Alaska Black Bear - The plan has started

Well, I have rented the forest service cabin and now I need to find a water taxi that will transport us 70 miles to this very remote location. We will be filming a non-guided Southeast Alaska black bear hunt in May.

There are places who do accommodations for non-guided hunters, where you stay in the lodge, use their boats, and they cook meals, etc. The hunting is On Your Own. That has a lot of appeal to me, given the logistics of getting to Alaska with the necessary gear. And the additional burden of camera gear. That would be my fall back if I cannot find a transporter.

But, I want to see just how "doable" it is to go On Your Own lock, stock, and barrel. In other words, coordinate everything, the cabin rental, skiff rental, water taxi, food, fuel, etc. And, I want to see what the costs are.

I have the extra costs of additional people and their gear, so I will divide the costs by what it is per person. So far, I am into it $175 for the cabin rental. That is not bad for a week. Hell, I usually would pay that just to be away from the phone and computer for a week.

The reason I chose the spot I have is to be as far away from other hunters as possible. I have spent a lot of time in Southeast Alaska and I know how vast it is. Getting away from hunters is not hard. I am thinking that by being far away from the guide camps and the self-guided hunting operations, the bear hunting might be better, and it is really great in most places.

I think most people consider Alaska to be off the charts from a logistics stand point, and thus go guided. Nothing wrong with that. Just want to see if I can do it differently and enjoy the challenges of not only putting it together, but the bigger challenge of learning the bears and finding a good one. And navigating the ocean waters to get there. Thinking we might have to add some fishing to our time while we are there, though we will probably not film it.

I have been doing research since mid-December and decided I had better make my cabin reservation soon, as the good dates are filling fast. Teach me to pick a cabin that they say is "One of the most remote in the forest system." Yup, and so far, finding a water taxi to get me even close has been difficult.

I will keep posting notes to this as I complete more of the logistics. If we have good success, I would want other people to be able to follow these steps and enjoy the same thing.

Wish us luck. If it is like all other OYOA hunts, we are gonna need it.


My last non-guided bear (brownie) hunt in SE Alaska with my now deceased Grandfather who was a resident. Doubt I can have as much fun on our upcoming trip as I had on that one.

Oh man, that's awesome. The way remote, in the boonies adventure will certainly be filled with great memories and stories. Can't wait for this episode to materialize!

I know a great transporter out of Wrangell..... first class people, treated us well, and, best of all, left us with crab pots to insure we would never eat our freeze-dried crap....

Sound like a winner! Big Fin, when referring to your costs, could you state how many people are sharing the cost instead of just your cost if that makes sense. If we follow your footsteps with fewer people we can get an idea of what our true cost would be. Thanks, John

outside the box?

I like the idea of a remote Blackie hunt in Alaska. I always hunt OYO and have done so 3 times to Ak. Always trying to find ways to condense or reduce costs, how about this,
Charter a fishing boat for 2 separate days- 1 at the beginning/1 at the end of your hunt and have them drop you off. I don't know if that would be legal, but if legal, could be an option.
I don't see that as any different than hiring southwest to fly you to Arizona.
Is it heresy to suggest you might post on another site? When I need info on Alaska or help from Alaskans reducing costs, I post on Alaska outdoor forum run by Mike Strahan.
I am ALWAYS flooded with pm's loaded with helpful advice.
I also contact businesses I used previously seeking advice(maybe you used someone with G-pa?) They usually know who in the area can help out.
Good luck, set some pots and take your poles!

Fin

Jose and I used a water taxi out of Wrangell...I would highly recommend their services if interested. I also have a contact out of K-town with a floatplane that I can point you to...also highly recommended. Don't worry, I would still chalk this up as OYO even if I do help you ;-)

(Didn't see Jose had already posted)

Where in SE Alaska? I know a couple of good transporters.

Thanks for the offers guys. Please PM me with the Wrangell water taxi, as I am flying into Wrangell or Petersburg.

I have rented an 18" skiff with a 60 hp motor and a (6hp kicker for safety). I would prefer to take a water taxi to this cabin site, as it is remote and the water is a little bigger than what I would like for a 60-70 mile run in an 18' boat. And I don't think I can carry enough fuel for the round trip and the hunting while I am there. But, if we have to, I guess that will add to the "Adventure" part of it. I do want to survive for future adventures, so most are talking me out of "skiffing" to this site. Probably good advice.

