packed up / ferry tomorrow

[muskeg]

I'm heading over to the Island tomorrow and wake up the cabin.

The forign exchange student from Denmark (Rotary Club Exchange program) Jens is going with me. Being a "non-res alien" he has to have a guide for all species. I am going to give him a Black Bear hunt. We have to hunt around his school (senior in HS) schedule and he is also on the soccer team.

We are going to give it a try this week end. But it is a little on the early side. I have heard of a few Bear sightings but I'm sure they are few and far between.

Moosie .... I have 50lbs of salt already at the cabin and Bear nostrals are not near as fun as Moose. Also since there is a wood stove in the cabin we won't be needing Bivi's.

Johnnie
Muskeg Excursions

 

[Elkhunter]

Good luck and have fun.

 

[Ovis]

Good luck Johnnie! Come back with some pics to share. Does this mean we won't hear much from you until the spring bear season is over?

 

[ELKCHSR]

That sounds like your haveing a great time, bring us back stories and pics...

 

[muskeg]

I am getting busy but will be in the 'office' a little more. We will hunt this weekend and Jens has a soccer game the next weekend and then (if we don't score this weekend) we will hunt the weekend of April 26th. There will be many more Bear out by then. And then if Jens still don't have his Bear my guide partner and friend Ed Toribio will hunt Jens around his May schedule.

Then I'll have it 'floored'. My first hunter shows on May 3rd (bow) for a POW hunt then another on May 11th for POW and then I relocate over to the Misty (mainland) for a 10 day combo Black / Brown (griz) with a repeat hunter who is bringing his buddy. Actually my first hunter (May 3rd) is a repeat hunter also.

Counting Jens' that is 5 Bears to skin.

<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 04-11-2003 09:36: Message edited by: muskeg ]</font>

 

[DavidAk]

Good luck muskeg..hope you have a successful weekend.

Dave

 

[Moosie]

Muskeg, only 50#'s

HEhehe...

Take some pitures and post them bud !!! hope you guys get into them when they get out !!!!!

 

[muskeg]

Jens didn't pull the trigger when we went over so we will give it a try this weekend again.

I do have a little story for ya'll......

The week end was very nice weather with the warmest days of the year.

We went over to Polk on Sat and did some scouting. Out near the entrance (skowl arm) we saw one fresh track in a tucked away tide flat. No green grass at all yet. Even on the warmest beaches. We searched lots of trackable ground. On the way back in we spotted a medium Bear rolling over rocks about mid Arm. Put the stalk on. Not a rub. Passed.

Then up inside Polk we spotted a nice Boar. We beached and the wind was perfect. The Bear was working his way in our direction. We took up a stand along the narrow beach against the tree line as we lost sight for a bit. Then he walks out in a creek bed at about 60 yards.

He is a seven plus footer.

I tell Jens he a shooter. Jens asked if he should shoot. I repeat several times as the Bear turns and come straight at us. Jens conyimues to ask several times but does not shoulder his gun. The Bear stops at 40 yards and looks right at us. Not a good shot. I whisper don't move - wait for the shot. The Bear stares at us for a bit then continues walking at us. At 25 yards I say don't let him get any closer. The Bear hears that and stops. Eye to eye. Still Jens has not shouldered his gun. I wave slowly. The Bear turns broadside quartering away takes about 10 steps and lopes into the brush. Not a rub. Jens is shaking. I pat him on the shoulder. He calms down and we talk things over. Jens is one excited kid. He will remember that encounter for the rest of his life I'm sure. It was a classic.

On Sunday we hunted around 12 mile arm and nothing showing there. Stiff north winds kept us inside the Arm.

There will be another day, another Bear. Maybe not at 25 yards and maybe not as big.

The weather has since turned cold again. Feels like low snow tonight.

Johnnie

 

[Moosie]

JOHNIE.. fetchin Awsome you got out !!! great story, Can't wait untill you go out so I can hear another one !!! I'm just upset because I don't have any stories yet myself, so I hope you don't mind me living through yours !!!

It's been warm here aswell, now cooling down again... Good luck to ya !!

 

[JoseCuervo]

Johnnie,

Any chance you are going to be getting a Digital Camcorder? Those short clips would be awesome, and I think somehow, you should figure a way to show the 7ft bears from POW. They are just a different league than the bears down here.

er

 

[muskeg]

Actually I have a Mavica that is several years old. I have never used the movie feature on it.

I do have some pics of nice Bear on my web site. But you are right one of those big ones walking around is an awesum sight.

Also it's not just Prince of Wales but all of Southern South East has some Jumbos mixed in. The largest Bear (black) I ever saw on the hoof was on the mainland in the Misty Fjords east of Ketchikan. It would have gone 8+ ft probably. We put the stalk on it as we thought it was a Brownie. Charlie had already used his Black tag on a 6 1/2 footer. So all we could do was

from 60 yards.

<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 04-23-2003 23:09: Message edited by: muskeg ]</font>

 

[Moosie]

MUSKEG.. thats why there are always friends with bear tags

 

[ELKCHSR]

!!!!WOW!!!!
That sounds fun and exciting..Thanks for sharing that one!!!

 

[Cameron Hunt]

Hi Jonnie, I was just turkey hunting with Van from Juno here in Wa. He was telling me about the bear on POW. I think that is where I will go this fall. Do you hunt on the north or south?