Grizzly hunters out there with advice ?
General Topic
Advice for grizzly, ( equipment, method, etc)
Same bow ya use for deer hunting would be fine. I like a 3 blade head for bears... just my preference . I’ll be hunting them over salmon streams out of a tree stand next September
Shug! Oh man! How cool is that? Looking forward to that story and write up.
Walk softly and carry a big stick. ;)
Same equipment you always use for other big game. Bears are relatively thin skinned but the hide soaks up a lot of blood. Shot placement is even more critical than other species IMO (both for safety of tracking a wounded deer vs grizzly and due to the often found lack of a blood trail).
Methods depend on what you want out of your hunt. Spot and Stalk, over streams, baiting... all are fun and vastly different experiences.
Seems like if they are all wet the blood might be good.
Any details on your hunt? Alaska I assume?
If the bear charges you, shoot him on the charge. Someone told me that works well.
I arrowed one spot and stalk in the spring here in BC back in '14. He was on a green slide with a sow. Watched him and the sow do a couple 200 yards laps around the slide over a 4 hr period. When the thermals started down reliably toward evening it was time to move in under them. He fed into me as close as 8 or 10 yds in the alders, then crossed into my shooting lane directly up hill at 13 yards. He was a right foot digger, and the leg and shoulder seemed to be in perpetual motion as he dug roots. I held back slightly and shot him broadside ensuring I didn't hit the leg. He let out a roar, spun nearly 360* and blasted down the shooting lane in the slide, passing by me so close I could have reached out and touched him with my bow....three jumps, two seconds and he was past and down in to the dark timber.
Had to spook the sow off after that as she was confused at what happened. Waited till morning to track the boar in the black timber as the excitement had been intense, afternoon rains had everything dripping, the dark timber was very thick and dark with a grizzly with an arrow in it!
Turns out he went about 120 yards leaving a poor blood trail...two blade head in the back 1/3 of the lungs. He also turned 90*. Luckily the devils club combed a bit of blood out of his hair and tipped off his new travel direction. Was a great feeling to get him as I'd bow hunted grizzlies 60 some days over 5 seasons.
Grizzly....and brown bear...and polar bear hunting can provide the most intense moments you'll ever experience bowhunting. Good luck!
Kurt! That is an awesome story. And Pat, that footage of your stick bow bear in BC was simply bad-ass. Is that video accessible?
“ Advice for grizzly, ( equipment, method, etc)[?]”
Don’t make a bad hit!
I would lean toward a hefty arrow and a wide, fixed-blade head like an Ace Super-Express.
Thanks for comments. Will be hunting in Alaska on May12-20 with Tim’s Alaskan Outfitters. First time.
Kegels. Lots and lots of kegels.
;-)
You'll be hunting Brown Bears, then, Solo. Not that there is much difference, but in case you were looking for a P&Y eligible Grizzly, or something.
