Planning a trip next Aug-Sept. Plan to mostly fish, but also to hunt deer and black bear. I understand the deer are high up at that time, but length of shots is unknown. What's the best caliber? I have several to chose from. Thanks!

buy a good bolt rifle,plastic stock,S.S. ,300 Win. Mag. or a 30-06 with a decent scope and mnts. those 2 cartridges are easy to find ammo for with the 30-06 being the easiest to find ammo any place in the world.

This is where most if the planning should center.

Stainless, synthetic whatever. Putting in for the draw?

+1 on stainless / synthetic.

Anything from 6.5mm to .30 cal. should get it done.

What stainless rifles/chambering do you currently own?

Same as for the “lower 48”. It’s pretty hard to beat the “all purpose”, “do it all”, .338 WM. Is it needed.....no, not likely. But, is a great option! memtb

One that you lay in the water for pictures.

If a little bit is good, more must be better!

I see your .338 and raise you .037.

I am pretty sure I know of no one who hunts with a 338.

Just step up to a .340. It’s amazing the difference of two thousandths makes!

-Sportys gun counter guy

I'd start with stainless and a synthetic stock. My impression is the vast majority of guys have a 30-06, 300 Win Mag, or 338 Win Mag. Pick the one you like, and shoot the best. Can't go wrong.

Thanks for the replies so far!

I am thinking something around 30-06, .7mag, or .300WM. The 300 is a bit heavier due to barrel contour. For the same weight (or maybe a bit less) I could go up to a .338WM. The issue? Maybe the extra weight is a negative when climbing those mountains they talk about?

Neither black bear nor deer are that hard to kill, so I guess the question is length of shot. If its faraway then I'll go with a .300 or 7mag. If shots are closer I'll use a more basic caliber or trundle out the .338. So if its early September, I understand you have to climb....How long are the shots though?

And yes, I'll put in for a draw. Understood that it needs to be done soon even if the hunt is 10 months away.

As to the fishing, that's indeed where I am working the most brain cells! Spent part of yesterday sorting out flies. Really want to get into the silvers.

A kimber Montana in 7-08 up to 300wsm and everything in between would make a fine black bear/ deer rifle without breaking the bank.

Next time I’m in the neighborhood, I’ll introduce you to my wife! memtb

I used a kimber Montana 308 there last year. A stainless tikka would be just fine too.

I've heard of a local guy who favors the 223AI

Everybody's in the 375 and up club?

Blu CS - Sent you a PM,
Also, you may want to read the thread under General Big Game - 300 in the real world.

Take whatever you want, expect rain and wind unless it's not then warm and still with mosquitos, or anything in between!

I have hunted POW. I also know Nov. has about 14" rain or so on average.

I carry a Model 71. A little heavy fo deer , but good , fast bear rifle.

We got wet....I wiped it down a lot.

I always figure my equipment must be able to go where I go.

Only blacktail I've ever shot or seen shot have been 338 win mag. LOL.

I'd take my 284 if I ever get it shooting, enough gun and light weight.

But then again I'd take a 223 or 243 too and not worry.

Shot length, what we saw, it could be as far as you wanted it, down to extremely close when calling them.

I've not hunted that early in the year though.

I would take the most weather resistant rifle you own personally. I would not consider something heavy or buying something new assuming you have some to pick from. Unless you just want a new one. Then if I didn't have a light mountain type thats what I'd invest in.

No need for a magnum. I’d take something light and short, like a Kimber Montana, in 308 or 7-08.

You k


I'll only do it if I can have a 28" barrel, a break, a bipod, and a 50mm objective scope.

BUBBA!

No Mike, he didn't mention see thru rings

sounds like a great rig! If you run out of ammo,you can just drop it on the bear for a DRT kill.

LOL!

They all go POW!......How many decibels ya looking for?

