Quintessential Brown Bear
Bears
I recently returned from hunting Alaskan brown bear. The following is a synopsis of my experience:
......insert drum roll here.....
Bowhunting brown bear resides in the top slot of my bucket list. Has for years. The sum of my interest manifested itself primarily in tire kicking until I read Genesis's account of a brown bear hunt he reported a couple of years ago.
The logistics of his hunt appealed to me and, after, talking to Steve, some major league rationalization and getting the green light from my wife, I booked the hunt.
I departed Richmond early on the morning of the 26th. All flights went well and I touched down in Anchorage to spend an anticipatory night awaiting the bush flight the following morning.
The next morning, I met fellow hunter Don Ingram, shuttled our gear to Regal Air and loaded up the Cessna 206 for departure.
Cool ... I have been waiting for this report!
As luck would have it, however, before climbing aboard, our outfitter called and said, "it was in the trees" at our destination. A fellow doesn't have to be an aviator to know both the meaning and implications of the phrase.
But this is Alaska and the weather changes quickly. Right?
What followed that call was a day and a half of hourly updates simply saying it was too socked in to attempt a landing. One more night in the hotel...
Regal Air. These folks were to be commended. While the office started to look just a little like purgatory by the afternoon of the second day, I would not hesitate to use use those folks again. Very professional people.
Finally, the afternoon of the second day, our outfitter reported the ceiling lifted enough to squeeze in a few bear hunters between it an the lake.
We were off. This is a view taxiing out in Lake Hood. The lake is surrounded by these little flight chalets that serve as commercial offices for the bush flights.
Well, okay...
En route, it looked like the ceiling was going to fall again. The closer we flew to our destination, the more our elevation dropped. Visibility was a concern and, as a last attempt before backtracking, our pilot swung down for a south east approach.
It worked. We touched down smoothly and were officially in the Alaskan bush.
We would spend the next week in the outfitters homesteading cabin he built from scratch. And I mean that literally. From felling to milling to framing. He did it all with help only from the family and a few hand tools.
We had all the amenities...
Including running water. After all, it had to run from somewhere...:)
Now for the hunting: The plan was to set up on active salmon creeks and ambush bears as they roamed through the bottoms.
We would ride a few miles and then get out and hike through the creeks to our pre-selected sites.
The bane of my backside. The bush ain't flat, friends. I'll leave it at that.
Still, these machines were absolutely indispensable.
Randy,
Your first full day back and you are taking the time to post a great adventure, instead of catching up on a thousand chores. Thanks!!
The first evening we sat atop a small rise in the bend of the creek overlooking both upstream and downstream directions of flow.
Jake, I could make better progress but for some reason our clients expect me to work today.;)
Randy- I knew when I met you at MMH that you were a class act and now you are proving me right:) Am really looking forward to the entire story as you are making it verrry interesting.
Chip
Randy, source of great concern for Alaskan guide.:)
We put the camera down, camoed up and stood vigil. The salmon ran hot and cold. The fish were noisy and their ascension of small dams and shallows had me reaching for my bow on more than one occasion.
Alas, dying fish and imagined approaches were all this spot yielded. Such was the case for 3 hunts.
Waders were omnipresent. It dawned on me late in the week, I never once left the yard of the cabin without waders and a rain coat. Not once. The bush requires it.
I've never seen him awake before.....?? :)
On the fourth night, we moved to new spot further upstream. The set up was similar. Find a bench on a bend in the creek among bear trails, back up to the willows and cover your stretch of the river.
Action, any action, was going to develop quickly and, if mishandled, could wind up in our laps.
Walking up and down that creek as many times as we did, max visibility was 35 yards in 2 spots. And we were sitting those spots.
"I've never seen him awake before.....?? :)"
-He told me he was "channeling the bears." Claimed it was an ancient Athabaskan tactic... Of course, he was more apt to "channel" in a sunny spot. Hmmm
We ended the 4th night scratching our heads during another trek down the brown bear buffet line. Even though this was the slowest fish night to date, there was plenty of protein in the creeks. Bear trails were pouring in around us.
Chip, so Randy was the one huh? LOL!! Always one in the crowd! Keep the story coming Randy. MO
On the 5th evening, we returned to the second spot. Again, I had my back to willows, bow in hand and facing upstream. We were positioned as such in tacit acknowledgment of the nearest bear trail that, should it birth a bruin, would drop it about 20 feet from our position. With the noise from the creek, if I didn't see the brush parting, I would have no chance for a shot before we got busted.
Jamie was sitting in front of me watching down stream.
The fish were running heavily. Heaviest fish day of trip.
Suddenly, Jamie rocked up to a kneeling position, snatched his rifle to his shoulder and aimed downstream. I brought my bow up and turned to see the brush shaking like King Kong strolling under the canopy of Skull Island.
