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Brown Bear Hunt #16452053 09/20/21
Joined: Feb 2009 Posts: 1,803 SW Montana buffybr OP Campfire Regular
OP buffybr Campfire Regular Joined: Feb 2009 Posts: 1,803 SW Montana	I just got home from my Alaska Brown Bear hunt. I hunted with Master Guide Bob Couey in his camp outside of Iliamna. I flew out of Bozeman at 8 AM on Sept 4th, changed planes in Seattle then on to Anchorage, then took a taxi to Merrill Field where I met Bob and we flew to Iliamna, and then a Super Cub to his camp., which was two pup tents tucked in next to an alder patch. The next morning I was legal to hunt, and while we were fixing breakfast, Bob spotted a bear walking across a flat about a mile west of camp. We quickly grabbed our guns and packs and started after him. We got to about a quarter mile from where we last saw him and he was nowhere in sight, so Bob suggested that we go back to camp where we had some elevation to look for him, and have some breakfast. We no sooner got back to camp and we spotted him again, so back to the stalk. This time we got to about 200 yards from him. He wasn't the biggest bear in the unit, but with his dark brown legs and his long blond back hair, he was my Grizzly bear dream color. I was hunting with my .375 RUM with my 281 grain Hammer Hunter handloads and I heard the loud WHAP that my first bullet made when it hit him, and he fell down. But then he got up and started running and Bob said to keep shooting until he didn't get up, so I did. His final resting place was about 10 yards from a 40' drop off into a waist deep river, and a hunt that I had been dreaming about for over 50 years was over. The picture taking, skinning, and packing got us back to camp by 3 PM for a very late breakfast...with a celebratory Coors Light. The next morning Bob finished skinning out my bear's skull and got his hide salted and the clouds started building up in the West. Bob brought up the weather forecast and it showed the next few days with up to 93% rain. Bob was able to text the Super Cub pilot and he was able to get us back to Iliamna that day, but too late for the plane back to Anchorage, so we spent the night at a friends "lodge" where we had homemade pizza and fresh wild blueberry pie, and a warm, dry bed. The next day we flew back to Anchorage and to Bob's house, where we spent a couple of nights. Bob finished fleshing my bear hide and heavily salted it, and we let it cure overnight before taking to the F&G office to have it sealed. We then went to a couple of local sporting goods stores where we both bought a 3 weight fly rod and reel, I bought an Alaska 7 day fishing license, and the next day we drove 180 miles north to Alaska's Lake Louise where Bob had a cabin. We then spent several days putting our new 3 wt fly rods to use on the creek next to his cabin where I had fun catching well over 100 Graylings. We also enjoying exploring and portaging Bob's canoe on 3 lakes and a section of the creek by his cabin, and me eating handfuls of sweet wild blueberries. My Alaskan trip came to a close last Thursday and I left the beautiful tundra, lakes, streams, and glaciers for the smoky skies of Montana. SAVE 200 ELK, KILL A WOLF NRA Endowment Life Member

GB1

Re: Brown Bear Hunt buffybr #16452064 09/20/21
Joined: Jan 2010 Posts: 32,130 Likes: 1 Somewhere between lost and fou... kingston Campfire 'Bwana
kingston Campfire 'Bwana Joined: Jan 2010 Posts: 32,130 Likes: 1 Somewhere between lost and fou...	Your trip sounds fantastic! Thanks for the writeup! Originally Posted by 16penny If you put Taco Bell sauce in your ramen noodles it tastes just like poverty

Re: Brown Bear Hunt buffybr #16452070 09/20/21
Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 3,852 Texas TimZ Campfire Tracker
TimZ Campfire Tracker Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 3,852 Texas	That is a pretty bear! Well done.

Re: Brown Bear Hunt buffybr #16452098 09/20/21
Joined: Feb 2018 Posts: 1,885 Likes: 1 1 1Akshooter Campfire Regular
1Akshooter Campfire Regular 1 Joined: Feb 2018 Posts: 1,885 Likes: 1	You gotta quit telling these stories or everyone will come to Alaska. I have been fortunate to have had 57 wonderful years in this Great Place. That is a beautiful bear and congrats to you !

