Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska Kodiak Brown Bear HUnt -- First-timer looking for advice

My oldest son has booked a brown bear hunt on Kodiak Island for 2025. We've hunted blacktail deer and sea ducks there, but never the big brownies. He's using an outfitter, so the hunt is all set up. I am sure the outfitter will make recommendations for rifle/caliber combos. Any advice from you guys who've done the hunt? Between us we have a 300 WM and a 300 H&H. Thank you.

cj: what you will primarily find on this site are folks like me who have hunted brownies once, maybe twice and even possibly more. I have done the same and have harvested one brown bear. However, what I'd recommend to you is to communicate with someone who has MANY years experience with those bears which will most likely be an outfitter with that level of experience. The one man I know personally with those credentials is Phil Shoemaker: his site is Grizzly Skins of Alaska. He posts on here occasionally but more on Accurate Reloading forum. Go to his site and take seriously about what he says. I would personally disregard those who say something like "I took my bear with _____ caliber and it worked fine." If you can find an old article by Phil ( I can't remember the name of it) but it was something like Rifles for the Big Bears, you will learn a bunch about your question. I think you can find that article someplace on the net. What you will find from Phil is bullet selection and placement is vital: caliber not so much within reason. But check it out for yourself. Just my 2 cents worth. Good luck.

Great advice!

Either cartridge you have is fine with a good bullet of appropriate weight. I have killed one Kodiak Bear with a 375 Ruger shooting a 270 grains TSX. 25 yard shot. Now I am not Phil Shoemaker so take the above for what's it's worth.

I found my 20 inch barreled Ruger a dream to carry through the alders. Glad I didn't have a 26" barreled rocket launcher.

Anything from a 30/06 on up is fine. More important than the cartridge is the bullet! Use a Nosler partition, Swift, Barnes or other premium bullet. Get in lots of practice and enjoy the hunt!

Don't take a rifle with a 26" barrel.
Don't buy a new rifle unless you put some time on it. 35 Whelen it's the island favorite, followed by 3006, then 338s and 375s. Lots of cartridges work. Use good bullets, not long range bullets.

Your son already has the permit from the state?

Why do you ask stupid [bleep]? Of course not but many areas of kodiak are 100% draw if you are a NR. Pretty easy to plan for the future. FFS…

My suggestion is talk with your guide for his opinion

But if you choose any premium bullet the two calibers you mentioned will work just fine

either gun you have will be fine. bullet selection is most important part.

Your guide will give you all of the information you need for a successful hunt. I hunted bear for 2 of the 3 years I was stationed there. I hunted the road system by myself. I never scored, but bear were killed in the same 4 small areas I was focusing my efforts.

Get quality rain wear!

Bingo. No bergers. Most of the folks I guide with really like the Barnes over others. But as long as its controlled expansion and good penetration it should work.

Calibers are fine. Make sure you can shoot well from quick field positions. Make the first shot perfect or dont' shoot IMHO.

Out of curiosity, who is the outfitter you are booked with ?
Kodiak has a lot of superb and knowledgeable outfitters

Spring or fall hunt?

All excellent comments and questions. I will confirm the time of year and the outfitter.

It will be a spring hunt out of Larsen Bay Lodge.

George Straight did that hunt 3 years ago
Your guide will be Mike Carlson most likely.

+1 to all of this. Phil was quite generous and accommodating with his time in my inquiries.

One thing I can say with great certainty - most folks that haven't been will have all kinds of input.

Son, grandson and I were at Larsen Bay Lodge December 2002, hunting blacktails and sea ducks. We saw George Straight's comments in the guest book. It was a great experience.

In my research for a rifle, I came across the Ruger Alaskan/Guide rifle. I am curious if anyone has experience with that rifle.