I did it!!!!

EVILNR

Very Active Member
Messages
1,698
I booked my Brown Bear hunt last friday the 7th of Jan.
Will be hunting with Wade Renfro out of Bethel, AK. Sept.21-Oct.2nd this fall!!!!!
Want to hear all advice on anything and everything. I have an equipment list but would LOVE to hear from others on this matter especially. Do's - Donts, flights, shipping trophies, boots, raingear, packs, .....anything.
I'll be 45 this year, been dreaming about this since I was a kid. This is the year!!!
 
I am currently living a couple hundred miles north of Bethel and did a lot of moose hunting this last fall. Your in for a great time i think! Every single time we landed our boat there was a Griz track... Good luck!
As far as gear I wouldn't go cheap on rain gear. You get wet up here, and it get cold really fast. Keep your gun oiled up well to prevent rust.
Im sure some of these other guys gave you better info than I could on the subject though...again...good luck..its a dream come true!

"Like a midget at the urinal, always be on your toes!"
www.Anacondatreasure.com
www.rwmurals.com
http://www.themontanagallery.com/
 
What rain gear do you prefer Bull? I'm looking
at some camo Helly-Hansen Impertech II. Also at the
Cabelas packable gore-tex MT050, but I keep hearing the
gore tex may or may not work. I've had a 10X gore tex
jacket now for about 15yrs and its starting to leak .Anyway, I have to purchase one or the other.
 
>What rain gear do you prefer
>Bull? I'm looking
>at some camo Helly-Hansen Impertech II.
>Also at the
>Cabelas packable gore-tex MT050, but I
>keep hearing the
>gore tex may or may not
>work. I've had a 10X
>gore tex
>jacket now for about 15yrs and
>its starting to leak .Anyway,
>I have to purchase one
>or the other.

I would go Helly Hansen... They have an incredible line of rain gear and thats what I have used for the last few years in Montana. We bought some new Helly gear in Soldotna before heading out to the bush and we are very happy with our purchase.


"Like a midget at the urinal, always be on your toes!"
www.Anacondatreasure.com
www.rwmurals.com
http://www.themontanagallery.com/
 
PM HunterHarry he a bear guy and can give you some good infor.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
 
Congrats! Start hanging out on the Pristine Ventures forum and Alaska Outdoors directory forum. A few hours of searching should give you plenty of info. Helly Hanson is what I would get for rain gear. Good luck!
 
thanks for the responses, I think I've got a pretty good idea of what I need as far as gear goes. I'm about 90% sure I'm gonna get the .375H&H for this hunt. And i'm gonna use a couple sets of Microtex, some lightweight fleece pullovers, fleece jacket, Helly-Hansen rainwear, cabelas mtp and maybe some capilene underwear. I may also get a windshear fleece vest.
My Big Agnes +20 bag w/thermarest pad. A broken in pair of Cabelas mountain hunter boots (400gr. ins). My Leupold Wind River 10X42's will have to do another season. Bog Pod Tripod.
One other item are lightweight hip boots, any experience here?
Get the lightweight pull-ons/overs from wiggy's or a regular boot type ?
Also, should I get some gaiters?
Advice, ideas, dos-donts?
 
EvilNR, congrats on booking your hunt. I hope we hear your story after your successful hunt! As far as gear, listen to what your guide has to say. He has seen it all and knows the good stuff from the garbage. All of us can add stuff, based on our Alaskan experiences, but your guide should have the final say. I've heard good things about Renfro and would trust what he says.

Are you buying a .375 specifically for this hunt, or do you have one already? Spend lots of time shooting it, even though it can get expensive. Some folks I know shoot it well right from the get go and don't worry about the kick, while others need some time to get used to it.

Good luck and let us know how it goes through the planning stage to the final trigger pull and skinning of your big bear.

Take care,
Garion
 
Hey G33,

The .375 will be bought initially for this trip and later I figured it could be used for black bear,moose, maybe elk, even feral hogs here in FL., possibly even an African trip in the future when my son is a little older. It will also round out my "classic" battery of rem.700's in .243,25-06,30-06,and .300 winny. But this brown bear trip is more than likely a one time deal.

yes, lots of practice

thanks for your reply
 
Hello Evilnr,
I have done a spring and a fall hunt on Kodiak Island. For my second hunt I purchased a trench coat length Helley Hanson Raincoat. It comes in Olive drab. I t zips up from bottom and down from top is fairly inexpesive and was awesome. It poured on us for hours spring of 08 and the coat kept me dry. 375 is perfect gun. Backpack stores sell a space blanket bag that is tiny lightweight and costs about 15 bucks and it will save your life. Way better than a blanket in my opinion. Any weather lighter. If you are hunting in hip boots make sure you wear them alot prior to hunt to make sure they dont give you sores. I didn't do this on first hunt and regretted it. I also brought goretex on first hunt and it did not cut it at all. On my second hunt I carried a full set of dry thermal underwear and socks in dry bag in my pack and changed into it after long hikes in. This was also great for me. I could go on and on. Have a great time and kill a big boar.
Mike
 
thanks magnus,

those are some great tips. I especially like the dry
bag with the fresh skivvies. - thats a keeper.
I also gotta get one of those space blanket thingies.
 
Good recomendation on the trench coat.
Get one that goes down past the top of your hippers or the rain will pour right into your boots make sure it has a hood that works well.
A good water resistant hat is good too, sometimes there is simply nowhere to get out of the rain.
I brought a small plastic tarp and used it to cover up with when it was raining, hailing and snowing.
Bring a warm light jacket for sitting extended periods of time because that's what you do brown bear hunting LOTS & LOTS OF GLASSING.
You get coldest after working up the sweat to get to a lookout, then sitting on your ass for hours and hours.
Bring little snacks and even a small book to pass time, it will get boring sitting & waiting.
Bring something to sit on to keep the cold ground from freezing your ass.
Make sure that rifle ain't a showpiece, the salty air and constant drenchings from above will corrode even stainless rifles.
Train for the hunt like you were going sheep hunting, brown bear hunts an be very strenuous.
Bring a big chip for your camera and take pics from every angle possible, this don't happen too many times in your life.
Most importantly bring a positive attitude, set a goal and stick to it.

I dropped off my hide in Anchorage at Knight's Taxidermy, they finished fleshing it, salted it then sent the dried hide to my taxidermist, Knight's is a solid reputable outfit.

http://www.knightstaxidermy.com/


If you want motivation here are a couple of superb reads.

http://alaskabearstories.com/Home_Page.php

coversmallsize_j3i8.jpg


"Unpredictable Giants"
By Keith Johnson

Keith Johnson was a superb guide for 40 + years at Wildman Lake Lodge at the end of the Alaska Peninsula.
Best color photo compilation of giant brownies anywhere.
Great tales of hunting their biggest bears in one of the best trophy producing regions in Alaska.
Spectacular photos.


Also

"Last Of The Brown Bear Men"
The story of Pinnell & Talifson, legendary kodiak guides.
They were bear hunting pioneers on Kodiak Island.

http://www.outdoorsdirectory.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=27

lastofbrownbearhunters_225.jpg


B&W, but a great historical read, a must for the serious brown bear enthusiast.

HH
 
Thanks for the info HH, good stuff.
I have been looking for some good bear reads.
Gonna get both of those you mentioned, plus I
think there is one by Tony Russ I want.
 

Click-a-Pic ... Details & Bigger Photos
Back
Top Bottom