Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Kodiak Bear hunt 2020

Disclaimer for all the Leupold haters out there. A Leupold scope was used on this hunt. Also Leupold QD rings and bases were used. Yes I know I was putting my life in danger according many here on the Campfire.

So started last November putting in for Alaska’s annual draws. My bud said put in for Kodiak and gave me units to put in for. Come February the results were released and I drew DB210 South Olga Bay. Only 3 permits were issued to residents this year for the fall hunt. So after finding out call to seahawk air and paid deposit and fly to our spot Oct 23rd!
I did plenty of load development over the months leading up to this. I was taking a Model 70 Stainless Classic in a 375 H&H. Bullet was going to be 300gr Barnes TSX. But I did try 300gr Accubonds ph uck gave up on them couldn’t get them to group worth a chit. So ended up using 74.5gr of RL15, FED 215 primer bullet seated at 3.595 avg velocity was 2649.
Summer came and went, soon October was upon us, I went back out to zero my open sights and scope because I switched to leupold qd rings and bases. The open sights were shooting 6-7 inches high. So I had order a new front sight a .310 because the factory one was .290. Got the new front post in and went and got it zeroed at 100yds. I was good to go.

We also put a pallets together to ship majority of our gear through Alaska air cargo. This included our tent, cots, and majority of our food. This is the way to go beats paying for baggage fees when you fly.

Well the day to fly to Kodiak came and quick stop to get my buddy and off to Ted Stevens we went. We got all our bags checked and through screening and just waiting on the flight. I forgot to add another fella I knew was already down their going bear hunting as well. He sent me message said they were delayed and couldn’t fly out that day. So we got down there and got ahold of seahawk and Rolan wife picked us up at the airport. We asked her what was going on with flights and she said they were backed up at least 2 days. By backed up all flight services, we got checked into best western and it was pissing rain sideways. So we were still scheduled to get out at 1630 on firday, Friday morning we moved hotels, Jo said keep a room just in case you don’t get out. The other fella I knew sent a quick note they were flying out. We were on standby waiting for seahwak to say they were going to come get us. About 1630 we figured we were not flying, called seahawk and Jo said no flights went out the rest of the day. Pilot’s came back said they weren’t flying, and that says a lot when Rolan won’t fly.

Which reminds when we got to Kodiak and Jo picked us up she told us that Rolan was under quarantine and had to wait for his covid test to come back. Which thankfully it came back the next day negative. Okay back to the story. So Saturday the weather is nice we check out of the hotel get to seahawk air and get stuff ready, get our gear weighed and wait for Rolan to get back. The flight in was uneventful perfect weather, we get to Sakhoi lagoon and Rolan says I can put you in there but not there. The not there is where we wanted to go, but tide not high enough. So we went to back up plan and got dropped 3.5 miles north of the lagoon on an unnamed lake on the map.

Seahawk air the gold standard!

random picture flying to our area

Sukhoi Lagoon

Little lake we were dropped on, getting dropped here plays important part why we had to get out earlier than we wanted.

I like where this is going, but that last sentence has me wondering....

Looking excellent so far. I’m with T_Inman though. Great plot

You feel pretty safe with Roland.

We got all our stuff unloaded found a sport where previous hunters have camped and got camp setup, to include a bear fence. This is all on the 24th of October, season opens the next day. Wake up next day 25 October get our packs ready and it’s raining as they say Kodiak weather lol. For this trip I bought a pop up blind so we could sit in it out of the rain and glass for bears in somewhat comfort. My bud spots a bear off in the distance to me looks like a good bear it’s just out there mowing down berries and we lose it in the tundra.

So we are getting comfortable and my bud looks out of my side of the blind (I was up and putting the windows together to block the wind) to me side of the blind and says bear. I look and no chit a bear coming from where our camp was at. It disappears into the alders and we grab our rifles and go find a good place to spot and see where this bear comes out. We sat there for an hour when this thing finally pops out, my bud says get ready, he glasses and just when he says tis a good bear it disappears again. My bud goes that’s a good bear, big head and big chest. So the waiting game starts. We sit there and my bud goes you stay here I’m going to go up on the hill glass down see if I can spot it. So off he goes. I’m sitting there thinking where in the hell did this bear go?? An hour or so passes and I finally stand up to stretch my legs and I go to sit down and I see brown fur going back into the alders Chit!!!!!!!

My bud makes his way back down says he has no idea where it’s at, I told him it went back into the alders he foes is that what why you had your rifle up I go yeah. So we move to a higher points set up a tarp and start the waiting game. Did I mention it’s raining, at this point I have two rain jackets on!
So we beat feet back to the pop up blind drop it and grab our packs. We work our way back to a high point so we can look at the numerous alder thickets and hopefully see the bear if it decides to make a run for it. So we sit there for at least 3 hours wondering where in the hell this bear is at. My buddy tossing out ideas what we can do, one is go work the alders but that could potential backfire on us and we get charged, or it would wind us and make a run for it and we never see it.