Sheesh just went onto the F&G website and talked to the rep in Craig. Just learned this. The draw itself is inexpensive, but the tags are spendy!!!!! Both for bear ($450) and deer ($300 a pop!). Yikes! That's going to take some serious thinking...….

Not to mention transportation, lodging, vehicle rental, etc.

Was gonna say if the tags make you think you might should price the rest of the trip... I've yet to find anything much besides higher prices since we started going in 86. Its all beyond worth the cost but if you are assuming anything is priced like the lower 48 you will be unhappy.

Deer were only $150 for non-residents not that long ago. Remember that you can harvest any animal that costs less than the one you have, so if you buy a bear tag you can still shoot a deer on that tag instead of the bear.

Copied this right off the regs.

"A big game locking-tag may be used for a species of equal or lesser value. You must have obtained a harvest ticket or a permit for the other species prior to hunting. For example, if you purchase a $1,000 brown bear locking-tag, but do not take a brown bear, and take a moose instead, you may use the bear locking-tag on the moose, because the moose has a lesser locking-tag value."

Hank
Youse still in Valdisease?

Yep, for a few more weeks. Heading up to Delta for thanksgiving to visit with some friends of mine and do some predator calling.

Bipods only work if the legs are real short so they don't hang up in the alders... duh!

+1

Not always true. What you need is to add a bayonet lug to the kit. The bayonet works great knocking down alders and devil's club. Longer bipod legs help to sweep the path clear.

I use the longest bipod legs I can find. In an emergency, I can always deploy the bipod, toss the rifle on the ground, throw a tarp over the whole works, and I have a ready made tent.

I like the idea of this bayonet/alder/devils club cutter, but I don't want to compromise the safety of my shelter. Thoughts?

I think you left out several valuable multi-tool functions: shortening barrels for getting through the alders; latrine digging, trenching around the tent, or even prying rocks out of your bed; your blue tarp should make it very difficult for bears and wolves to get a good purchase on your hide...

I would use a silnylon tarp laminated with kevlar and an integrated sheath. It weighs a little more than a blue tarp, but the extra room under the canopy from the bayonet extension really adds up to greater comfort in those emergency situations.

And if you can find one, get the sheath with the built in sharpener. It helps to keep the bayonet edge touched up after all of Art's digging and trenching.

Point ceded... but it is the barrel shortening he seems to like doing that really dulls his tools...

Maybe add some carbide saw teeth on the spine of the bayonet?

Damn, this is going to get expensive.

😎

Tikka T3X Superlite in .308 Win. and a couple of 5 round magazines. Shoot some 165-168 grain high BC bullets and enjoy an accurate rifle with a proven round that gives very long barrel life.

The T3 Arctic in .308 is the new Rifle the Canadian Rangers selected. It is cool looking and looks like rifle built to last.

An older Mod. 70 "Classic Stainless" in 30-06 would be a good choice also. Heck, get one of each.

Caliber wise I believe I am going to go with a .30-06 with a Leupold 2.5x8. Basic. This handles black bear and deer, with reasonable length shots. Was really thinking hard about a .300WM ( a favorite) but that's significantly more weight there to be lugging up a mountain somewhere after the deer. (Bears, per my research, will be lower down in early September, and the deer will be high up). Don't want to go lighter caliber-wise, to leave plenty of margin of error on the bears. I have more than one to pick from so one happy project over the next few months will be wringing the options out.

Thanks for your help guys!

My Stainless synthetic Sako in .308 has worked well for me up there. I shoot 150TTSX and 168TSX and haven’t missed or needed to track which can be complicated by monsoon rains in the rainforest. 😉. I like exit holes.

Slightly off topic- is there a time in POW island where you can hunt deer and bear at the same time AND fish for salmon? I thought I looked at the regs a while back and the seasons were separated a bit. If you could do all 3 at the same time, sounds like a good way for me to use a few weeks of vacation!

I am unsure about the salmon fishing part, but to hunt deer and bear on POW island at the same time you'll need to be drawn for the fall bear permit, which is a fairly tough permit to get.