Re: Brown Bear Hunt buffybr #16452238 09/20/21
Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 151,845 Likes: 20 Texas hanco Campfire Savant
hanco Campfire Savant Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 151,845 Likes: 20 Texas	Congrats, thanks for sharing!

IC B2

Re: Brown Bear Hunt buffybr #16452411 09/20/21
Joined: Aug 2006 Posts: 20,554 Alaska AkMtnHntr Campfire Ranger
AkMtnHntr Campfire Ranger Joined: Aug 2006 Posts: 20,554 Alaska	Thanks for taking out another moose/caribou muncher and congrats on a beautiful bear! That's ok, I'll ass shoot a dink. Steelhead

Re: Brown Bear Hunt buffybr #16452414 09/20/21
Joined: Oct 2004 Posts: 26,591 Likes: 17 Metairie, LA PaulBarnard Campfire Ranger
PaulBarnard Campfire Ranger Joined: Oct 2004 Posts: 26,591 Likes: 17 Metairie, LA	Sounds like a heck of an adventure. Thanks for posting up. Do you have any idea where the first shot on the bear hit?

Re: Brown Bear Hunt buffybr #16452437 09/20/21
Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 13,662 Indiana pointer Campfire Outfitter
pointer Campfire Outfitter Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 13,662 Indiana	Very nicely done!! Congrats!

Re: Brown Bear Hunt buffybr #16452451 09/20/21
Joined: Aug 2003 Posts: 6,460 Likes: 1 J JeffP Campfire Tracker
JeffP Campfire Tracker J Joined: Aug 2003 Posts: 6,460 Likes: 1	Great memory Iliamna is one of my favorite places on earth ..... Decades of voting for the lesser of two evils has gotten us just that.....

Re: Brown Bear Hunt buffybr #16452505 09/20/21
Joined: Jan 2018 Posts: 23,506 Oregon Beaver10 Campfire Ranger
Beaver10 Campfire Ranger Joined: Jan 2018 Posts: 23,506 Oregon	Sounds like your dream hunt happened. Congrats ! 🦫 Curiosity Killed the Cat & The Prairie Dog “Molon Labe”

IC B3

Re: Brown Bear Hunt buffybr #16452588 09/20/21
Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,579 Idaho & South Dakota USA dukxdog Campfire Regular
dukxdog Campfire Regular Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,579 Idaho & South Dakota USA	Pretty Toklat Gun Owners of America & NRA Life Member https://www.facebook.com/BirdDogBunkhouse57442/ "There are a hundred things that can happen at long range and only one of them is good"

Re: Brown Bear Hunt buffybr #16452793 09/20/21
Joined: Feb 2018 Posts: 867 Port Severn ont. Canada G GWPGUY Campfire Regular
GWPGUY Campfire Regular G Joined: Feb 2018 Posts: 867 Port Severn ont. Canada	Evnin, WOW nice colours, you'll never forget that few days. Bet ya go back??? Even if ya just fish!!! Bill. 🐾👣🐾👣🐾👣🇨🇦

Re: Brown Bear Hunt buffybr #16453744 09/20/21
Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 541 Anchorage, AK JimInAK Campfire Regular
JimInAK Campfire Regular Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 541 Anchorage, AK	Nicely done. Congrats on a successful trip!

Re: Brown Bear Hunt buffybr #16453977 09/21/21
Joined: Sep 2005 Posts: 17,739 Likes: 1 Michigan, In , Boon S saddlering Campfire Ranger
saddlering Campfire Ranger S Joined: Sep 2005 Posts: 17,739 Likes: 1 Michigan, In , Boon	Wow Great story and pics. Thanks for showing! Deer Camp! about as good as it gets!

