Brown Bear hunt on Unimak Island?
Bears
Contributors to this thread:
Has anyone hunted brownies on Unimak island? I will be tagging along with an AK resident friend of mine who drew a tag. Does anyone have any advice on how to hunt this island, and what to expect? We plan on hunting 14 days. Thank you for any advice!
While specifics re: Unimak Island may not be real common on Bowsite, there are lots of good threads and some videos about brown bear bowhunting that can still help you to prepare, and get a feel for what to expect.
Incredible tag/place to brown bear hunt. I saw pictures of two from there last year and they were both huge. I don't think they did so well as a whole last fall however.
Good luck and have fun.
Like any other brown bear area. Some great bears there. Trick is finding them, getting to them and getting it out. Oh ya..and the weather. Some great bears on the island though.
Maverick, it is the Spring tag. From what I have read, the bears will be on the move. What is the suggested hunting tactic? Cover a ton of country or stay in an area to glass and wait?
I just can't wait to lay my eyes on a brown bear for the first time!
Like any other brown bear area. Some great bears there. Trick is finding them, getting to them and getting it out. Oh ya..and the weather. Some great bears on the island though.
In 1996 I was working for and outfitter out of Cold Bay and we took his Cub and landed 3-4 times just to explore. There is little brush for the most part and it will be a great experience.
Up to a mile inland and over 100' above sea level we found huge old saw logs that had been stranded by tidal waves.
There was a commercial fishing boat about 120' long that had been driven on to a sand beach. It was about 150 yards from the water and only the bow, stern, and wheelhouse were above the sand. I still have the rudder control.
It will be a great adventure. Take lots of pics and let us know how you do.
Saw a few bears but weren't really looking.
Steve H. Had that tag, if I recall he found some interesting stuff ad well.
I had a fall tag for 2006. Yes, BIG bears but in the end other than a cool spot I personally felt it was waste of time compared to the spot I normally go plus way more expensive than what it took to get to my other spot. but, once again, I did see some cool stuff. The single windiest spot I have ever been.
Ops, was fall 2005.
Here's another interesting photo.
One of the (few) bears we saw, shows the openess of the area.
Buddy and I had a tag in 2008, can help if you want to pm me your contact info. Who is transporting you, Warren Johnson, Rod Schuh? Killed a giant and saw a lot of bears, only one other big one, but was there in the fall. Good friends had spring tags two years ago, they killed a pretty sow for the one guy who had never killed a brown, other buddy passed and never saw a giant. They lost about 75% of their hunt to weather.
Steve H, That skull is giving me the creeps.
I could identify at last 6 skulls in that mass grave we found and I bet there was even more!
Thank you for the information guys.
Maverick and Frank Sanders a PM is on the way. Thank you.
Wow, interesting! SteveH, what was the story of that grave? Natives?
SD:
I suspect they were natives. Probably an epidemic from early sea otter hunters and needed quick burial?? We saw lots of artifacts and stone shards laying around. Lots of stones used to weight fishing nets, etc.
We used whale vertebra for tent tie offs.
Great pics Steve. I hope to find a whale rib! Don't really care to find a human grave site :)