Again, the "only one rifle" issue?

[roysclockgun]

Here is one for the books! Also notice what type of gun he was packing! An Alaskan howitzer!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Mothers with cubs and starving old bears are a big worry.

Just Outside Soldotna , Alaska .
Read the captions...especially the last one.

King season is over, and since I had a day off before silvers start, I thought
I would go for a walk! This occurred at 11:16 am this morning (Sunday), just
2/10 of a mile from my house.

ON OUR ROAD while walking my dogs (ironically trying to get in shape for
hunting season!) for the record. This is in a residential area-not back in the
woods. No bow hunting. No stealth occurring.
I heard a twig snap. And looked back. Full on charge-a huge brownie, ears back,
head low and motorin' full speed! Came with zero warning; no Woof, no popping
of the teeth, no standing up, nothing like what you think or see on TV! It charged
from less than 20 yards and was on me in about one-second! Totally surreal.
I just started shooting in the general direction. And praise God that my second
shot (or was it my third?) rolled him at 5 feet and he skidded to a stop 10 feet
BEYOND where I was shooting from. I actually sidestepped him and fell over
backwards on the last shot. And his momentum carried him to a stop past where
I fired my first shot!
It was a prehistoric old boar. No teeth. No fat. Weighed between 900-1000 Lbs
and took five men to DRAG it onto a tilt-bed trailer! Big bear. Its paw measured
out at about a 9-1/2 inches!

Never-ever-thought 'it' would happen to me! It's always some other Smuck.....
Right?

Well, no bull. I am still high on adrenaline. With my gut in a Knot (felt like I did
10000 crunches without stopping)! Almost puked for an hour after. Had the
burps and couldn't even stand up as the troopers conducted their investigation!
Totally wiped me out. Can't even put that feeling into words.

By far the most emotion I have ever felt at once!
No doubt that God was with me, as I brought my Ruger .454 Casull (and some
"hot" 350 grain solids) just for the heck of it. And managed to draw and snap
shoot (pointed, never even aimed!) from the hip! Total luck shot!

All I can say is Praise God for my safety and for choosing to leave the wife and
kids at home on this walk!

Now if anyone starts making noises about taking away your right to protect
yourself with a gun, we need to let them know where we stand.

 

[roysclockgun]

If you can post the photos, send my your email and I will forward the entire piece w/photos. I thought that the charging bear tangent discussion could value from a story of a man who was charged by a huge Brown bear. sashe@cfl.rr.com

 

[hunternyny]

We are the same as Dr Mike. one of us will always carry a large caliber and I have noticed as years pass, neither of us ( my husband or myself ) hunt with anything smaller than a 30-06. We have had several scares, but usually a brownie can be scared off or he will lose interest, but until he does, it always gets ones attention. We find when we are in white bear country that we are far more cautious, as they tend to not scare off or lose interest. they worry us more than a brownie. but by far the most vicious and the ones who scare us the most as they are just down right mean are the Grolar bears.

They are all dangerous and we have had those change of underwear moments a few times.
My husbands grandfather tells us it builds character and I tell him I have enough character, thank you very much

Like others have said, I can not imagine hunting where Dr Mike and Cheyenne hunt. Brown bears, White bears, -40 degree weather. Definitely not for the meek

 

[DrMike]

I wouldn't want to live other than in this region. The bears can be thrilling, but there is something to be said for witnessing such powerful creatures in their own element. The thought that we'll see wolves and grizzlies, the knowledge that we are walking on their trails, all contribute to making this a beautiful land. Cheyenne, living in the Yukon Territory, lives in a region that is another degree removed from civilisation. The Yukon is pretty sparsely settled, with large tracts of wild country. I haven't spent time up north, other than to fish in the NWT, but it is definitely on my bucket list. Consequently, Cheyenne, I do a surprising amount of load development for people living in the Yukon. I have opportunity to speak with people on a fairly regular basis.

 

[Thankful Otter]

Dr Mike, that is very kind of you and I am sure it is appreciated by those you help. We have been fortunate in having three or four people who live in civilization help us when we ask. We don't have a lot of Walmart s. You are a kind man.

 

[DrMike]

Dr Mike, that is very kind of you and I am sure it is appreciated by those you help. We have been fortunate in having three or four people who live in civilization help us when we ask. We don't have a lot of Walmart s. You are a kind man.

Cheyenne,

I do enjoy the territories. However, my wife tells me that we've moved far enough north. I had opportunity to pastor in Anchorage and even in Whitehorse, but she was definitely opposed to that far north. However, after spending some time in Whitehorse, she allowed that it would be very nice, except for the distance from grandchildren in the Lower Mainland.

 

[alaska100]

I wouldn't want to live other than in this region. The bears can be thrilling, but there is something to be said for witnessing such powerful creatures in their own element. The thought that we'll see wolves and grizzlies, the knowledge that we are walking on their trails, all contribute to making this a beautiful land. Cheyenne, living in the Yukon Territory, lives in a region that is another degree removed from civilisation. The Yukon is pretty sparsely settled, with large tracts of wild country. I haven't spent time up north, other than to fish in the NWT, but it is definitely on my bucket list. Consequently, Cheyenne, I do a surprising amount of load development for people living in the Yukon. I have opportunity to speak with people on a fairly regular basis.