One option is to fly in, but that really restricts the mobility needed to properly hunt this vast country. And, would make it harded to capitalize on the fishing.

As far as whether or not using a transporter is "On Your Own," that goes back to some of the threads of what is "On Your Own." To me, that is, so that is what will be done, and I will let those who disagree tell me so. The fishing charters I have talked to have balked at the idea of dumping me off, as the AK regs on transporters is very strict and the hunting guides will turn them in without hesitation. As such, getting dumped off by anyone who is not a licensed transporter is not an option.

In my attempt to provide a good trail for people to follow when they come back to this thread, I am posting the link to the Tongass National Forest Cabin Rentals. Here it is:

Tongass National Forest Cabin Rental List


Some of these cabins are in wilderness areas, and given the difficulty of getting filming permits in wilderness areas, I crossed those cabins off my potential list.

As far as posting on other sites, I don't think that is proper etiquette. If others post about our adventures on other sites, nothing I can do about that. I am probably the most open of all site owners when it comes to allowing links to other sites, free advertising, and many other events that push most site owners over the top. I won't be posting this hunt or thread on other sites.

A lot of companies are going to get some free promo off this trip. I will be putting links to all the people we use. If they provide bad service/supplies/advice, I will tell you that, just as much as I will tell you who provided the good services/supplies/advice.

Since I will not have cell coverage while on the hunt, I cannot do my normal "in the field updates," so I will try and make this thread as much of a "live hunt" thread as I can. We are working on the idea of some satellite communications for "live hunt" activities while in these crazy places, but so far, the cost is prohibitive.

Lots of people will be surprised by the low cost for which you can do a non-guided bear hunt in Alaska. And while there, you will be able to enjoy some of the best fishing in the world. The days are long and the bears are out mostly in the morning and evening, leaving a lot of time of other things, especially fishing. In effect, you can have your dream bear hunt and your dream fishing trip all in a ten day period, for the price of one trip.

Thanks for the comments. Please PM me if you have people and services you have used in that part of the world. Cannot promise we will use them, but I have investigated a lot of options and would rather go with a "known commodity" than the random choice of finding these service providers via the web.

Big Fin said:

Thanks for the offers guys. Please PM me with the Wrangell water taxi, as I am flying into Wrangell or Petersburg.

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That area should make for some awesome videography.

Big Fin said:

I have rented an 18" skiff with a 60 hp motor and a (6hp kicker for safety).

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Let us know how that works for you.

Big Fin said:

Since I will not have cell coverage while on the hunt, I cannot do my normal "in the field updates," so I will try and make this thread as much of a "live hunt" thread as I can. We are working on the idea of some satellite communications for "live hunt" activities while in these crazy places, but so far, the cost is prohibitive.

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Any satellite rental sponsors out there?

We did POW completely on our own in 2008 and killed three bears.... one of which was a whopper! Still one of my favorite hunts I have done, and your right, the price isn't all bad.

I am jonesing for a trip back ot SE Alaska very soon.... The $$ aren't there to do it this year, but 2011 is a VERY real possibility.

Elkwhisper

That hunt is probably in the top five of my wish list. Color me very jealous. I'll be watching this thread close to see how everything goes for you.

BigFin,

I think if you really want the ADVENTURE in OYOA, you need to just make the Skiff run on your own...

You are no longer the conservative, mild-mannered CPA, but you have now become the Larger Than Life Media Mogul who lives every day to the fullest.....:hump:

People Magzine does not put CPA's on their cover, they put Idols on the cover....


Sent you the PM, check out the Gear Rental Page..... Ovis promised me that he would "make me famous" like he did with the another guy he went hunting with in AK, and, true to Ovis' word, I am now famous because of his photography....

Filming permit? Now why would anyone ever make such a law? We all own that land and I say you have my permission. I'm sure everyone else on this site would say the same thing. The nerve of our government sometimes drives me nuts. I hope you include something in your video where you mention you got the permits OYN...just to bring attention to the fact that there is such a screwed up law and you obey the laws.

sweetnectar said:

Filming permit? Now why would anyone ever make such a law? We all own that land and I say you have my permission. I'm sure everyone else on this site would say the same thing. The nerve of our government sometimes drives me nuts. I hope you include something in your video where you mention you got the permits OYN...just to bring attention to the fact that there is such a screwed up law and you obey the laws.

