Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska Alaska Grizz Hunt

Well the long awaited day is here. I fly out this afternoon and will be in Anchorage late this evening. Meet with guide Bob Hardy in the AM to pick up my license, then we drive 3 hours north to catch a bush plane. We have 10 full days of hunting to connect.

Decided on the 338 WM with 250 grain NP's loaded to 2700 fps out of a 24 inch tube for this duty. Shot solid 1/2 inch groups, if I miss I can't blame the gun!

Packing was a bit of a challenge with the size and weight restrictions. Ended up buying a new sleeping bag because my current bags did not have the temp range and size needed.

This is one of those hunts that I have wanted to do since I was a pre teen, only took me 45 years to get there! Funny how life, careers and family obligations keep you pointed away from your dreams a good part of your life.

I will post after the hunt and provide an update. Even if I don't connect, it should be quite an adventure!

I leave this Sunday, Brownies up past Fairbanks. Got a great cancellation hunt that will be filmed by Orion (Outdoor Channel) for Federal. Either a Rem AWR in 338 RUM or my Bansner in 375 RUM...decisions, decisions! Good luck as well! :-)

I leave this Sunday, Brownies up past Fairbanks. Got a great cancellation hunt that will be filmed by Orion (Outdoor Channel) for Federal. Either a Rem AWR in 338 RUM or my Bansner in 375 RUM...decisions, decisions! Good luck as well! :-)

So your hunting with Maverick940, I look forward to your hunt report.

Tell him we all said hello. I'd take some ear plugs

Best of luck!

It ain't like a black bear, though.

Them critters will shrug off a 180 outta a 300RUM and walk away!

Huh, I guess the three I shot with a 300 win mag and 180's did not get that memo, Cannot recal any of them shaking anything more than 30 yards and only one needed a follow up shot.

Good luck!

Good luck, happy hunting, be safe, post pics upon your return, bear or no bear... would prefer bear though...

I read it on this forum. The assclown even "hit it hard". LOL.

We gots kevlar bears!

Hit one hard!!! take lots of pics and remember the details to share around the fire!!!

If I were to go on a "Grizz" hunt tomorrow, I would probably take my 338-06.

Good luck!! I'll check with you upon your return.

-Doug

[quote=

This is one of those hunts that I have wanted to do since I was a pre teen, only took me 45 years to get there! Funny how life, careers and family obligations keep you pointed away from your dreams a good part of your life.

I will post after the hunt and provide an update. Even if I don't connect, it should be quite an adventure! [/quote]

Life is what happens while you are making plans...

But would you take Maverick?

Well I just got home from the hunt, was quite an adventure. Will let everyone know up front that I was unsuccessful in getting a bear. Due mainly to weather conditions. There was still 2-3 feet of snow in the area Bob was going to take us, that required us going to a different spot just out of the mountains. There were bears in the area but because of a lack of high ground to spot them from we were forced to just overlook small area's. Tough way to hunt these bears. More on this later. I will try to provide some details about the trip for those interested and kind of categorize things as I am not much of a typist. I will try to put up some pics later, I will have to see if my photobucket account is still active.

Flight & Lodging- Flew Delta up and back with one plane change in Minneapolis each way. They did not lose any of my luggage either way and no issues at all in flying with a firearm. Delta did not charge an oversize fee for the rifle case even though it was over the 62 lineal inch limit. They were excellent and I would not hesitate to fly them again. Stayed 3 nights in the Days Inn at Anchorage, again very accomodating and no issues.

Bush Plane - Bob uses Mike Meekin who owns Meekin's Air Service. Outstanding fellow and excellent pilot. The ride in and out of camp was truly one of the high points of the trip.

Camp - Our camp consisited of 3 small backpacker type tents, there were 3 of us so we each had our own tent. For those that have never used such a tent, as I, it was quite an experience. You cannot even stand up! The tent was a "North Face Summitt" series and was of excellent quality. Bob supplied an air mattress and of course you brought your own sleeping bag. He also "issued" you your food which mainly consisted of pre packaged sealed items some of which are freeze dryed, you then add hot water and presto! Some of them were quite tasty. You were responsible for taking care of your own meals, packing a lunch etc. We each had a small single burner Coleman stove on which to heat water and provide some heat in the tents at times. Let me tell you after 9 days out in the bush living out of that small tent and having very limited bathing techniques I very much appreciated a hot shower, warm bed and a cushy chair to sit in when we came out!