I'm used to black bears. Even the big ones don't project their presence unless they want it known. This critter was coming steady and hard.
At the brush line (center picture at the top of the well defined trail), The brown bear emerged staring dead at Jamie. It paused long enough for me to appreciate the immensity of its head.
When the bear, boring a hole through Jamie's position, stepped forward I was already at full draw and pins on.
The bear continued its approach coming straight at us. As it neared 20 yards, I was waiting for the bear to lift its head enough to get a clear frontal. Not my first option but our prospects for any other angle were getting slimmer by each step.
I think this is where Jamie sells the Tee shirt.....in case the hunter doesn't make it out.
I can't remember if Jamie was saying, "Shoot when you get a chance" or "Be sure to wait until after introductions." It all happened so fast.
Ah yes, Skull island! Not surprised that you would know the Kings stomping ground:)
The typical bowhunter, I am loathe to take frontals but, mentally, I was preparing myself to find any crease into the kill zone if this bear kept walking at us. The bear just wouldn't lift its head.
Making it to the middle of the water, the bear quickly turned toward our side of the creek. Were we busted? Was the bear going to try in slip in behind us? We'll never know because when the bear presented enough rib and stepped forward, I released and slid the arrow in behind its elbow.
Upon the flash of exit, the bear slumped into the creek. For reasons I will discuss, Jamie put a follow-up back in its spine.
The bear rolled to its right and died without leaving the water.
From first sight to last breath, the whole episode lasted about 45 seconds.
A picture is worth a thousand words.
AWESOME BEAR/HUNT, Old Wise One!!! CONGRATS!!
We discussed - at length - any potential follow-up shot by Jamie. He knew in advance a) I was NOT entering any qualifying critter regardless of measure and b) all I required was to know I could perform in the situation of having a brown bear under such close proximity.
For his part, Jamie was more than a little concerned the bear seemed to have fixed our position and was still coming so steadily at us. I believe, based on that, he decided to shoot after he heard the string drop regardless.
I titled this thread "Quintessential" frankly, because it had all the elements that captured my imagination as brown bear slid up the scale on my hunt list. Long journeys, float planes, bad weather, delays, rain.
Natural vistas that provide a religious experience, and such inhospitable bush as to leave no wonder how Alaska remains largely frontier.
Fast creeks and Sockeye salmon. Bears at close range and all the implications thereof.
Fairly austere living in a homestead cabin. Great camp shared with friendly, yet, unrepentant individualists.
If this is my only picture of Alaska, it is the one I was looking for.
Randy, all I can say is awesome man! (and I am all about yours and your guide's decision, re: back up, good call IMO)
Incredible. Thanks very much for sharing your story. Great trip, great bear. Congrats.
Congratulations! Great looking brownie, anymore pictures..?
Very cool story, congratulations!!!
Now there is capturing the essence of a Brown Bear hunt with Jamie......thanks for your effort and enjoy your fantastic trophy.
Any anecdote to why your bear behaved like that post shot?
I've had quarter to deer just stand post shot but it was from the arrow entering the post liver area (Stomach/GI)
"Do you know what caliber your guides 1895 was in"
.405
"Any anecdote to why your bear hehaved like that post shot?"
Not really. I know guys that have had black bears die in their tracks but it has never happened to me.
I took the lungs. The bear tried to roar but couldn't manage a sound. For that reason, I'm fairly certain I cut the diaphragm on the exit.
After Jamie's shot, it had no back legs. It rolled over and was dead in, literally, about 20 or 30 seconds.
Great story!!! And the coat on that bear is absolutely beautiful. Hope it's going to a good final resting place (like as a rug in front of a roaring fire!).
Thanks for sharing, sounds like a dream hunt.
Awesome Randy!! Way to go.
Amazing story..wow!!! Congrats Owl.
Great story, and nicely written.
You've got a good turn of phrase.
Great story, thanks for sharing Randy. Congrats on a great bear and experience!!!
You do have a way with words! Great story and a great trophy. Congrats!!!!!
Very very very nice hunt n story-- congrats
Excellent, hunt, excelent story, excellent bear. Congrats!
I appreciate the kind words fellas. I would have eventually hunted brown bear but, were it not for Genesis, I would not have had the chance to hunt under such conditions with such good people. Thanks for the recommendation and insight Steve. I could only hope to have such a positive impact on another person's life.
great job. more pictures please we want to see every one you took. please
Congatulations! Glad you enjoyed yourself and were successful. Could not have happened to a nicer guy....
Wow...I am sitting here in My nd treestand overlooking a stream running through a corn field and could hardly put my phone down to check out the deer walking by! Your adventure/story was that good...congrats. Its primetime, I gotta get back to hunting.