Re: Brown Bear Hunt buffybr #16454004 09/21/21
Joined: Feb 2011 Posts: 17,803 Likes: 2 Wyoming W WyoCoyoteHunter Campfire Ranger
WyoCoyoteHunter Campfire Ranger W Joined: Feb 2011 Posts: 17,803 Likes: 2 Wyoming	Awesome.. Molon Labe

Re: Brown Bear Hunt buffybr #16454016 09/21/21
Joined: Sep 2009 Posts: 46,261 Likes: 2 Oklahoma G gunner500 Campfire 'Bwana
gunner500 Campfire 'Bwana G Joined: Sep 2009 Posts: 46,261 Likes: 2 Oklahoma	Wow! what an adventure, Thanks for the ride along. Trump Won!

Re: Brown Bear Hunt buffybr #16454050 09/21/21
Joined: Aug 2009 Posts: 1,551 Whitebird Campfire Regular
Whitebird Campfire Regular Joined: Aug 2009 Posts: 1,551	Well done!

Re: Brown Bear Hunt buffybr #16454132 09/21/21
Joined: May 2010 Posts: 1,445 Likes: 1 Central NYS S shawlerbrook Campfire Regular
shawlerbrook Campfire Regular S Joined: May 2010 Posts: 1,445 Likes: 1 Central NYS	Congratulations Sounds like a great adventure.

Re: Brown Bear Hunt buffybr #16454146 09/21/21
Joined: Jul 2007 Posts: 24,653 Likes: 1 Midwest SKane Campfire Ranger
SKane Campfire Ranger Joined: Jul 2007 Posts: 24,653 Likes: 1 Midwest	Gorgeous bruin! Congrats! WWP53D

Re: Brown Bear Hunt buffybr #16454173 09/21/21
Joined: Dec 2005 Posts: 5,934 Black Hills of Dakota CRS Campfire Tracker
CRS Campfire Tracker Joined: Dec 2005 Posts: 5,934 Black Hills of Dakota	Congratulations, beautiful bear. Arcus Venator

Re: Brown Bear Hunt buffybr #16454189 09/21/21
Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 78,306 Likes: 2 Southwestern Montucky ingwe Campfire Oracle
ingwe Campfire Oracle Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 78,306 Likes: 2 Southwestern Montucky	That is FANTASTIC, and that bear is also MY dream coloration! Superb! "...the left considers you vermin, and they'll kill you given the chance..." Bristoe

Re: Brown Bear Hunt buffybr #16454203 09/21/21
Joined: Jun 2001 Posts: 5,493 Delta Junction, Alaska VernAK Campfire Tracker
VernAK Campfire Tracker Joined: Jun 2001 Posts: 5,493 Delta Junction, Alaska	Ya done good Buffy!

Re: Brown Bear Hunt buffybr #16454289 09/21/21
Joined: May 2011 Posts: 2,206 Elizabeth, CO T TRnCO Campfire Regular
TRnCO Campfire Regular T Joined: May 2011 Posts: 2,206 Elizabeth, CO	man what a beautiful bear. Congrats!! Laws aren't preventative measures. In other words, more laws won't prevent gun crime from happening.

Re: Brown Bear Hunt buffybr #16454311 09/21/21
Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 30,967 Likes: 5 USA J jwp475 Campfire 'Bwana
jwp475 Campfire 'Bwana J Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 30,967 Likes: 5 USA	CONGRATULATIONS!🎈🎊🎉🧨💯 The bear is outstanding, the pictures are great and the trip sounds like it was absolutely perfect. I got banned on another web site for a debate that happened on this site. That's a first

Re: Brown Bear Hunt buffybr #16454912 09/21/21
Joined: Jun 2001 Posts: 32,173 Likes: 4 Kenai Peninsula, AK L las Campfire 'Bwana
las Campfire 'Bwana L Joined: Jun 2001 Posts: 32,173 Likes: 4 Kenai Peninsula, AK	Darned pretty bear. Congratulations. Anyone with a Lab in camp is OK by me..... I have never had a desire to shoot a brown/griz, so in my 53 years here, I never have (they have been cooperative in that respect), but if I ever get a chance at a silvertip, that sucker is going down! Last edited by las; 09/21/21. The only true cost of having a dog is its death.

