A few bear photos:

[Guy Miner]

Most the folks here don't seem to scroll down to our "fishing" section very often, so I hope it's alright that I share a few photos from our recent fly-fishing trip to Alaska. The story is down below.

viewtopic.php?f=67&t=38331

I do have to apologize for the photo quality. Took my good camera with me, but it was pretty well smashed up in transit and I was reduced to using the cell phone. I have some videos of the bears on my facebook page as well. This was a perfect opportunity for the good camera. The weather was amazing, it's seldom this nice on our trips to coastal Alaska, and the daytime bear activity was far beyond what I'd noted before. We fished within 50 - 150 yards of Alaskan brown bear, pretty much every day. As a rule, they were very polite, well-mannered bears.

Mama Bear & cubs on the beach:

Fair size bear heading into the brush for his nap, after feasting on salmon:

"Yogi" our favorite bear, getting a little close to my fishing spot... He was actually very respectful of our boundaries. Accepted us, but ran off other bears. He was a pretty entertaining character!

Anyway, just a few photos. More down below in the fishing section of the forum. It was another great trip to Alaska! :grin:

Regards, Guy

 

[1100 Remington Man]

Guy did you take your .44 Mag up north for your fishing trip ? Or did you wish you had it once you were there ?

 

[DrMike]

Always love the bear photos. Those are great, Guy.

 

[SJB358]

Awesome pictures Guy. I really need to get after those bears!

 

[Guy Miner]

Guy did you take your .44 Mag up north for your fishing trip ? Or did you wish you had it once you were there ?

No - I've fished this same river at least six times in the past 20 years or so. I don't bother with a firearm when I fish from this lodge. Sounds strange maybe, but I settle for bear spray. There are a couple of fishing guides with slug-loaded shotguns along. I fish, they've got bear duty.

The guides ran off one bear that got a little pushy, by hopping on the ATV, revving it up and riding it towards the bear. Bear turned tail and ran from that noisy thing! The guides have done this many times. I like their low-key approach to dealing with the bears. They did pop one in camp, with rubber bullets from the 12 gauge a few years ago when I was there. It needed to be shooed out of camp.

I might take the 44 again someday, but this time I didn't, and I didn't miss it.

If I was fishing in an area where there was more brush/concealment, and bumping into a bear at close range was more likely, I'd reconsider. I'd also carry it for sure if I was fishing & camping on my own instead of at the lodge where there are guides who know their stuff.

Going through Canada and Alaska last year, on my own, I was glad to have the 30-06 and bear spray along. Saw a lot of bears on that trip, and was on my own most of the time, camping in a little backpacking tent most nights, while traveling up and back. The firearm was a comforting thing in that circumstance.

A few days ago I did move out of the way of one bear that was coming along the bank, towards a salmon he'd buried in the sand earlier. He got irritated by the seagulls that were trying to unearth his salmon! :grin: I moved out of his way, and he continued right on past, paying no attention to me at all. The bears are pretty mellow and used to anglers. It's funny, our "Yogi" ran off a bear that tried to intrude, but didn't mess with us at all!

Guy

 

[Guy Miner]

Awesome pictures Guy. I really need to get after those bears!

I can get you the name of the guide who operates in that area. I didn't see any really big brownies this time, but there are some in the area. The bear guide and a hunter were in the area, not far from where we were fishing, but they were waiting for at least a 9 footer to come along. I didn't see anything close to that size, but I've seen a couple of monsters in past years, and some humongous tracks in the sand as well.

There are a LOT of bears in that area Scotty, and the food supply is tremendous, so it's just a matter of doing the scouting & hunting and being patient, looking for the big fellow. Lots of reasonably open terrain too - so unlikely to have to go into the forest for the bear. That's a good thing. Very dark in that forest. I've walked a bit in it in the past, and it's kinda creepy, how quiet and dark it is... A big ol' bear could be within a few yards, and I'd never know it! :shock:

I stay out in the more open areas and go for the fish instead of prowling around in the woods and bumping into a bear!

BTW - if I was going to hunt this area, or anywhere along the coast, I'd have a 'glass stock on my rifle, and the metal would be stainless and/or coated. It's usually real wet there. I think I'd want sights, and two scopes with QR rings, already sighted in too. The potential size of these critters... my 30-06 would be minimum, but I'd feel better with a 338, 35 cal, or a 375 instead. Some of these fellows make my interior grizz look pretty insignificant.

Guy