I was rivoted to every click of the Mouse. As someone who has been to that wild country as of late (tourist),I felt tranported back through your passioned writing. Thanks for the memory.
What part of the state were you hunting? I apoligize ahead time if you already told us the area.
Freaking Great Story!!!!!!!!!
Randy you are now a full JEDI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you for sharing! May I ask who your guide service was?
I am considering a brownie hunt and this sounds like what I was looking for.
Great story and hunt! Unless I missed it, it looks a lot like Jamie Howell, correct? I spoke with him for 2 years in a row and had the opportunity to either go on a brown bear hunt with him or my wife and I go on a caribou hunt together. I figured I would go with my wife but WHEN I do hunt browns it will be with him. He was great to talk to and sounded like it was a first rate operation. Congrats on the bear.
Randy those pics were awesome. Man I am so happy for you.
Owl (Randy) I have a sneaking suspicion you can make a silver lining from a sow's ear.It's consistantly amazing that the guys with the best attitude and flexibility just seem to get it done.
I'll second that last remark from Genesis.
Great bear, and great story! Thanks for sharing. MO
Congrats, Owl. Great story and pics!
Awesome !! Thanks for the story
Great story and photos Owl. Congrats!
I will post more pictures with a little more story when I get time. I'm humbled you all are taking interest in the hunt.
I have taken a few amiably curious PMs about the follow up. That is natural. As bowhunters, we strive to keep the gunpowder out of the hunt. Let me elaborate on the shot sequence:
While I was searching for a crease, Jamie was processing why the bear had us pegged without seeing or hearing us move. Remember, the bear gave us time to position while it was still back in the bush. Without sound or sight, that only left smell.
Now, Jamie has to regard that bear as one who smelled us yet was unafraid and approaching.
The breeze was slight but, as it turns out, we were upwind of the bear (verified after the kill). Frankly, but for its own reasons, we should have never seen that bear at all.
We were not being charged but Jamie did not have the luxury of time to figure if the bear was dumb, bold or potentially aggressive.
This was not a spot-and-stalk hunt. We weren't in range because we caught a bear unaware. Nor were we in range for a fortuitous wind. We were in range because the bear was specifically aware. Of us. Kinda accelerates the decision making paradigm especially given the previously established green light. A sharp guide will compute these factors and act accordingly.
Was the follow up superfluous? I am glad to say it was. Did we have time to figure it out? No, I'd say not. Like I said, quintessential Alaskan brown bear.;)
What a great story! If you're not disapppointed with the guides decision to shoot (I wouldn't be either) then nobody else's opinion matters. It sounds like to me bth you and the guide did a supeerb job all the way around! Someday I would love to be able to experience a hunt like that. Congratulations!! Don't forget to post pictures of the mount or rug after it's completed.
your clarification on the follow up shot should put anyone's mind at ease. That was the right thing to do! He knew you were there and could have closed the distance in a flash. Now you have your bow killed bear and get to go home to the wife in a form other than a bear terd.
I don't know, keep, she may find me better company in turd form. :)
yea but she'll never kiss you again
Unguided,it's completely one's call but outfitting has no tolerance for client indangerment.I haven't talked to Jamie or Owl about "this matter" because it seems to not be a "matter"
Wow...Great Story. Wish I knew you had such a long layover. Would have loved to have met up with you for a beer or something!
"I don't know, keep, she may find me better company in turd form. :)"
So many ways to go with that, so little time. ;-)
Great read and pictures. Thanks for taking the time to share. Congrats.
Great story Owl! I mean GREAT. To have pics of the very trail and brush he stepped out from, that is way cool! I can certainly understand it's guides discretion to shoot or not shoot.
He saw the bear's body language as having you guys pinned down. The classic "He didn't go 40 yards!" won't help much if you're 20 away. It was a dead bear from your shot. Guide just made sure that's the only thing that happened.
What an adventure! It's high on my bucket list for sure. You and your story just made that dream much more a reality to me. Thanks!
I'm pretty sure my wife hates you though....
Congratulations bro! Can't wait to hear the story in person.
Fantastic story. One of the best I've read here. Thanks for letting me hunt Alaska vicariously through you!
Congrats and great write up. I have to admit...its a bucket list hunt for me!
God Bless!!!
Thanks for sharing.
"So many ways to go with that, so little time. ;-)"
- So I go to the trouble of detailing my dream hunt and you choose the excrement self-reference on which to comment. Niiiiice.
Not that you're wrong... or that I wouldn't have done the same...:)
Owl: Thanks for sharing, great story and accomplishment! Congrats, Charlie
lol one the bear turd line of reasoning :-)
"- So I go to the trouble of detailing my dream hunt and you choose the excrement self-reference on which to comment. Niiiiice."
