AK here I come!

[taylorce1]

Well in three weeks anyway, May 14th can't get here soon enough. This will be the first time I've been back since May 2007 and it has been a long wait. I'm going back for spring black bear again trying to do better than I did the last time. Last time my buddy and I tagged out in the first two days of hunting, I got a 19-1/4" and he got a 18-7/8" bear green scored by AK DNR. Both of these bears were super lean I wonder how big there bodies would have been in the fall I'm guessing they were close to 300 lbs live weight. Hoping this time I can break in the 20" range.

Hopefully this is a primer for things to come!

My last bear!

My buddies bear!

 

[6mm Remington]

Nice looking bears you got a few years ago. Good luck again this year! What are you guys going to be hunting with??

 

[Guy Miner]

Alright. You did it. Now I'm seriously jealous! :grin: That's too cool. Great bears last time, and high hopes for even better bears this time. Dang... Gotta love it.

Best of luck! Guy

 

[taylorce1]

Nice looking bears you got a few years ago. Good luck again this year! What are you guys going to be hunting with??

My buddy is just going up there this year as a guide so to speak. He is going to look at some property he is interested in buying, but he goes every year anyway, though he hasn't killed a bear since 07. Last time I went I used a M700 .30-06 with 200 grain NP and he used a Contender in .358 JDJ with 225 grain NAB. This year I'm carrying an Encore rifle in .375 JDJ with 260 grain NAB and the othe guy is carrying a M70 .375 H&H.

 

[FOTIS]

Nice bruins

 

[JD338]

Nice looking bears you got a few years ago. Good luck again this year! What are you guys going to be hunting with??

My buddy is just going up there this year as a guide so to speak. He is going to look at some property he is interested in buying, but he goes every year anyway, though he hasn't killed a bear since 07. Last time I went I used a M700 .30-06 with 200 grain NP and he used a Contender in .358 JDJ with 225 grain NAB. This year I'm carrying an Encore rifle in .375 JDJ with 260 grain NAB and the othe guy is carrying a M70 .375 H&H.

Congratulations on your upcoming bear hunt. You both did well on your last hunt, hoping for even bigger bears this year.
Your choice of guns and loads will work well, you are both "Loaded for Bear"! :mrgreen:

JD338

 

[DrMike]

Good luck. There are some fine looking bruins there. Undoubtedly, you will do well again this time.

 

[Greg Nolan]

Good looking bears. I see what you mean about lean for their size. That bear has some mighty paws and claws. Great pictures too. Thanks for sharing and good luck on your hunt.
Greg

 

[SJB358]

Great looking bears and you all are carrying some proper bear medicine for sure! Scotty

 

[tecumseh]

Good pics!!!!!!!!!!!! Good luck on the hunt.

 

[taylorce1]

8 hours and I'm off to the airport!!!!!

Hope I get a big boy!

 

[DrMike]

Enjoy! Should be a great time to hunt bear. The weather looks good.

 

[cloverleaf]

For a minute there I was afraid ya meant AK-47. Have a great time on the hunt! CL

 

[SJB358]

Good luck up there! Scotty

 

[Greg Nolan]

Tomorrow's the big day. :grin: Have fun and take lots of pictures.
Good Luck
Greg

 

[taylorce1]

Always a good time hunting with good friends. I'll make it to AK tomorrow as I have a layover in Seattle tonight. Good times already had a good meal on the wharf and good beer to boot.

 

[taylorce1]

I’ve finally got some time to sit down and write a very short hunting report. I had a great time in SE Alaska just like I always do but the hunt didn’t go to plan. We really didn’t see any bears, we did see one about a mile off but on foot trying to catch up with a moving bear was tough and we just couldn’t do it.

My buddy did manage to fill his wolf tag though. We were walking single file along the channel from where we docked the boat to go fishing. Of course we weren’t going anywhere without taking our rifles so we had them both slung across our back.

My buddy was rounding a slight curve where he and the wolf spotted each other at the same time. I guess she turned around and trotted out of sight, I just saw my buddy throwing fishing poles and tackle boxes aside. He about strangled himself trying to get the sling over his head, but he managed it.

He said his first shot was at about 50 yards, he whistled at her and got the wolf to turn which gave him a quartering shot. He hit her a little far back in the ribs and the bullet exited her guts on the off side. He said she jumped in the water and was spinning around and biting at the wound, so he racked two more shots in quick succession. The second shot hit in a hind leg breaking it and the third hit in the neck.

I’ve decided a 200 grain AccuBond out of a .325 WSM is a little more bullet than a wolf needs. He changed his mind at the last minute and left the .375 H&H at home. I don't think he needed it anyway.

So the bear hunting wasn’t great, but we had some sunny days with great weather. Spent some time with good friends and wished I could have stayed longer than 5 days. Guess they don’t call it hunting for nothing.

 

[DrMike]

Great pictures and an excellent description of seizing the opportunity when it presented itself. Congratulations to your compadre. We don't always have to kill game to enjoy our time afield.

 

[257 Ackley]

Great pictures and report on the hunt!! Now if we can just get a few more of the wolves thinned out in the lower 48...

 

[taylorce1]

Great pictures and an excellent description of seizing the opportunity when it presented itself. Congratulations to your compadre. We don't always have to kill game to enjoy our time afield.

Yeah but it sure would of been nice to see how the 260 grain Accubonds performed on game in the JDJ. Guess I'll have to run them in my Ruger for elk this fall if I get the tag. Just need to work up a load and get a new stock for the rifle. After the way my friend shot his wolf I was wishing for a repeater instead of a single shot.