Hunting - As prevoiusly stated we were unable to hunt the area that he usually does because of the snow. I was concerned earlier this year when I saw that Alaska was getting record snow falls and my concerns proved to be well founded. We hunted the mouth of the Nelchina River at the eastern side of the Chugach mountain range. This is a glacial river and as such it is always filled with silt and looks like chocolate milk. It also rose and fell along with the temps. It was colder than normal, of course, never got above 55 degrees during the days and usually low 30's at night with a couple in the 20's. The country is very rugged and we walked an average of 7-8 miles a day with backpacks, rifles and hip boots. Our longest day was a touch over 12 miles. Hard walking, if the river bottom rocks did not get you, it was deep sand. Very little smooth hard terrain. The pine forest have a thick deep moss that makes you feel as if you are walking in 8 inches of snow. The meadows were loaded with stuble that the moose chewed off. We also had the pleasure of crossing an alder patch, that was fun, muskeg not much better. Becuase there were no high vantage points we were forced to try and find the bears rather than spot them and make stalks. Tough way to hunt Grizz. We saw tracks every day but the only grizz we laid eyes on were a mother and her cub, which we saw on 4 different days. They were not legal bears and I would not have shot them anyway. Saw moose most days, wolves and lynx one day and LOTS of porcupines.

Guide - Rob was an excellent guide that did the best with what we had to work with and was genuinely concerned that he was unable to get us in front of a legal bear. In fact it appears as if he is going see if he can put something together for us this fall to make up for this hunt. He was quite knowledgeable and willing to share that knowledge with us. He is a tall lean fellow, 6 feet 5 inches to be precise and seems never tiring. He has been a guide for something like 30+ years and it shows. I very much enjoyed his company and would not hesitate to use or recommend his services in the future. He has hunts for grizz, browns, moose, sheep, goats and wolves.

All in all I thoroughly enjoyed my Alaskan experience and hope to still fill that grizz tag, perhaps this fall! It was truly quite an experinece!

Sorry you didnt get a bear but it sounds like ole Maverick busted his hump for you and wants to try to get you back up there. Good on him for that. Nobody can control the weather

I like this quote...



Based on his time here on 24HCF I would bet that the "willing to share that knowledge with us" part is the understatement of the year

Well I guess I was in the dark here, did not catch all the chatter earlier this year, do not read here all day. I had no idea who Maverick940 was.

All that aside, his services as a guide were quite good. This was not the first guided hunt I have been on and I found his services to be excellent. The weather limitations were no fault of his and considering what we had to work with, he did the best he could. He worked hard for us.

Thanks Huntsonora for keeping things to a low roar and not using my thread as too much of a sounding board.

That said, I do find that on this forum as well as others that I visit, it seems to be too easy to get into a "verbal disagreement" for lack of better words, and it far too often takes the wrong path. It is quite obvious that some take pleasure in such "discussions", but I find it easier to just keep my fingers still and move on.

That's the best compliment you could give somebody in this industry! I hope you're able to get back up there and get a bear

TwoTrax,

Enjoyed hearing about your hunt! Thanks for sharing.

My dream hunt was to hunt the Brooks Range for Dall Sheep. It took me 49yrs to get there the first time. Like you it was a great trip with a great outfitter but I didn't get the job done. He called me a few years latter to try again. We hunted hard, covered a lot ground, and saw a few great rams at long ranges that for one reason or another just didn't work out. Two years ago I get another call and find out the outfitter I was hunting with just had a cancelation for 2011 and I was the 1st one on his list to call. Finally, on my 3rd attempt I got to put my crosshairs on a fine ram at age 57.

Sounds like your outfitter wants to work with you. Hope you can get back and finish the job. Keep us posted!