Re: Brown Bear Hunt buffybr #16455504 09/21/21
Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 15,748 Likes: 4 ms N navlav8r Campfire Ranger
navlav8r Campfire Ranger N Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 15,748 Likes: 4 ms	Awesome. Love that color. NRA Life,Endowment,Patron or Benefactor since '72.

Re: Brown Bear Hunt buffybr #16455612 09/21/21
Joined: May 2009 Posts: 616 Milwroad Campfire Regular
Milwroad Campfire Regular Joined: May 2009 Posts: 616	Thanks for sharing a great story and congratulations on an amazing trophy. The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits.- Albert Einstein

Re: Brown Bear Hunt ingwe #16455642 09/21/21
Joined: Feb 2009 Posts: 1,803 SW Montana buffybr OP Campfire Regular
OP buffybr Campfire Regular Joined: Feb 2009 Posts: 1,803 SW Montana	Originally Posted by ingwe That is FANTASTIC, and that bear is also MY dream coloration! Superb! I took him into Monarch Taxidermy in Helena last Friday. They do excellent work, and I'm having them do a full mount with him standing on 3 legs and the left front leg raised. I hope to get him back by next spring. SAVE 200 ELK, KILL A WOLF NRA Endowment Life Member

Re: Brown Bear Hunt buffybr #16456110 09/21/21
Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 78,306 Likes: 2 Southwestern Montucky ingwe Campfire Oracle
ingwe Campfire Oracle Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 78,306 Likes: 2 Southwestern Montucky	Originally Posted by buffybr Originally Posted by ingwe That is FANTASTIC, and that bear is also MY dream coloration! Superb! I took him into Monarch Taxidermy in Helena last Friday. They do excellent work, and I'm having them do a full mount with him standing on 3 legs and the left front leg raised. I hope to get him back by next spring. Damn! you shoulda looked me up! I live less than a mile from them! "...the left considers you vermin, and they'll kill you given the chance..." Bristoe

Re: Brown Bear Hunt buffybr #16456421 09/21/21
Joined: Jul 2005 Posts: 6,897 Likes: 1 On a raid Scotty Campfire Tracker
Scotty Campfire Tracker Joined: Jul 2005 Posts: 6,897 Likes: 1 On a raid	Congratulations, nice bear.

Re: Brown Bear Hunt buffybr #16468398 09/25/21
Joined: Aug 2021 Posts: 125 Northern Occupied Virginia J John0313 Campfire Member
John0313 Campfire Member J Joined: Aug 2021 Posts: 125 Northern Occupied Virginia	That sounded like a grand adventure on many fronts! I’m not ashamed to say I’m jealous!

Re: Brown Bear Hunt buffybr #16468656 09/25/21
Joined: May 2008 Posts: 1,904 Likes: 1 Pearland, Texas A asheepdog Campfire Regular
asheepdog Campfire Regular A Joined: May 2008 Posts: 1,904 Likes: 1 Pearland, Texas	That’s the trip of a lifetime, congrats on the bear. NRA Endowment Member

Re: Brown Bear Hunt buffybr #16475634 09/27/21
Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 3,575 AZ T Talus_in_Arizona Campfire Tracker
Talus_in_Arizona Campfire Tracker T Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 3,575 AZ	That’s a beautiful bear! Well played! I do not entertain hypotheticals. The world itself is vexing enough. -- Col. Stonehill

Re: Brown Bear Hunt buffybr #16476255 09/27/21
Joined: Dec 2007 Posts: 1,918 SE A.K. B BCJR Campfire Regular
BCJR Campfire Regular B Joined: Dec 2007 Posts: 1,918 SE A.K.	Beautiful bear!

