baited brown bear hunt alaska? results?
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baited brown bear hunt alaska? results? I understand 2014 was the first year for baited brown bear hunts in Alaska. What were the results like? anyone have anything to offer on this subject?
BNAA's guys did great.
We should have killed two off our baits but people couldn't shoot straight. Can't wait to be the shooter this spring.
B N A A guy's Link
I had 6 clients with the outfitter I work with and they were all bowhunters. 5 of the 6 were traditional bowmen. They killed 4 all making P&Y and one massive 9 1/2 footer grossed B&C and is being panel scored in Arizona for this entry period as one of the biggest going in the book this time around. The 2 fellas that didn't score had an opportunity. One passed another 9 1/2 footer that's was rubbed up fairly bad and actually saw some other bears. He was looking for an exceptional hide and unfortunately didn't find it. The other unsuccessful hunter got hit hard with weather unfortunately. Even then he had a good shooter on the bait and unfortunately couldn't get the shot. There was a ton of talk about hunting brown bear over bait not going to work. We now know better. This hunt with us is run by a seasoned Bowhunter who has killed several Brown Bear over the years. I will put his track record up against any of the other outfitters who attempted this hunt last year and due to the remote location and flying in bait there are not many guys doing it in the more remote areas where it's legal now.
If you are considering this hunt and have any questions please let me know.
Best regards, Scott Alberda - Bowsite sponsor
Bow and Arrow Adventures
Scott, Thanks for the info. That is exactly what I was wanting to know.
Scott's guy is the REAL DEAL.
Scott I was told the bears where real hard to drawn on? THEY WOULD SEE THE HUNTERS IN THE TREE ? Sounds LIKE A GREAT HUNT BUCKET LIST REAL SOON
Brandon, you heard right. Brown Bears seem to act completely different than their Black Bear cousins. Much more attentive to the surroundings and several instances the bears pinned down the hunter and feed at the bait facing them. Opportunities came about slowly for the most part. That being said the biggest bear was actually killed on the ground as the hunter and guide were approaching the bait in about a 15 minute span. Super smart animals and the top of the food chain for a reason.
I have lived in Alaska 27 years and hunted bears up here for 15. As has been mentioned, the brownies are much more attentive than the black bears when on baits. But, that said, every year on our baits we have had multiple brownies come in and have had shot opportunities every year. Unfortunately, where we hunt we can not shoot a brownie over bait.
Where shooting a brownie over bait is legal, those I know that do it have said they get shot opportunities every year. Since they have taken bears before, they are picky about what the will shoot and go home without some times. They all have said the brownies are tougher to draw on that the blackies.
There are plenty of bears in the areas open to baiting up here.
Good luck to all who go on one of these hunts. It will be unlike anything you have done!
Oh...And I forgot to mention the pucker factor when one of the really young brownies tries to come into the stand with you!!!!
Yes...young grizz can and do climb!!!
Elmer, show us a few of the ones you've shot please!!! I love big bears!
How much does a baited hunt cost?
3X a black bear hunt but worth it.
Nick, would love to post photos of the brownies, but where I hunt you cannot shoot them over bait. Can't shoot em within 1/2 mile of a known bait. So I have no kills. That said, wherever I have had baits in southcentral we have had brownies at our baits all the time. As a matter of fact, at our last bait site we had over 700 photos of bears at the bait on our game cameras and only TWO were of black bears. That was over 6 weeks of the cameras being out. This was out on point McKenzie but now the area is closed to hunting due to construction of a new railroad spur. This area needs to be Re opened and have it legalized to taking brownies over bait.
The other area we baited was down on the Kenai Penninsula. It was great for 4years, but then the brownies took over and we had 18 different brown bears on camera at our bait and only ONE blackie. Again it is an area you cannot hunt brownies on bait, but needs to be opened to it.
Me and my friends are currently scouting for a new area to hunt this spring.
All the game cam photos are on my hunting partner's camera and computer or I would show you some.
Nick, can I adopt you or the Mrs.?? I tried with Pete but they said I have to be older than my new "kid" :)
Good luck to all you guys that get to chase grizz this year.
Rick, you're much older than Nick, I'm sure it wouldn't work out.
DJ
SS,
Don't try and horn in on my plan:) I will adopt your kids and I think that makes you next of kin as well.
Here's one, not too big, but I don't think I would have it in me to pass him.
looks like fun times wish it was cheaper !!
Not a Brown Bear, a good sized Grizzly. His from last year is being panel scored in April. This coming spring will be my turn, really excited!
What some claws on that dude!!
3X's what? Last spring I paid $2500 and took a 20 inch color phase. Black bear hunts range from $1500 to $6000. Please be more specific.
The baited Brown Bear hunt that I offer with my outfitter retails for $15,500. This is due to the logistics of flying in and baiting different locations every single day.
Best regards, Scott Alberda
BNAA; thanks for the information.
I know this is a older thread but i was looking for info from those that done this hunt. Im planning on a Spring 2020 hunt and would love any advice or info you have for a newbie Brown bear hunter.
A friend and I went this last June 1. We went with JonahStewart. I got in a tree stand with a guide in an adjoining stand at 6pm. About 8pm, black and small browns were coming to the bait. They never were at the bait at the same time. There was a smallish black on the bait at about 10 pm. He was nervous. He stood on his hind feet for five seconds and bolted out of there as fast as a black bear could run. I watched him run several hunderd yards down a river sand bar and disappear. I grabbed my bow thinking a big brown was approaching. Then walked in another small black. Bears were in an out of the bait till midnight or so. From then till about 3 am, it was too dark to shoot, but I could hear them and see some movement at the bait. About 330 a nice sized brown walks in lays down and begins eating and he’s facing right at me at 22 yards. He ate for 15 minutes, got up walked to the tree I was in, and bolted back through the bait and out of sight. I presume he got a whiff of me. About five minutes later he came back and fed again, facing me. After several minutes he turned and quartered away and was leaving. I arrowed him behind the close shoulder and a bit below center. He bolted and was gone. The guide and I laid back in out tree stands and slept till 6 am. I woke and there was a very big black on the bait. I let him walk. We climbed down and followed the best blood trail I’ve seen in 42 years of bow hunting. The bear was dead and stiff after an 80 yard run. He’s not a monster but a decent bear, 22” skull. Two nights later I got in the same stand at 6 pm and arrowed that big black at 8 pm. He was the one I passed after shooting the brown. My buddy killed a brown and black also. Believe he killed his brown on the 7th evening. He actually shot his brown out of the same stand as I shot mine. He saw others but never got a shot. I’ve baited and hunted blacks before. For sure browns are way more wary than blacks I used a 65 pound Hoyt Faktor, Beeman arrows with a 125 Iron Will, total weight 520 grains. That set up blew through both bears. It was a terrific Hunt.
That seems like a pretty good way to Derisk hunting brown bear with greater likelihood of success and return on the expense
I also can confirm Jonah as top shelf..
Hey, My friend that I mentioned in the above post is originally from NJ, is bald and a bit portly also?? Nice bear, congrats.
Thanks especially for the setup info on our hunts. Anyone ever hunt with Roy Blackwell from Alaskas Ultimate Trophy Hunts? He is whom I am getting ready to book with in 2020? Can't find anything bad and he seems very knowledgeable and is MOST DEFINITELY PASSIONATE about hunting brown bears. Just looking for a little more info before I send him a chunk of change.
Sounds like HECS would be a total game changer in AK on baited brown bears. They might be smart but they can surely be outfoxed by HECS!:)