Alaska here I come!

[taylorce1]

Well in three weeks anyway, May 14th can't get here soon enough. This will be the first time I've been back since May 2007 and it has been a long wait. I'm going back for spring black bear again trying to do better than I did the last time. Last time my buddy and I tagged out in the first two days of hunting, I got a 19-1/4" and he got a 18-7/8" bear green scored by AK DNR. Both were in the 300 lb range so they would have been huge come the fall. Hoping this time I can break in the 20" range.

Hopefully this is a primer for things to come!

My last bear!




My buddies bear!

[cornbush]

What is the contender chambered in?

Definitely need a follow up when you're back too, good luck.

[Scorpion8]

Where's your hunt planned for? Prince of Wales Island? So far the black bears haven't been widely active here.

[taylorce1]

The Contender my buddy used was a .358 JDJ, I used a M700 .30-06. This year I'll be using an Encore rifle .375 JDJ. We will be hunting around Petersburg, my buddy has a cabin, boat, and truck up there which saves us a lot of money.

[FrontSight]

That is awesome, good luck!!

[taylorce1]

One week from tomorrow morning I'll be sitting on an airplane headed to AK. It is getting kind of hard to focus at work while all I want to do is look at tide charts, google earth, and weather forcasts! I think we have a good plan worked out to find some big bears, and hopefully a wolf or two and get some fishing in as well.

I'm thinking of dragging my lap top along but it will probably stay home as net access will be spotty at best. Thinking a waterproof note book and stubby pencil might be the best way to do a play by play of the hunt. Anyway hope to have some awesome pictures to add to these when I get back.

[Scorpion8]

Gotta have pics!!!

[hooligan1]

Hey good luck, man...If I send you a "pork-chop necklace" would you wear it?

[taylorce1]

8 hours then I'm off to the airport!!!!!!

[hooligan1]

Remember all you have to do is...Outrun your buddies!!! I hope you score man, and be safe!

[taylorce1]

Remember all you have to do is...Outrun your buddies!!!

Not as fast as I used to be but I think I can handle that one. Besides BB aren't that scary. Thanks for the responses!

[Edward429451]

Good luck up there! (nice bear)

[BIGR]

Hope he is having a good time. I expect we will get a great report when he gets back.

[taylorce1]

Sitting in a hotel in Seattle tonight, but no bears to be had this year. My buddy did get a wolf, and I'll post a hunt report in a few days when I can get my notes and pictures together.

[Scorpion8]

My buddy did get a wolf,

Wolf is not in season in Game management Unit 03 around Petersburg. The season is Aug 1 to April 30, even over on GMU 01D. You didn't leave until after May 13th???

[taylorce1]

Wolf is not in season in Game management Unit 03 around Petersburg. The season is Aug 1 to April 30, even over on GMU 01D. You didn't leave until after May 13th???

Better re-read your hunting regulations, AK F&G extended wolf season this year. We bought the wolf tags right along with the bear tags. Mary at the Petersburg office was more than happy to seal my buddies wolf, right before we took it to the cannery to have it frozen for shipment.

[Scorpion8]

Better re-read your hunting regulations, AK F&G extended wolf season this year

Actually those announcements don't make the print version, since they come out before the need for season extensions. As long as there was an online notice, it's all good right? We just like to make sure everyone abides by the rules.

[taylorce1]

I’ve finally got some time to sit down and write a very short hunting report. I had a great time in SE Alaska just like I always do but the hunt didn’t go to plan. We really didn’t see any bears, we did see one about a mile off but on foot trying to catch up with a moving bear was tough and we just couldn’t do it.

My buddy did manage to fill his wolf tag though. We were walking single file along the channel from where we docked the boat to go fishing. Of course we weren’t going anywhere without taking our rifles so we had them both slung across our back.

My buddy was rounding a slight curve where he and the wolf spotted each other at the same time. I guess she turned around and trotted out of sight, I just saw my buddy throwing fishing poles and tackle boxes aside. He about strangled himself trying to get the sling over his head, but he managed it.

He said his first shot was at about 50 yards, he whistled at her and got the wolf to turn which gave him a quartering shot. He hit her a little far back in the ribs and the bullet exited her guts on the off side. He said she jumped in the water and was spinning around and biting at the wound, so he racked two more shots in quick succession. The second shot hit in a hind leg breaking it and the third hit in the neck.

I’ve decided a 200 grain Accubond out of a .325 WSM is a little more bullet than a wolf needs.











So the bear hunting wasn’t great, but we had some sunny days with great weather. Spent some time with good friends and wished I could have stayed longer than 5 days. Guess they don’t call it hunting for nothing.

Actually those announcements don't make the print version, since they come out before the need for season extensions. As long as there was an online notice, it's all good right? We just like to make sure everyone abides by the rules.

I agree! Hope you have a great season up there.

[TXGunNut]

Glad you got to go and had a safe & enjoyable trip. Everything else is a bonus. Thanks for the report.

[Scorpion8]

A nice wolf! Been my plan to take one someday but it hasn't happened yet. Kudos!

[ZeroJunk]

Do you eat wolf ?

[taylorce1]

Do you eat wolf ?

I'd have to be real hungry to try it!

Wolf would be very low on my prefrence of table fare that is for sure.

[BIGR]

Even though you did not get a bear, you still enjoyed the beautiful scenery. Alot of us have never got to see Alaska, but maybe we can go in the future. At least your buddy got a wolf so it was still a productive trip. Better luck next time on a big bear.

[Geezerbiker]

"I'd have to be real hungry to try it!"

Why did your buddy send his wolf to the cannery? I would have kept the hide and left the rest as bear food...

Tony

[taylorce1]

Why did your buddy send his wolf to the cannery?

They froze the pelt and skull, boxed it up for transport on Alaska Airlines. We dropped it off at the taxidermist on the way back through in Colorado Springs. The meat was left for bear and wolf bait.