Well Here We Go... Wish Me Luck...

jgcoastie · April 15, 2009, 09:54 AM

Well the day has finally arrived gentlemen!!! Bear season officially opens today!!! Too bad I have to work and I won't be able to go until this weekend, not to mention the fact that we still have a good bit of snow on the ground and nobody has seen any bears out and about, but hey; it's just the option of being able to go that I'm getting excited about!!! This will be my first year to hunt a Kodiak Brownie, and I cannot wait...

Wish me luck fellas, I'll need it... 30 days left in the season, the countdown starts now...

taylorce1 · April 15, 2009, 09:58 AM

Good luck and we expect pictures of a bear!

Sportdog · April 15, 2009, 10:02 AM

You lucky guy! What is your weapon of choice for this hunt? Have a great hunt and I wish you the best of luck.

comn-cents · April 15, 2009, 10:21 AM

Smack a big one

bigthrills · April 15, 2009, 10:33 AM

The kodiak bear is on my list to hunt after seeing a video on versus good luck and hopefully you bring home a yogi

jgcoastie · April 15, 2009, 12:36 PM

Thanks guys, I appreciate the good wishes. You bet I'll post pics if I get one...

Quote:

You lucky guy! What is your weapon of choice for this hunt? Have a great hunt and I wish you the best of luck.

My hunting buddy will use his Savage .300 Win Mag, I'll be using my Browning BAR MkII Safari in .30/06 Springfield loaded with 220gr SP's. I might wind up borrowing a .45/70 Guide Gun, but we'll see...

Kreyzhorse · April 15, 2009, 12:53 PM

I wish you the best of luck. Post pictures if you get one.

FrontSight · April 15, 2009, 01:06 PM

God be with you, to keep you safe & guide your bullet true

bwheasler · April 15, 2009, 01:09 PM

Work, instead bear hunting. I don't know, I think I would have been feeling ill(cough,cough) "Skin this bear greenhorn, and I'll fetch you another"

wyobohunter · April 15, 2009, 10:15 PM

I bet they'll be out & about real soon. A guy I know that does skulls & bones got a blackie in the other day. Good luck.

jgcoastie · April 15, 2009, 10:36 PM

I suspect they'll be out in force in a couple of weeks... All this late snow has pushed their hibernation clocks back a bit... Sure do hope it warms up a little soon... Kinda tired of snow/rain/sleet/ice in April... Seems like spring came a little earlier last year... I guess that's proof that global warming isn't all it's cracked up to be...

botebum · April 16, 2009, 10:25 AM

Is that the season for the island? I thought the season opened a week or two ago in other parts of the state. I have a friend in Sitka and he mentioned it.

Doug

Trapp · April 16, 2009, 04:08 PM

Make sure you save the big one for me. Maybe next years season when I am up there you can show me where he is!!

jgcoastie · April 16, 2009, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Make sure you save the big one for me. Maybe next years season when I am up there you can show me where he is!!

Hopefully he (his hide anyway) will be stretched out in the middle of my living room floor...

OLNfan · April 16, 2009, 08:51 PM

ohh there out their...some MAY be hybernating still but some are certinaly out and about cause there hungry!!

jgcoastie · April 24, 2009, 03:17 PM

1. Go-to bear gun is now a Weatherby Vanguard Deluxe in .300 Wby Mag shooting 220gr RNSP's... It's shooting right at 1/2 MOA at 150yd zero.

2. Found where a decent one (9-10') is making his rounds... Maybe I'll get lucky tomorrow...

Art Eatman · April 24, 2009, 08:10 PM

"Hopefully he (his hide anyway) will be stretched out in the middle of my living room floor..."

My ex-FIL had a buddy who'd gotten a nice black bear. Did the rug thing. His bird dog loved it.

Fleas.

jrothWA · April 24, 2009, 10:16 PM

care to comment on suitability for using 7mmMAg (&bullet type) for bear??
Thanks.

Good Luck.