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Sweet - If you knew how many people don't get permits for commercial filming, you would be amazed. I understand the reason for it, and I comply, knowing I am using public property and I should pay a fee for the benefit of such. Though I often wonder why my fee is so high compared to other users of these public lands.

Last year, that added $20,000+ in production costs that other shows don't have because they film on private land, or because they think it will be cheaper to get forgiveness than the cost of permission. So when I see or hear of my competitors not paying these fees when they should be, I get a little steamed. Or when they say they are on public, but really are on private and therefore don't have these fees, but get the intangible benefit of "raising the bar" of how difficult their hunt is stated to be.

And when I see what others pay for use of public grounds that have a much greater impact than me and a couple camera guys. Example - a public land rancher could graze 1,200+ cow/calf pairs YEAR ROUND on the Forest Service or BLM for what I paid to film twelve five-day television episodes. Nothing personal against these public land ranchers - as they don't set the rules, but this is a sore spot with me.

This is also way more than any outfitter pays for an entire season of permitted use on the Forest Service. I know what outfitters pay for their permits, and it is a joke, when you realize how many outfitter operators and their hunters get to camp, hunt, and sometimes intimidate public hunters, on these public lands, for way less cost than I pay for these filming permits.

But I comply, regardless of how I feel about it. The network will not let me vent those frustrations on TV as you recommend, so they get stated here.

Sorry to vent. You hit a sore spot with that one.

I promise to keep my remaining comments focused on the Alaska black bear hunting topic. The permit for these seven days of filming a bear hunt will be somewhere in the $1,500 to $2,000 ranage, depending upon many factors.

Fortunately, public hunters who are not filming do not need to worry about paying any of these kind of fees.

I hear ya, Fin. That whole thing with the fees and whatnot else chaps my you-know-what too! But ethically, you're doing the right thing. The "filming cheats" of the world can't claim the same thing.

Just got off the phone with the guy who runs the skiff rental operation. Very nice fellow. He told me he cannot let me take his equipment that far on that kind of water.

So, I may not have the skiff problem solved, as I first thought. He was very knowledgeable and told me of many other places that are good bear hunting, and are in areas he would allow me to take his equipment. I guess those other locations will be a back up plan.

The "Adventure" part just got less adventurous. Darn.

My notes so far:

An 18' skiff with a 60 horse is a big boat. There should be no (salt)water around Wrangell or Petersburg that you can't navigate with that. Unless you have to go across Clarence or Sumner strait(s). The water can get pretty nasty around point Baker. Of course if the rental co. says no.. then thats all you can do.

Most guys go in by plane with inflatables. Which is a perfectly legit option. Makes fishing harder, but crab pots can still be set (take collapsables) and the bear hunting doesn't suffer.

You might talk to summit charters.. but I don't think Taylor is a licensed transporter. Also talk to Alaska Waters inc. Breakaway Adventures does USFS cabin drops. Talk to Eric Yancey at Breakaway. I went to school with his boy Dwight. They are good people. If he won't do it, you might strongly consider flying. Or picking a closer cabin that you can take your skiff to.

summit:
http://summitcharters.com/
Alaska Waters:
http://www.alaskawaters.com/
Breakaway
http://www.breakawayadventures.com/

Breakaway also rents skiffs: 17' with a 90 horse

I had the time of my life on SE Alaska hunt last year. I am ready to go back, especially since I did not get my bear.

My son, did though.

icb12 said:

My notes so far:

An 18' skiff with a 60 horse is a big boat. There should be no (salt)water around Wrangell or Petersburg that you can't navigate with that. Unless you have to go across Clarence or Sumner strait(s). The water can get pretty nasty around point Baker..........

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You hit it on the head. That is the problem with this cabin and being 60-70 water miles away. It is remote, though.

icb12 said:

Most guys go in by plane with inflatables. Which is a perfectly legit option. Makes fishing harder, but crab pots can still be set (take collapsables) and the bear hunting doesn't suffer.

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With all the camera gear, along with the normal bear hunting stuff, air is just too expensive. And, this cabin requires a very high tide for a plane to get very close. Damn tide flats.

icb12 said:

summit:
http://summitcharters.com/
Alaska Waters:
http://www.alaskawaters.com/
Breakaway
http://www.breakawayadventures.com/

Breakaway also rents skiffs: 17' with a 90 horse

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Roger that - emails left with them.

Thanks for the input, icb.

Speaking of Point Baker, here it is-


And just around the corner is Port Protection-


In case you need to make a call, check the white pages-