Another Black Bear Taken (several pictures)

[BW]

Gents,

I see that Moosie got a bear this week, and thought I'd share the one I shot too.

Didn't know whether to post this here, or on the Alaska board down below.

Mine was taken here in S.E. Alaska last week.

Here's a pic of me and the bear taken at right where it fell...

That's the moon over my shoulder, not the sun. I took the shot from the tiny island across the water to the right. (190 yards)

This is the first picture I took, right after we got over there...

This is after we drug it up to the high tide line, and propped it up...

This is obviously after we skinned it out...

The bear scored a 20 10/16" skull, still green. I'm told it will shrink 3/16th an inch when dried out. It measured about 6' 10", on scene, by our very experienced local bear expert, and an even 7 feet by the taxidermist after fleshing and removing the skull/paw stuff.

Weight is estimated at 450lbs. He was very lean for his size.

The rifle was my 416 Taylor, using 370gr Northfork bullets going 2400fps at the muzzle. Winchester M70 Classic, stainless/composite, Leupold 2.5-8 scope.

To say I'm very pleased would be a gross understatment! We saw some that were even bigger, but they were way too smart for us to get a shot.

 

[ELKCHSR]

Nice bear. !!!CONGRATS!!!

 

[1_pointer]

Nice bear!!! Hunting bears in AK is something I think I could definetly try!!! Again congrats and thanks for the pics

 

[mtmiller]

Nice bear BW. I am guessing you shot him near Sitka? I would live to get up there and do some hunting one day. At this point, about all I can afford are short fishing trips in Alaska. Looks like the .416 was plenty to put him down.


You said you shot him from another island. Is that unusual, or is that that best way to find a bear with the thick veg?

 

[Ithaca 37]

Congratulations! Great Bear! How about telling us the island story?

 

[Moosie]

brian !!!!!! KOODOS !!!!! Glad to see everyone haveing a good year, Brian, MAybe one day I'll make it up there and chase one with ya !!

CONGRATS MI 'Amigo !!!!

 

[Oak]

Nice bear! WTG! Thanks for posting the pics.

Oak

 

[Kraven]

Great looking BEAR

 

[BW]

There aren't any black bears in the Sitka area, just brownies. I was hunting an island farther down the chain when I got this one.

Of the several stalks we made, this was the only one where we landed on a seperate island. Usually we hit the beach a couple hundred yards downwind from the bears.

In case I failed to mention it, this hunt was all by boat, either my 24' fiberglass cabin cruiser using a raft to get to shore, or my friends aluminum boat which we could beach.

It just so happened that the small island was in the right spot. If things had gone bad, and the bear ran off wounded, it would have taken longer to get over to where I had hit him, and longer to track. So while it was great for stalking and shooting, there could be possible downsides to shooting across water like that.

In the Spring, cruising the beaches at low tide, and in the evening is the best way to hunt. Getting into the rain forest is really a waste of time, as the bears would hear ya coming a mile off. In the Fall, it's more common to walk up a salmon stream a ways, and wait for last light to draw the big ones out of the forest. I haven't hunted that way yet, as Spring hunting is so much nicer.

Brian

 

[huntrluvr]

Way to go BW!! Thanks for the pics and info.

 

[Ten Bears]

Nice bear

 

[Casey Richardson]

Wow! What a bear! Did the biologist have a guesstmate to age when you checked it in? Happy hunting, Casey

 

[BW]

Casey,

No, the taxidermist I took it to for fleshing, is also a State certified sealing agent. I'm sure he pulled a tooth and sent it into the the ADF&G folks.

I'll get a report at the beginning of next year with details on my bear, and the overall stats for bear in that area.

 

[JASON LEE]

Great pics BW when ever you need a new roof on your house during bear season, call me and I will come up there to "Work" for a few days......Have tools will travel

 

[Tom]

Good idea, I'll be a worker and might as well stay and hunt too. I've got experience pounding nails. I put a new roof on my deer blind last week. Its holding up so far. Alaska weather may be a little different than down here though. Nice bear, nice country, congratulations BW!