Swampghost · April 24, 2009, 11:38 PM

Art, my first wife really loved the Brownie rug in front of the fireplace.

OOPS! the thread is deviating, time to get back on course.

B. Lahey · April 25, 2009, 12:21 AM

Quote:

my first wife really loved the Brownie rug in front of the fireplace.

If you think that was high-quality, try a polar bear rug.

Ah, yes. True luxury.

Too bad we had to sell it. My grandfather left more debts than assets after a few decades of hunting around the globe and some of the trophies had to be auctioned off.

Still have the skull, though...

Good luck JG!

jgcoastie · April 25, 2009, 01:59 AM

Quote:

care to comment on suitability for using 7mmMAg (&bullet type) for bear??
Thanks.

Great for black bear, good for lower 48 brown bear, decent for Kodiak coastal brown bear... If you're going to be dealing with the recoil of a 7mm Mag, step up to a .300 or .338 Win Mag, negligible difference in recoil in most rifles...

As far as bullet type... The heaviest you can find... Velocity isn't as much of a concern, penetration is paramount though... Heavier bullet = more penetration... I'd go with Barnes 175gr TSX FB and find a loading that my rifle likes and cycles without problem... I wouldn't mind the Barnes 160gr MRX BT, except the heaviest available at this time is 160gr... The TSX FB offers a sectional density that surpasses that of a 200gr .30 cal of the same bullet type...

jrothWA · April 26, 2009, 09:03 PM

Tango Yankee!
Stepped up to 7mmMag after having doubts about my .308W using 165SPBT over 42.7 gr 748. Good for whitetails (Michigan) but unsure about Washington critters, and hopefully Alaska.

April 15, 2009, 09:54 AM	#1
jgcoastie Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 2009 Location: Kodiak, Alaska Posts: 2,118	Well Here We Go... Wish Me Luck... Well the day has finally arrived gentlemen!!! Bear season officially opens today!!! Too bad I have to work and I won't be able to go until this weekend, not to mention the fact that we still have a good bit of snow on the ground and nobody has seen any bears out and about, but hey; it's just the option of being able to go that I'm getting excited about!!! This will be my first year to hunt a Kodiak Brownie, and I cannot wait... Wish me luck fellas, I'll need it... 30 days left in the season, the countdown starts now... __________________ "To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them." -Richard Henry Lee, Virginia delegate to the Continental Congress, initiator of the Declaration of Independence, and member of the first Senate, which passed the Bill of Rights.

April 15, 2009, 12:53 PM	#7
Kreyzhorse Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2006 Location: NKY Posts: 12,463	I wish you the best of luck. Post pictures if you get one. __________________ "He who laughs last, laughs dead." Homer Simpson

April 15, 2009, 01:06 PM	#8
FrontSight Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2005 Posts: 1,712	God be with you, to keep you safe & guide your bullet true __________________ To kill something as great as a duck just to smell the gunpowder is a crime against nature. - Alan Liere Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve. - George Bernard Shaw

April 15, 2009, 01:09 PM	#9
bwheasler Senior Member Join Date: January 22, 2009 Location: Indianapolis In Posts: 108	Work Work, instead bear hunting. I don't know, I think I would have been feeling ill(cough,cough) "Skin this bear greenhorn, and I'll fetch you another"

April 15, 2009, 10:36 PM	#11
jgcoastie Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 2009 Location: Kodiak, Alaska Posts: 2,118	I suspect they'll be out in force in a couple of weeks... All this late snow has pushed their hibernation clocks back a bit... Sure do hope it warms up a little soon... Kinda tired of snow/rain/sleet/ice in April... Seems like spring came a little earlier last year... I guess that's proof that global warming isn't all it's cracked up to be... __________________ "To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them." -Richard Henry Lee, Virginia delegate to the Continental Congress, initiator of the Declaration of Independence, and member of the first Senate, which passed the Bill of Rights.

April 15, 2009, 09:58 AM	#2
taylorce1 Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2005 Location: On the Santa Fe Trail Posts: 8,249	Good luck and we expect pictures of a bear!