So I finally said I had to use the bathroom and take a whiz, I’m standing there stretching and my buddy finally says there the bear. I turn around and there is the bear making a run for it. I grab my rifle and take off down the hill. My buddy grabs his rifle and takes off with me. As of now this bear is walking/ running down this little ridge and drops over into the little valley. We figured he’s going to run that hillside out of sight and make a break out in front of us. So we run to cut him off, we get to the point and I figured we catch him headed towards sukhoi lagoon.
But nothing, we work our way up and see into this little valley and there he is, my first thought was Jesus that’s a big ass bear. He is oblivious to us the wind is in our favor. So we work our way up this little ridge and we glass again I see this big brown thing out there but my binos I covered in rain even in there pouch my buddy looks too and goes that’s a rock! We go where in the hell this bear disappear too?? I glass that “rock” again its not moving. Next thing you know that damn rock start moving it’s the bear LOL. The bear is down there eating blue berries, that's why he made a run for it he was hungry. They say the big 10 footers will sit in those alder patch until dark and then make a run for it.

So we move up the ridge little more and tell my buddy Im going to shoot. He scramble behinds to get to my left side to back me up. I pop my caps up on my butler creek caps and I look through my scope. I think you got to be [bleep] me I can barely make him out my scope covered in ph ucking rain. So I use my shirt to try and clear the lense. It works ok but I can see the bear. I ask my buddy again if he’s ready he says. Yes.

Range is 260yrds, I put my crosshairs right on his back, Boom shot out.. Over his back it looked like. I shoot bear turns starts running my last shot I put cross hairs on his front shoulder Boom, the bear drops. We see him pick his head up and toss and turn it and it drops. My buddy goes ph uck yeah! He goes you sure in hell hit it on that last shot! I gave my bud a hug, I can’t believe I just shot and harvested a Kodiak brown bear..
This is the dream of many hunters, here I am doing it. The stories I read in magazines as a kid dreaming to do such a thing. But figured that’s all it was, was a dream. So we load our rifles and work our way to the bear, we get side by side go in with hot chambers my bud starts yelling hey bear, I do the same. The bear doesn’t move.
Reality really sets in when I put my hands on this bear. Wow looking at it, its teeth, and his head. Thinking this bear could toss us around like a beach volleyball. Such a beautiful animal, the life it has lived all of this floods my mind.

That bear is in there somewhere??



The red circle is where we ended up shooting from the red line is where the bear was at. When you look at the picture and you see the strip of yellow grass running between the alder patch, the bear came out of the alder patch on the left side at the very bottom.

I remember my first hunt. Post the [bleep] picture

I probably won’t post anymore pictures, bunch of ph ucking creepos on 24 hour forums.. seen it time and time again the weirdo squad save pictures to their hard drive and later on use them to shame that person. No thanks you..

Too bad on more pics. Congrats on a nice bear.

Yea, it was a helluva story so far, I was looking forward to bear pics. That south end of the island is like a different world, love it!

Was looking forward to pics.

My wife said she was expecting trees as well, I told her not on the south end it’s all tundra and alder patches..

Yep, its a complete opposite than the north end. Much more similar to the Ak Pen. I drew Red Lake about 12 years ago, probably time for me to start putting in again. Glad you had a great hunt!!

Well, the story was great. Sorry to hear no pictures. Congrats all around and have a round or two on me while you wait for flights to clear.

The measurements we got out on the tundra were 108 inches wide 96 inches long.. Skull measured by fish and game in kodiak 24 5/16. It’s no world record but it’s also not the smallest. 😁

Boy we lucked out big time and somehow managed to get on flight out of kodiak yesterday we went from flying out on the 4th to leaving yesterday! There isn’t [bleep] to do on kodiak lol..

Congrats. Thanks for sharing.

Congrats, and thanks for sharing the story. Before I was stationed in Kodiak I used to read all the bear attack and bear hunting stories I could find. Olga Bay was oft mentioned, as was the word "disappeared." I wondered how in the hell big bears could just vanish. When I got stationed there, the disappearing act happened with blacktails too. When glassed from a distance the terrain looks like a flat grassland. with a few alders interspersed. When you get into it though, it's a maze of ravines and gorges. I was living your story as you told it. So much of Kodiak hunting strategy is figuring out where the animals that vanished would reappear. And rain. Kodiak hunts always involve the relentless rains. And travel delays...

Congrats, always great to check off something off your bucket list! WTG!

You did good John, he’s a pretty bear for sure!! Grats

F A N T A S T I C !!!

I understand about the pix. I'd love to see them.


Jerry