015.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/577/38616830079059662828015.jpg/)

That's a huge bear. 10'?
Love to see another pic.
Brown bear hunting is the best!
I shot mine at 25 yards. Extremely thrilling.

Jamie

[Bigwoodsman]

That's a huge bear. 10'?
Love to see another pic.
Brown bear hunting is the best!
I shot mine at 25 yards. Extremely thrilling.

Jamie

That is one skookum bear!!!!!

BW

[cougar bait]

Had a few friends go with Mike Horstman and they both had great hunts and killed really good bears with great hides. He has a couple different areas, one you can just go hunt and one that you have to apply for a draw to hunt. Both good areas
http://www.kodiakguideservice.com/kodiakhunts/kodiakBearHuntsAlaska.html

Another good outfitter that i have been talking with has some great success and kills some giant bears! He is killing some of the biggest bears right now that i have seen.
http://www.canoebayoutfitters.com/Welcome.html

I also know one other outfitter that runs a smaller camp in a good bear area. It is a really great spot to bow hunt bears in the fall. Had two friends go with him and they both killed nice bears with a bow as they fed on salmon in the river. They saw close to 30 bears during there hunt! He also takes guys in the spring and kills nice bears.

There is a few guys for you to look into. Give me a pm if you need references or more info for them. Good luck on your hunt!

[mcreg]

I have been to Alaska 5 times for brown bear and have hunted the Penninsula around Chignik, the S.E. out of Yakatak, the Bristol bay area around Dillingham/King Salmon and the Talkeetnas ( interior grizzly). I set my goal at a 9 ft minimum (8 ft for interior). As such I have "never pulled the trigger!" I saw lots of bears, especially on the fall hunts along the salmon streams but none reached my 9 ft. minimum. In fact, even though every (main) camp was full, 4-8 hunters, and on average only 1 - 9 ft+ bear was taken!
I also hunted with some very reputable Outfitters & guides.
This April, myself and a couple of others are heading to Kamchatka to try our luck!! By all accounts the bears are more numerous and the average size is larger? The cost is considerably lower than AK if you take 1 bear, about the same if you take 2.
IF you do go to AK and drive don't be concerned about C.I.T.I.E.S/Vet cert/sealing etc, It ony takes an hour or so and can be arranged beforehand.
Be Carefull -AK is full of Shisters/Scammers??!!
Good Luck on whatever you decide.

[Hunting Guy]

I am also very interested in this hunt. Back in 2008 I found a cancelation hunt for $7500 on an island bear.(cant remember wich ine but close to kodiak)Anyways I've been kicking myself and looking for another ever since
If you are looking for a partner or maybe even able to get a better deal by looking for 2 hunts I might be able to go. $$$ is limited for me but my schedule is flexible. Let me know if u are interested, on a side note I spoke with a few Russian guides at the SCI show last week and the bears they claimed to be ten footers where probably not even 8'(they where mounted at thier booths) they blamed taxidermists for shrinkNg the bears, and I found them both to be untruthfull on a few questions I had. But the Alaska guides I spoke with all had huge bears mounted at thier booths.



I am planning a 15 day hunting trip for 2015 spring to the island to hunt this bear by rifle. It will doubtless be a hunt of a lifetime. A hunter must have a guide.

If anyone has any advice for me regarding a good guide I would appreciate a PM. Cost is not an issue as most are within each others range. There are many guides there offering their services, and as usual, I do not undertake such matters without proper research and due diligence i.e. seeking advice from those who have "been there-done it".

Thanks in advance.

[Torkdiesel]

I agree Alaska is full of scam artists and shysters. I went on one of those last minute hunts for 10K and learned all about Alaska and the terrible state it's outfitting industry is in. It's a facking joke up there. If I ever went back I would only hunt with somebody that has exclusive guide rights in a wildlife refuge or on a native reserve. Anywhere else is too much of a gamble. Outfitters can pick 3 areas to hunt each year and there's nothing they can do if another outfitter or 20 move into there area. Some sheep areas have so many outfitters operating there they used to fly clients for different outfits in the same plane to save money. They were all camped on the same lake :(
They are supposed to change things up there by next year but a would still be leary about what they promise you. Like I said I would only go if the outfitter was the exclusive outfitter in the area.

[jstew]

...everyone for your comments and input! This just proves how resourceful this site is for someone like me. I now have information I did not even think about and am nuch better informed. :)