The spring hunt is much easier to draw, but deer isn't in season then.

Fall. Salmon can be had in the streams pretty far into the fall.

Stainless, Mc Mickey stock, 23" barrel with blue tape over the hole, and a Leupie M-6. Who cares what caliber as long as you run Barnes thru the aforementioned "hole."

338-06 worked for my brown bear so it should be as good for your animals. I use the 160 ttsx for deer and the 250 partition on brownie.

Enjoy!

I can’t see why you would need more than a 30-06 for black bear and small deer. Dang any standard deer caliber should work fine. There are no brown bear on POW correct?? So why all the talk of big calibers?? Never been there so maybe I’m missing something, but don’t see why you need a 300 or 338 to kill black bears. Sounds like lots of wet weather and thick stuff. Something stainless/synthetic and shorter barrel ?! Only killed one black bear that weighed 425lbs with a bow so not an expert or anything. I’d take my model 7 243 to be honest. Light, short, and stainless.

Speed from the 160s?

Might be onto something.

A Sako Forrestor in 243 was my Afognak rifle for years, I wiped it down with a silicon cloth every night and it killed deer just as quick as the bigger calibers I carried while guiding on Kodiak. Sadly I loaned it to a buddies wife for a Kodiak hunt and when she returned it she also left with it,,after a fashion!

There could be some complexities unwrinkling that fabric...

That made me LOL

Where's Paul Harvey when we need him?

best reply yet...
But, don't forget bright yellow or orange tape on scope caps and some lame moniker in silver sharpie

Friends:

I'm GTG with the .30-06. Ruger MK II Stainless, CRF. It has a 2 1/2x8 on there now, but now the decision is whether to go with a higher top end on the scope like a 3 1/2x10. All Leopold's, they have earned my business over decades. I'm seeing you tube videos of longer shots up in the alpine area and thinking mebbe it would be smart to go with something more powerful scope-wise.

On the deer I expect to use 150's, with 180-200 grainers on the black bears. At this point its all factory: blue box Federals or Green and Yellows.

And no, absolutely no plans to lay it in the water, The only tape on it will be a swatch of electrical tape over the muzzle.

Thanks for the input so far!!!

I’d recommend 168ttsx
3.5-10 with CDS for easy dial job.
But, I’m bias because that’s my set up .

That must be blue.

For trudging upward and onward, light = right

Been trying to understand this since I first saw it but can't figure it out. Perfect rifle for a POW? I don't believe they allow POW's to have any firearms!

Prince of Wales Island in SE AK.

I'd leave the 2.5-8 on it and pick one load for duty.

Goofball! Unless I miss my guess, which would be a first, he is making a play on the acronym for prisoner of war.

Well I got the play, but this is the ‘fire and you never know when people “know”, or don’t. Between here and FB, I’m never surprised at questions people have!

Been up there twice. Bear and deer. Tikka stainless 30 06, 3x9 Zeiss

Clarity is never the wrong answer. Sorry to question you!

Your rifle and scope will certainly work. A bit heavy, but serviceable. Before changing scopes I would look to other optics. What binoculars do you currently use? Range finder?

You mentioned shooting at extended distance. How do you intend to account for bullet drop? Turning turrets, bdc reticle, estimating hold over?

I never hunted POW, but have hunted Admiralty Island twice. After seeing pie-plate sized bear poop on the trails I was glad to be carrying a 338-06 with 225 Accubonds the first time and a 300 Weatherby with 180 TSXs the second time.

welcome to the campfire!

There is a big difference in the minimum caliber rifle you want on the ABC Islands vs POW. .30 cal. is my standard.

Thank you. I suppose I should introduce myself in the intro place.

It’ll get your attention when that pie-plate sized turd has a saucer sized turd nearby while investigating the destroyed bee hives in the back yard.

Ill bet...

But it's just a little shiet. That baby bear won't hurt you...much!

Gringo knows of what he comments.