Re: Brown Bear Hunt buffybr #16478792 09/28/21
Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 17,736 Likes: 1 Palmer, Alaska C Cariboujack Campfire Ranger
Cariboujack Campfire Ranger C Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 17,736 Likes: 1 Palmer, Alaska	What an amazing bear. That one would work in anyone's book. Even if you never make it back, you had the trip of a lifetime. But I'll bet you go back. NRA LIFE MEMBER GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS ESPECIALLY THE SNIPERS! "Suppose you were an idiot And suppose you were a member of Congress... But I repeat myself." -Mark Twain

Re: Brown Bear Hunt Cariboujack #16481015 09/29/21
Joined: Feb 2009 Posts: 1,803 SW Montana buffybr OP Campfire Regular
OP buffybr Campfire Regular Joined: Feb 2009 Posts: 1,803 SW Montana	Originally Posted by Cariboujack ...But I'll bet you go back. This was my 3rd trip to Alaska. My 1st was back in 1980 when 4 friends and I did a DIY caribou hunt out of King Salmon, me 2nd was a couple of years ago when I went on a Sitka Blacktail hunt on Kodiak. Yes, I'd go back in a heartbeat, and the next time I'll bring some fishing tackle. The other day I went to a couple of sporting goods stores and bought some streamer fly tying materials. SAVE 200 ELK, KILL A WOLF NRA Endowment Life Member

Re: Brown Bear Hunt buffybr #16491870 10/02/21
Joined: Jul 2005 Posts: 6,897 Likes: 1 On a raid Scotty Campfire Tracker
Scotty Campfire Tracker Joined: Jul 2005 Posts: 6,897 Likes: 1 On a raid	Nice Bear, congratulations.

Re: Brown Bear Hunt buffybr #16492016 10/02/21
Joined: Aug 2010 Posts: 821 Curtice, OH A Alex38 Campfire Regular
Alex38 Campfire Regular A Joined: Aug 2010 Posts: 821 Curtice, OH	Sounds like a wonderful trip! Congrats on that dream bear!!

Re: Brown Bear Hunt buffybr #16495757 10/03/21
Joined: Mar 2013 Posts: 1,448 Palmer, AK D Ducksanddogs Campfire Regular
Ducksanddogs Campfire Regular D Joined: Mar 2013 Posts: 1,448 Palmer, AK	Originally Posted by buffybr Originally Posted by Cariboujack ...But I'll bet you go back. This was my 3rd trip to Alaska. My 1st was back in 1980 when 4 friends and I did a DIY caribou hunt out of King Salmon, me 2nd was a couple of years ago when I went on a Sitka Blacktail hunt on Kodiak. Yes, I'd go back in a heartbeat, and the next time I'll bring some fishing tackle. The other day I went to a couple of sporting goods stores and bought some streamer fly tying materials. They’ll work on Canyon Ferry, too!

Re: Brown Bear Hunt buffybr #16496220 10/04/21
Joined: Nov 2018 Posts: 1,489 C Cascade Campfire Regular
Cascade Campfire Regular C Joined: Nov 2018 Posts: 1,489	OUTSTANDING! I'm glad that you spent more time there, fishing & such, after the bear hunt. Alaska is a special place. Regards, Guy

Re: Brown Bear Hunt buffybr #16496366 10/04/21
Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 7,185 MT J Just a Hunter Campfire Tracker
Just a Hunter Campfire Tracker J Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 7,185 MT	That is a pretty bear. Congrats!

Re: Brown Bear Hunt buffybr #16496453 10/04/21
Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 3,207 CT B Bill_N Campfire Tracker
Bill_N Campfire Tracker B Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 3,207 CT	Great adventure and trophy bear - congrats! Affordable Sportfishing Charters and Cruises out of Noank CT - https://www.rowdygirlcharters.com/

Re: Brown Bear Hunt ingwe #16569155 10/27/21
Joined: Mar 2003 Posts: 17,179 Northern California Hammerdown Campfire Ranger
Hammerdown Campfire Ranger Joined: Mar 2003 Posts: 17,179 Northern California	I think we can all agree, that's a beautiful bear. It was a nice to read your story. Such a fun trip; with the bear hunt, fishing and great memories. Glad you made it back home safe. Thanks for sharing. Randy NRA Patriot Life Benefactor

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