What are friends for?
Matt, If your rationalization skills were on par with your congratulatory graces, you would have talked me out of the trip. lol
Another shot from the first stand site.
Fellow hunter Don on the out bound flight. Pilot, Dave, was a seasoned hand at the controls.
Don was a great fellow to have on the trip. Always upbeat no matter what curve was thrown his way. And despite being one of the most traveled hunters I know, he was as down to earth as his country roots would imply.
Out in the bush. There's truck in yard. Why I have no clue.
View from the cabin steps.
Roof upgrade as original was moss and it actually worked excellent.Jamie trying to keep up with the Jones' with that metal one...
At the second site, this trail was of the most immediate concern. The reason I was oriented upstream was to cover this with little to no warning. The brush line was only 20 feet away.
Great story and pics - congrats!
Moss roof? No wonder he doesn't smoke. lol
More Alaska.
Jamie had my bear skinned and back up the creek in just under an hour. I was amazed. Equally amazing was the time Roddy and Nathaniel spent preparing the hide for salting. Meticulous.
After I killed my bear, we went scouting a different location for a tandem of rifle hunters arriving the next week. Scoping a beaver dam for silvers.
The rifle hunters would be afforded a better view with their reach advantage.
Old canvas tent platform. We were lucky enough to bunk in the cabin.
Float plane dock. When I stepped off the plane on arrival, I kicked my camera into the lake. Took two days to dry out. lol
I was crushed. Here I was in Alaska and the first critter on the game pole was my camera. Great. We dried it out for what I thought an adequate time but it was still kaput. But for my techie wife's advice, "Don't give up on it," I would have pulled the SD card and given it a proper burial. Thanks babe.
Float plane on the outbound trip. Weather was again a factor as we were delayed for the ceiling to lift a bit.
Loading up. By this time, I'm thinking they would have preferred my company in bear turd form.;)
Don, Jamie, Nathaniel and guide, Roddy. Roddy has hunted most NA critters numerous times. He is 3/4 through a sheep slam and his house looks like living history museum. Not bad for a school teacher turned hunting guide!
Further, in the "Its a small world" category, he lives in TN a short ways from Clarkrange. fuzzy, we may have to swing in and have lunch with him next year.
I decided I would end this thread the way it started, with the Bowsite and the thread that kicked this dream into high gear. Having been there, now, I am amazed at the consistency in my experience and Steve's report.
Thanks Pat and Charlie for managing the best archery resource on the web. Period. I am gratefully aware that this hunt would not have taken place without the Bowsite.
Great story. Great hunt! Thanks for sharing..
Randy,thanks for the report.Obviously from the post count it was somewhat 4 fold greater than I! :)My friendship really handcuffed my ability to tell all in some regards.
I felt our time together is sacred and transcends anything worldly,exactly the way Jamie lives his life.To publically account gave me an erie feeling if that makes sense.To hunt Brown Bear from sign alone,upclose and personal without the ability/nor the need to size up an animal (leave your binos at the house)was as pure as it gets for me.
Jamie and I went from K-12 together and his family introduced me to hunting as my dad did not hunt.Back then,there were few areas that held whitetails but Jamie's dad (hunted some with Fred Bear)had a deer camp in such an area.Seeing a deer was a religious experience and still to this day his dad and Jamie's brothers have property totally dedicated to deer hunting and habitat.
If anyone here has gleen my passion for deer hunting, the spark rests 100% on him/his family.
To look back and realize that my 3 trips up to "see" him have yielded 2 Browns and a 60" Moose (unit now closed to NR hunting for Moose)with archery gear really is no surprise.As I stated before on here that usually when we are together some pipe gets wet and I expected no less.
Randy,your account not only brought back the memory of us hugging in the stream on my first Brown Bear but rekindled the thought of two 14 year old boys screaming and hugging at the body of our first footheld mink.
Thank you so much.....
Well, that was just spectacular! What moving comment by Steve, too.
Sometimes I am late to the best threads.
Thank you so much for sharing. That was a great hunt and a great adventure. It sounds like Jamie is an even better person than guide if that is possible. Excellent read.
I didn't think this thread could get better. But seeing what it meant to Genesis gave me goose bumps. I occasionally read or see something that takes me back to fondly remembered times and it was fun to see Randy's do that for Genesis. Congrats again Randy, awesome story and hunt.
What a great story!!!
Congrats on a great adventure and Thanks for sharing your story.
Thanks Owl, Well told tale....a Bowsite classic for sure.
Sure the "Void" threads are essential [cringe!] but this is why I tune in to the site
Randy, just saw the "lunch" idea. Yep fer sure! :-)
what is the contact information for jamie?
