Spike Camp

Alaska Brown Bear

Alaska Brown Bear
« on: September 20, 2021, 01:29:19 PM »
I just got home from my Alaska Brown Bear hunt.  I hunted with Master Guide Bob Couey in his camp outside of Iliamna.  I flew out of Bozeman at 8 AM on Sept 4th, changed planes in Seattle then on to Anchorage, then took a taxi to Merrill Field where I met Bob and we flew to Iliamna, and then a Super Cub to his camp., which was two pup tents tucked in next to an alder patch.

The next morning I was legal to hunt, and while we were fixing breakfast, Bob spotted a bear walking across a flat about a mile west of camp.  We quickly grabbed our guns and packs and started after him.  We got to about a quarter mile from where we last saw him and he was nowhere in sight, so Bob suggested that we go back to camp where we had some elevation to look for him, and have some breakfast.

We no sooner got back to camp and we spotted him again, so back to the stalk.  This time we got to about 200 yards from him.  He wasn't the biggest bear in the unit, but with his dark brown legs and his long blond back hair, he was my Grizzly bear dream color.

I was hunting with my .375 RUM with my 281 grain Hammer Hunter handloads and I heard the loud WHAP that my first bullet made when it hit him, and he fell down.  But then he got up and started running and Bob said to keep shooting until he didn't get up, so I did.  His final resting place was about 10 yards from a 40' drop off into a waist deep river, and a hunt that I had been dreaming about for over 50 years was over.


The picture taking, skinning, and packing got us back to camp by 3 PM for a very late breakfast...with a celebratory Coors Light.

The next morning Bob finished skinning out my bear's skull and got his hide salted and the clouds started building up in the West.  Bob brought up the weather forecast and it showed the next few days with up to 93% rain.  Bob was able to text the Super Cub pilot and he was able to get us back to Iliamna that day, but too late for the plane back to Anchorage, so we spent the night at a friends "lodge" where we had homemade pizza and fresh wild blueberry pie, and a warm, dry bed.

The next day we flew back to Anchorage and to Bob's house, where we spent a couple of nights.  Bob finished fleshing my bear hide and heavily salted it, and we let it cure overnight before taking to the F&G office to have it sealed.  We then went to a couple of local sporting goods stores where we both bought a 3 weight fly rod and reel, I bought an Alaska 7 day fishing license, and the next day we drove 180 miles north to Alaska's Lake Louise where Bob had a cabin.


 We then spent several days putting our new 3 wt fly rods to use on the creek next to his cabin where I had fun catching well over 100 Graylings.  We also enjoying exploring and portaging Bob's canoe on 3 lakes and a section of the creek by his cabin, and me eating handfuls of sweet wild blueberries.


 My Alaskan trip came to a close last Thursday and I left the beautiful tundra, lakes, streams, and glaciers for the smoky skies of Montana.
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Re: Alaska Brown Bear
« Reply #1 on: September 20, 2021, 03:04:02 PM »
Congratulations on a fantastic trip. Great bear!
Mike

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Re: Alaska Brown Bear
« Reply #2 on: September 20, 2021, 05:37:54 PM »
Wow man congrats! Looks like you had a fantastic time. I am so jealous as an Alaskan grizzly hunt is my number 1 dream hunt. Again well done on fulfilling your 50 year dream.
Aussie gun nut.

Re: Alaska Brown Bear
« Reply #3 on: September 20, 2021, 07:38:19 PM »
Congrats and thanks for the pictures
Max

Re: Alaska Brown Bear
« Reply #4 on: September 20, 2021, 07:57:21 PM »
great looking bear, nice colors  8)

Rob

Re: Alaska Brown Bear
« Reply #5 on: September 20, 2021, 10:18:36 PM »
A beautiful bear and a dream fishing trip. It don't hardly get any better than that.

Re: Alaska Brown Bear
« Reply #6 on: September 20, 2021, 10:47:36 PM »
Congratulations on a beautiful bear and sharing a great story!!!
Doug

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Re: Alaska Brown Bear
« Reply #7 on: September 21, 2021, 06:53:17 AM »
Congratulations on the grizzly bear hunt of your dreams. Thats a dandy looking bear and the colors are absolutely cool. Sure can't ask for better than a first morning successful hunt. Thanks for sharing the story and the details of your hunt adventure.
« Last Edit: September 22, 2021, 06:33:49 AM by danno50 »
DosEquisShooter

Re: Alaska Brown Bear
« Reply #8 on: September 22, 2021, 08:49:13 AM »
Stellar trip congrats
Keep your nose in the wind and your eyes on the skyline

Re: Alaska Brown Bear
« Reply #9 on: September 24, 2021, 07:58:35 PM »
Congratulations on an awesome Bear and what looked like an incredible hunt!! Glad you were able to fulfill that dream!!
Alaskan Brown Bear is definitely on my dream list!!

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Re: Alaska Brown Bear
« Reply #10 on: September 24, 2021, 09:24:47 PM »
Dang nice bear, beautiful color!
Saw 17 grizzlies in one inlet about a month ago. Only problem, I was up there as a tourist, not hunting. I called it recon for a moose hunt next year!
Life is what you make it. Enjoy because none of us get out alive.

Re: Alaska Brown Bear
« Reply #11 on: October 13, 2021, 02:24:35 AM »
Strong work!

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Re: Alaska Brown Bear
« Reply #12 on: October 16, 2021, 08:58:23 PM »
wow - what an adventure! well done sir, big congrats!