Got Er Done !

[Steiny]

Just returned from AK Grizz hunt. Whacked a dandy 8'-8" boar w/ 25" skull on second day of the hunt. There were two other hunters at this camp. One dude from Missouri and another from Washington also killed nice bear. One had 27-5/8" skull and looks like it will place in top five or ten SCI.

Weather was perfect, and the bears were out, we had three killed in first five days of the hunt. Then we had to pretty much hang around camp and goof off, did a little ice fishing, caught some lake trout & northerns, etc. Got socked in for a couple days delay, and just got home.

Heck of a hunt ! When those big boars come out of the den, they are hungry, so first thing they do is kill a moose or find and old winter kill and camp out on it until they get there fill. Pretty exciting stuff sneaking up on those moose kills. Guide & I put on whites and snowshoed in about two miles. Mine was in a creek bottom in thick cover and shot was pretty close, maybe 60 yards. Looked like his head was three feet wide when he sat up off that kill.

If somebody would be good enough to post them, I'll try to get some pictures scanned and e-mailed over the weekend.

 

[OSOK]

Right on!!!

That's awesome, sounds like a dream hunt come true! Congratulations, Big Time!!!

Your welcome to email them to me, and I'll post em for you monday if you'd like.

Trent

 

[DeerKing]

Congrats, sounds like a helluva good hunt. Look forward to the pics.

 

[Pygmy]

Steiny... CONGRATS on the bruin, Good Buddy...!!...

Good JOB...!!.. How did the .300 mag work on that critter..?? Did you wish you had something with a little bigger BORE when you got close..??...

Details, we want DETAILS...And of course, the PICTURES...!!... .....

 

[7x7]

That is one exciting hunt. I was on a Griz last year in AK with no back up. I was stalking while he was feeding on berries. The terrain is so different when your on it compared to looking through the bino's. Everytime I would come over a little lip I'd be puckered. Very exciting.

Can't wait to see the pics. Congrats

 

[Daniel in Ak]

freaking outstanding dude.Cant wait to see some pics.IM headed south i think myself for some blackies down along southeast,ak.SO hearing you talk about the bears you saw has me fired up.I cant wait.Anyhow congrats on the nice bruin dude.

 

[snake river rufus]

way cool!!!!!!!

 

[waterboy]

Steiny

Nice job. Where were you out of? Can't wait to see those pics.

 

[SJ]

That's got to be a frightful rush. congrats on your bear.

 

[csutton7]

awesome----congrats---chris

 

[Elkhunter]

That's awesome!! Looking forward to the pictures.

 

[OSOK]

Here He is!

Congrats!!!

 

[noharleyyet]

That thing is immense Steiny, congratulations. Thanks for the pic OSOK.

 

[Steiny]

The varmint had it comin for what he done !

Thanks for posting photo OSOK. Definitely the hunt of a lifetime. It will be hard topping this one, something I've wanted to do since I was a little kid reading Dad's Outdoor Life and Field & Stream magazines.

Hunted with Curly Warren of Stoney River lodge, who I had successfully caribou and black bear hunted with in 02'. He runs a first rate outfit and partners with another great outfitter Tony Lee for these spring bear hunts. Base lodge is approx. 230 air miles west of Anchorage in the Kuskoquim (spelling?) drainage.

Soon as the snow starts melting and it warms up a bit, these big boars bust out of their dens and either kill a moose or find a winter killed moose, then camp out on it until they get their fill. They might lay there several days or a week. They smell like it too. Most of the moose are in the river and creek bottoms, so that's where you find the bears.

This bear was located about two miles from where we camped out. The guide, Joe Motte and I snowshoed in, located this critter and took him. We had a pretty good idea where he was, but when we got close the cover was very thick and it took a long time to find him. Got a glimpse once at about 100 yards, then lost sight in the thick willows and brush along the creek. After waiting about 2-3 hours for him to make a move, we couldn't take it anymore, crossed the creek and moved towards where we'd last seen him.

When we got in pretty close, he sits up off the kill he'd been laying on only 60 yards away. He must have been laying there all along, heard us, and sat up to see what might be coming to mess with his buffet. He was facing head on, and first shot pretty well center punched him, but he disappeared from sight. Joe said to sit tight and keep my eyes peeled while he moved around the side. We feared a bad hit and thought he might be making a break for it. A couple seconds later Joe shoots. He had only made it about 20 yards and was flopping around, so Joe put one in him, which suited me fine. When I got up close, he was still breathing, so I gave him one more to finish it.

Pretty exciting stuff for a few minutes ! Never would have imagined shooting a big critter like that at such close range. When he sat up off that pile of moose munchies, his head looked about three feet wide.

Skinning those dudes is quite a project too. It takes about 2-1/2 hours under good conditions to get their jammies and skull removed. Luckily, there was a frozen swamp only about 1/2 mile away where they could land a super cub on skis, so Joe didn't have to pack the pelt too awfully far. Those pelts weigh in excess of 100# green. I toted the skull, all Joe's gear and all my gear which although not near so heavy, wasn't much fun either.

Had a heck of a time getting home. The mountain passes through the Alaskan range were socked in so planes with VFR couldn't get through to pick us up or bring next group of hunters in. After two days delay, we all pooled our resources and split the cost to get an instrument plane to a nearby airstrip to pick us up. Otherwise we might still be there.

Left the hide to be tanned and skull to be cleaned with a local taxidermist in Wasilla, he will ship it to me when complete, and I'll have my local taxidermist do the work on a full mount.

Somebody asked about the performance of .300, I used a .300 Weatherby mag with 220gr Hornady soft points and feel like it worked just fine. I'd say a 30-06 with 220gr bullets would be effective too, but wouldn't go much lighter. Two other guys in camp used a .338 & .375 and didn't kill their bears any deader or quicker.

Thanks for all the nice comments !

 

[supersider34]

That is a toad Steiny. Congrats on a awesome bear and hunt. Great looking bear.

 

[BigHornRam]

Steiny,

Nice bear and great hunt. I'm looking to do the same thing in a year or two. A P. M. is headed your way.

 

[Moosie]

WWWWwwiiiiiiiiiiicked !!!!!!

Dude, thats one critter on my list. Jsut a mater of time.

You used a rifle... wuss

 

[Funter]

Very cool!

 

[Steiny]

Yeah Moosie, I wanted to just crack him on the head with a stick, but the dang guide made be shoot him.

Something about ... those critters occasionally bite.

 

[SJ]

Beautiful bear. congrats.