ptarmigan
FNG
..bear that is. My buddy and I planned up a bear hunt this spring out in Prince William Sound. Realizing that my days are super limited with my boy before he heads off to the Air Force and whatever that brings, I had a small panic moment that he needed to get a bear! We set off early Tuesday for Whittier with hopes of good weather and cooperative fish, shrimp, and bears!
Seas were perfect and we made our way south about 50 miles, scouting for bears the whole way, to where we set our shrimp pots. We decided to fish for a few hours in the afternoon as the weather was killer and it was flat calm. it wasn't red hot fishing but we caught a few small halibut, a bunch of cod, and one really nice silvergray rockfish. We picked up our gear and headed to the shrimp pots hoping for dinner. Luckily we had more than enough to cook up. We had dinner in a bay that evening and kept an eye out for bears.
Around 10:15pm we were getting a bit chilled after a long day and the now upper 30's damp cold setting in. We moved off of the back deck to the cabin with heat, and not more than 5 minutes later I spotted something that wasn't there a minute ago. Black bear on the shore about 350yds from us! I loaded the boy and gear into the raft and I did the stealth seal team row (my boys description Haha!) to the backside of a small island for cover. We pulled up to shore, tied off, then made a move to find a good shooting spot. Luckily the bear didn't move and was right where he should have been. I ranged him at 175yds, called it out, and told the boy to let him have it. The bear at that point had made us, so I knew we only had seconds to make it happen. My son sent the 165gr Trophy Bonded Tip across the cove and the bears nose dug into the grass. He popped back up quickly and bolted into the woods. Schit!
We jumped back into the raft and made our way over to where the bear had been. Of course there was zero sign of hair or blood. We set off into the woods, but it was getting dark and the slope was about 45* with blowdowns everywhere. Not wanting anyone to get hurt, I made the call to come back in the morning. It was a bit of a restless night sleep!
The next morning we got up and got some coffee and breakfast into us. Then we headed back in to try and find this bear that we were convinced he had hit. i worked the cove closer to the shore, and my boy was uphill about 75yds at the base of some vertical rock cliffs. We made it about 50ft and he spotted the bear piled up in a deadfall. Lucky to have found it in those woods! I made my way up and offered to carry the guns out, as I figured he could do the honors of dragging his bear. I was never lucky enough to have a downhill drag as a kid! Haha! He got it down to the shore and we gutted it out quickly. The weather had turned to schit and we decided to get out of there. We pounded our way back to Whittier (my buddy has a 30' Raider Offshore) in rough seas and pouring rain. Got home last night and skinned out the bear here, which was much easier than on the deck of a pitching boat. Not a huge boar, but definitely a trophy for us! Great way to spend a couple of days, with memories that will last forever! BTW, the skull measured out at 18 13/16 according to the guy who sealed it.
Seas were perfect and we made our way south about 50 miles, scouting for bears the whole way, to where we set our shrimp pots. We decided to fish for a few hours in the afternoon as the weather was killer and it was flat calm. it wasn't red hot fishing but we caught a few small halibut, a bunch of cod, and one really nice silvergray rockfish. We picked up our gear and headed to the shrimp pots hoping for dinner. Luckily we had more than enough to cook up. We had dinner in a bay that evening and kept an eye out for bears.
Around 10:15pm we were getting a bit chilled after a long day and the now upper 30's damp cold setting in. We moved off of the back deck to the cabin with heat, and not more than 5 minutes later I spotted something that wasn't there a minute ago. Black bear on the shore about 350yds from us! I loaded the boy and gear into the raft and I did the stealth seal team row (my boys description Haha!) to the backside of a small island for cover. We pulled up to shore, tied off, then made a move to find a good shooting spot. Luckily the bear didn't move and was right where he should have been. I ranged him at 175yds, called it out, and told the boy to let him have it. The bear at that point had made us, so I knew we only had seconds to make it happen. My son sent the 165gr Trophy Bonded Tip across the cove and the bears nose dug into the grass. He popped back up quickly and bolted into the woods. Schit!
We jumped back into the raft and made our way over to where the bear had been. Of course there was zero sign of hair or blood. We set off into the woods, but it was getting dark and the slope was about 45* with blowdowns everywhere. Not wanting anyone to get hurt, I made the call to come back in the morning. It was a bit of a restless night sleep!
The next morning we got up and got some coffee and breakfast into us. Then we headed back in to try and find this bear that we were convinced he had hit. i worked the cove closer to the shore, and my boy was uphill about 75yds at the base of some vertical rock cliffs. We made it about 50ft and he spotted the bear piled up in a deadfall. Lucky to have found it in those woods! I made my way up and offered to carry the guns out, as I figured he could do the honors of dragging his bear. I was never lucky enough to have a downhill drag as a kid! Haha! He got it down to the shore and we gutted it out quickly. The weather had turned to schit and we decided to get out of there. We pounded our way back to Whittier (my buddy has a 30' Raider Offshore) in rough seas and pouring rain. Got home last night and skinned out the bear here, which was much easier than on the deck of a pitching boat. Not a huge boar, but definitely a trophy for us! Great way to spend a couple of days, with memories that will last forever! BTW, the skull measured out at 18 13/16 according to the guy who sealed it.
