Episode #9 - Alaska bears, the re-do.

[Big Fin]

The network is now airing new episodes again. Last week was Episode #8, the MT elk hunt. Sorry I was gone and did not make an announcement of that airing.

This week is episode #9, which is the bear episode from Southeast Alaska. Very cool footage. Lots of bears. A hunter deciding to take a dive into the Pacific prior to shooting his bear, and just a ton of fun.

Amazing how well a person can float when you jump in with waders full of air. Joe actually did better on the footage than it looked like from my vantage point at the helm. I knew I was laughing when Joe shot his bear, given the fiasco leading up to it, but I think I might have gotten a little carried away.

This is the first of two episodes that will come from this trip. The next hunt will air in the following season.

If you want to read the full story, here is the "Live Hunt" link.

http://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/showthread.php?t=244667

 

[Gerald Martin]

Just finished rewatching some of the season 2 video with my kids. My six year old requested that we watch a "Randy" video tonight. Good stuff, watching a quality hunting video with my kids alternating taking turns sitting on Dad's lap

 

[Randy49er]

Just finished watching the bear hunt in S.E. Alaska, what a hoot!! Thank you for doing what you do and sharing it with the rest of us.

 

[dan.kirkpatrick]

just watched your 2010 sp bear hunt,,,another good show,,,at the beginning you had a issue over renting a skiff,,,can you elaborate about it,,,im thinkin hard about this hunt in the future,,,what was the skiff rental co? and what does it run to rent one?how far do you have to travel to get a skiff?looked like that was better part of a days time?also looked like going later had alot more bears,any dates recomended,,,mid may?

 

[brownbear932008]

LOL I saw the SE AK. bear hunt episode today and was laughing out so loud the wife came from the backside of the house to see if I'd finally flipped.... Of coarse I was laughing at the dive in the icy pacific. Two years ago I kinda did the same thing in a beaver pond on Prince of Wales Island. I hopped over a two foot stream to find out the grass on the otherside was only floating on 5ft. of water and my bud was at the edge of the pond and didn't even see me almost drown. However I was able to save my gun and toss it on across the stream at the last second..... LMAO It's still funny as Hell when I think of it..... We had several of those moments like my buds weatherby floating in the pacific because he laid it near the water on the shore and we hiked 30 minutes up into the woods looking for a shot bear only to return and find it bobbing in the ocean..... HAHAHHA He ripped off his pants and went swimming for it.....

 

[dan.kirkpatrick]

was going across the big water pushing the envelope or was it not that bad?am looking into this hunt and as there are many cabin options available,,,I was thinkin that maybe I could save the final air taxi cost and fully load the boat with the gear for a week and drive boat out to whitchever cabin{maybe 20 miles or so} from the skiff rental? Are there skiff rentals out of petersburg or wangell?what do ya think about that option?have you got some good bear areas you know that may be closer than devils elbow for a similar hunt?is north or south any easyer on boat rental logistics with yet good hunting?

 

[Big Fin]

was going across the big water pushing the envelope or was it not that bad?am looking into this hunt and as there are many cabin options available,,,I was thinkin that maybe I could save the final air taxi cost and fully load the boat with the gear for a week and drive boat out to whitchever cabin{maybe 20 miles or so} from the skiff rental? Are there skiff rentals out of petersburg or wangell?what do ya think about that option?

What made the footage of the crossing was the best weather of that day. I had a little POV camera and no weather shield for it, so when it was howling and raining, I was not out on the deck using the camera in that rain and ocean spray.

DO NOT try that crossing in a skiff. You might make it. In fact, you probably would make it. But you might not. I probably would have made it through whens we traveled across, but it would have been wet and miserable and fully loaded with gear, I would have been taking on a lot of water. All it would have taken was one malfunction and I am dead in the water, being pulled further out in the big ocean by an outgoing tide, mixing with a strong wind. By far, the dumbest thing I have contemplated in many years of hunting.

I wish I could have taken the camera out in the rain and wind and shown the worst of it. Would have ruined the camera, but would have made the answer to this question very obvious.

There are other places that have easier logistics than Devil's Elbow, now that transporters cannot deliver skiffs. They get more pressure, but still some great bears to be had. With the crack down on transporters, none of them want to mess with self-guided bear hunters.

It seems the black bear outfitters are tired of self-guided non-residents. They have convinced Fish and Game to make it very hard for transporters to deliver you a skiff. And now, in 2012, bear hunting in that area will be on a limited entry draw for non-residents who do not hire a guide. Guided non-residents will still be over the counter.

Good luck if you go. More fun than you can have in a week doing anything else.

 

[wingman1]

Randy the way the regs read it will go to draw in the fall of 2012. Is that correct? Spring non res should be otc. No doubt the best hunt I've been on in awile. A little crowded with other hunters but seemed to be enough bear to go around.

 

[Big Fin]

Randy the way the regs read it will go to draw in the fall of 2012. Is that correct? Spring non res should be otc.

That sure could be. I have not read the regs. Was going by what the AKF&G person told us when we were checking in the bear. I would rely on what you read in the regs.

Not sure I can find a way to make it up there next spring, given a ton of other commitments I have. And, saving production budget for an Alaska hunt in the fall.

If I don't make it next spring, I will be applying every year until the plant me in the ground. It is that much fun.

 

[dan.kirkpatrick]

seen that ya had sitka rain gear on,,,did you have the "lite" storm front? heavy stormfront?cold front? what would you recomend as just the "lite" is pretty spendy{but looks like top quality}rain gear,,,would you recomend chest waders instead of rain pants or hip waders,,,storm front jacket alone is 5 bills for the heavy,,,any special deals thru oyoa on sitka gear?

 

[sigpros]

Great show. My wife wants to get a bear. And we both want to go to Alaska. Where do I need to start looking for info on how to put a hunt like this togther? It would be a couple years before we would go, but I like to line things out as best as I can. I really want to shoot a blacktail but that will be another trip. I thought you had to have a guide in Alaska? Or is that just for certain species?

 

[JohnCushman]

Awesome episode!!! Definitely another hunt I wanna put on my bucket list. I don't think I would have the nerve to let that boar get so close without shooting it...lol