April 15, 2009, 10:02 AM	#3
Sportdog Junior member Join Date: February 28, 2006 Location: Southwestern Michigan Posts: 369	You lucky guy! What is your weapon of choice for this hunt? Have a great hunt and I wish you the best of luck.

April 15, 2009, 10:21 AM	#4
comn-cents Senior Member Join Date: June 18, 2008 Location: Pac.N.W. Posts: 1,804	Smack a big one

April 15, 2009, 10:33 AM	#5
bigthrills Member Join Date: February 22, 2009 Posts: 30	The kodiak bear is on my list to hunt after seeing a video on versus good luck and hopefully you bring home a yogi

April 15, 2009, 10:15 PM	#10
wyobohunter Senior Member Join Date: August 21, 2008 Location: Back in Wyoming Posts: 1,125	I bet they'll be out & about real soon. A guy I know that does skulls & bones got a blackie in the other day. Good luck.

April 16, 2009, 10:25 AM	#12
botebum Junior Member Join Date: April 15, 2009 Location: Ash, NC Posts: 6	Is that the season for the island? I thought the season opened a week or two ago in other parts of the state. I have a friend in Sitka and he mentioned it. Doug

April 16, 2009, 04:08 PM	#13
Trapp Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2004 Location: KTN Posts: 1,221	Make sure you save the big one for me. Maybe next years season when I am up there you can show me where he is!! __________________ HDR Ban!? It's a shame all of my guns sank with my boat last week... Time to catch up.....like mayonnaise

April 16, 2009, 08:51 PM	#15
OLNfan Senior Member Join Date: February 27, 2009 Location: British Columbia Canada Posts: 277	ohh there out their...some MAY be hybernating still but some are certinaly out and about cause there hungry!! __________________ "Dear Governor Axtell. I've heard that you will give 200 dollars for my head. Perhaps we should meet and talk. I am at the Juarez village at the border. Send 3 men, and instruct them not to shoot, as I am unarmed. In short, Sir; I surrender. Your obedient servant William H. Bonney. PS: I changed my mind. Kiss my ass."

April 24, 2009, 03:17 PM	#16
jgcoastie Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 2009 Location: Kodiak, Alaska Posts: 2,118	Update: 1. Go-to bear gun is now a Weatherby Vanguard Deluxe in .300 Wby Mag shooting 220gr RNSP's... It's shooting right at 1/2 MOA at 150yd zero. 2. Found where a decent one (9-10') is making his rounds... Maybe I'll get lucky tomorrow... __________________ "To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them." -Richard Henry Lee, Virginia delegate to the Continental Congress, initiator of the Declaration of Independence, and member of the first Senate, which passed the Bill of Rights.

April 24, 2009, 08:10 PM	#17
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	"Hopefully he (his hide anyway) will be stretched out in the middle of my living room floor..." My ex-FIL had a buddy who'd gotten a nice black bear. Did the rug thing. His bird dog loved it. Fleas.

April 24, 2009, 10:16 PM	#18
jrothWA Senior Member Join Date: November 11, 2006 Posts: 2,519	Hi JPCoasties, whan you have time.. care to comment on suitability for using 7mmMAg (&bullet type) for bear?? Thanks. Good Luck.

April 24, 2009, 11:38 PM	#19
Swampghost Senior Member Join Date: April 18, 2008 Location: Florida, east coast Posts: 2,106	Art, my first wife really loved the Brownie rug in front of the fireplace. OOPS! the thread is deviating, time to get back on course. __________________ NRA Patron Member

April 26, 2009, 09:03 PM	#22
jrothWA Senior Member Join Date: November 11, 2006 Posts: 2,519	JGCoastie... Tango Yankee! Stepped up to 7mmMag after having doubts about my .308W using 165SPBT over 42.7 gr 748. Good for whitetails (Michigan) but unsure about Washington critters, and hopefully Alaska.