I agree Dr. Mike, it is interesting to watch them, to be, where they are or had been. It definitely adds to the experience of being in the woods/mountains. They will get your attention however and I also have a tendency to not go anywhere without the 45/70--just in case

Cheyenne. we traveled up north and watched the Polar Bears--from a distance. But like someone else said earlier my hats off to you and your husband who live and work around them. I would want a bigger dog than a Boykin with me--just joking with you Cheyenne

 

[Thankful Otter]

Dr Mike, living and working in Whitehorse would be nice, it is a nice city. Anchorage is a little large for my taste.
I understand being close or closer to family, especially grandchildren. A little off the subject of bears or only one rifle, but was wondering if you had taken a trip down the Yukon. We have not gone the entire length, as we started in Dawson, but went all the way to the Bering Sea in a canoe and truly enjoyed it. We flew back.

Sean, why is everyone picking on my dog LOL We do take him when hunting brownies, but we do not take him into the white bear country

John, sorry, missed your post earlier. there is times one wishes they were in Miami--but for me, not often. I think Scotty would be one of several I can think of that would be willing to brave the elements to be able to hunt so many different animals in one general area. Granted it is a big area. You also have to be able to be content with yourself and your family as there are not many people around, but that also works for me.

 

[DrMike]

Cheyenne,

I've not been beyond Whitehorse and I've not hunted the Yukon. I have explored almost every region of this province, save for the Spatsizi Plateau and the North Coast. My wife wants to make the trip to Alaska in the next couple of years. I'm open to all these explorations.

 

[FOTIS]

A nice top of the line 300 or 338 mag will do for all of NA.....

 

[PJGunner]

When I was gainfully employed as a meteorologist for the National Weather Service, I kept putting in for openings up in Alaska so I could get in on the hunting up there. Just never got picked for one of the openings. Maybe it was just bad luck, I dunno. :?: :?: :?:
Paul B.

 

[DrMike]

When I was gainfully employed as a meteorologist for the National Weather Service, I kept putting in for openings up in Alaska so I could get in on the hunting up there. Just never got picked for one of the openings. Maybe it was just bad luck, I dunno. :?: :?: :?:
Paul B.

Someone higher up had it out for you, Paul. :grin:

 

[FOTIS]

So are we all selling everything and getting a 375 Ouch & Ouch or what?

 

[DrMike]

Oh, no. I'm adding to what I already have. :mrgreen:

 

[Thankful Otter]

I hope this post is received in the spirit it is intended. From a very young age, we hunted, and we were probably considered a poor family. It was not until after I graduated from college, got married and both my husband and his grandfather are hunters and gun collectors, etc. So I have since my early years learned to enjoy many different calibers. However for the sake of this thread. I have used a simple and boring 30-06, for Wolf, Moose, Elk, Deer, Black and Brown bear, Caribou, Musk-ox, Bison, Sheep, and Goat. So it is always hard for me to suggest anything else for North America, including the brownies. I use a variety of different calibers now, but not because it is necessary, but because I enjoy doing so. For the world including dangerous game I would feel comfortable with only a 375 H & H.

Fotis. to answer your question I went back and pulled up my original post on this thread, so you would understand my answer

No, ---a 30-06 LOL

But in all honesty I like Dr. Mikes answer to your question better

 

[JD338]

yukon huntress

You can never have too many rifles.
A bare minimum would be a pair and a spare. :mrgreen:

I agree with you, the 375 H&H is tough to beat.

JD338

 

[Oldtrader3]

Remember a rifle for varmits, a transition rifle, a rifle for deer, a transition rifle, a rifle for elk and bigger game.

For me that figures to a minimun: .204 Ruger, .257 Roberts, .270 Win, 7mm Rem Mag, 9.3x74R, or (5) of whatever mix that you have.

 

[FOTIS]

223
270 mag
30 mag
416 mag

Pick your flavor
All I will ever need.

 

[roysclockgun]

22-250 Savage Varminter. Burris Sig. Varmint Scope

243Win Custom, built on German Mauser with heavy bull barrel and Fajen (blk. on blk. lam.) target stock. 25X Unertl (external adj.)

280Rem Browning stainless stalker. Zeiss Conquest

45-70 Win. 1885, 125th Ann. version. Tang peep sight.

I have too many rifles, but forced to pare down, that is what I would end up with. I could cut out the 243, but I like it too much.
Steven

 

[Thankful Otter]

this is a conversation that we recently had with some fellows from Alaska and to be honest my husband and I kept coming up with only three

Myself 30-06, 375 H/H and a 45/70
Husband 257 and 340 Weatherby and a 45/70

If I was to pick one under the 30-06 it would be my 6.5 swede. I love that gun and caliber but it is just to small to take into the mountains. Everything else we have is "just because" and we dont feel we owe anybody an explanation on how we spend our money. some women want a diamond necklace and I want a 300 H/H Dakota.