Black Bear Coopers Landing, Alaska Sept. 17-25

[alaskabound]

Been there, done that. From MI too I see! Your plan, and dates are solid. Its a tough hunt, but you should find success. There's some pretty smart guys on here that have already confirmed things such as binos & forget the spotter, Blueberry Bear meat is freaking silly good, Bear dense area, look crazy high in the alpine, and such. Palmer creek road is overhunted but still worth a drive to the little campground near the end or use as access to go up and over into better areas. We hiked up in them hills looking for bear and found some old abandoned mines and such. Pretty cool area. Ill be up there a fuzz later doing the same thing in a different area on the peninsula so don't worry about being too late. As for the fishing, should be some old reds worthy of nothing other than a picture in the Russian @ that time of year. Target the fresh late run silvers & trout. We've slayed as late as mid October on late run silvers. Rainbow fishing is silly that time of year and is a bead game. The Russian should be good, unless you can grab a charter on the kenai. Goodluck and do us a favor and report back when your done!

I appreciate the reply.

We probably won't get a chance to get out on a charter as we plan to hunt hard. I've brought a pole on almost every hunt for 6 or so years and never wet a line. I always say "just in case I tag out early" or "I'm going to take it easy this time". I hope I can figure out how to slow down as I get older, lol.

 

[mtnbiker208]

quick question, if your buddies don't like to hike, how are you getting to the cabin?

 

[alaskabound]

quick question, if your buddies don't like to hike, how are you getting to the cabin?

My dad is not into hiking for the sake of hiking. Hunting is a different story, he'll do whatever it takes.

 

[Catchfish]

Great little trail up to the lake, I normally bike up at least once a year for a fishing trip. Went up and spent a night in the cabin with my 7 yo. We saw a couple of black bears nothing huge, but a couple nice brown bears were up there as well. One we watched leave the cabin and went straight up the mountain I wish I could climb like them.
Went back and must have misread I thought you were headed to crescent lake.

 

[alaskabound]

Great little trail up to the lake, I normally bike up at least once a year for a fishing trip. Went up and spent a night in the cabin with my 7 yo. We saw a couple of black bears nothing huge, but a couple nice brown bears were up there as well. One we watched leave the cabin and went straight up the mountain I wish I could climb like them.
Went back and must have misread I thought you were headed to crescent lake.
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What would you suggest I bring as far as lures for fishing?

 

[mtnbiker208]

Great little trail up to the lake, I normally bike up at least once a year for a fishing trip. Went up and spent a night in the cabin with my 7 yo. We saw a couple of black bears nothing huge, but a couple nice brown bears were up there as well. One we watched leave the cabin and went straight up the mountain I wish I could climb like them.
Went back and must have misread I thought you were headed to crescent lake.
View attachment 311638View attachment 311638

I lived in cooper landing in the early 90's. i moved there to be a mountain bike and snowmobile bum. I miss the crescent lake trail. i used to bomb that trail back in the day. Some decent snowmobiling in there also.

 

[Catchfish]

Any small spinners and spoons should catch you some fish shouldn’t need anything to specific.

 

[Cheechako]

This area is really neat but it did burn a few years back in the swan lake fire. Around Junea lake is pretty well torched and is just now growing back in two years later.

 

[alaskabound]

This area is really neat but it did burn a few years back in the swan lake fire. Around Junea lake is pretty well torched and is just now growing back in two years later.

Wow, thanks for the information. What are your thoughts on how it will affect our trip? I was reading about it on Inciweb, it was a good size fire.

 

[william schmaltz]

Check the recreation.gov site to see if there are any open days at Trout Lake and/or Swan Lake and if there are, wander over and use the boat for the day at each of them cabins. Easy way to stretch our your hunt area if possible. Or maybe you run into the people in them cabins on the trail and they give you the thumbs up to use the boat. Not sure how the fire effected high alpine areas and the berries up there, but there are plenty of drainages for you to work with. Scorched earth may actually make your trip through the alders a little more manageable.

Caught plenty of fish in both Juneau and Trout Lake. Five wt with a variety of flies. Almost anything worked really. there are a couple really good fly shops in Cooper Landing, they can direct you much better than I can.

Most of the time I've spent down there was either in the spring or mid October. Mostly because of my hatred for alders - especially when full of vegetation. Your timing for bears will be great. Decent amount of moose in there, may as well have some fun and work on your calling skills.

I think a smoke jumper got smacked around by a bear a couple years ago fighting that fire at Trout Lake cabin.

 

[alaskabound]

Check the recreation.gov site to see if there are any open days at Trout Lake and/or Swan Lake and if there are, wander over and use the boat for the day at each of them cabins. Easy way to stretch our your hunt area if possible. Or maybe you run into the people in them cabins on the trail and they give you the thumbs up to use the boat. Not sure how the fire effected high alpine areas and the berries up there, but there are plenty of drainages for you to work with. Scorched earth may actually make your trip through the alders a little more manageable.

Caught plenty of fish in both Juneau and Trout Lake. Five wt with a variety of flies. Almost anything worked really. there are a couple really good fly shops in Cooper Landing, they can direct you much better than I can.

Most of the time I've spent down there was either in the spring or mid October. Mostly because of my hatred for alders - especially when full of vegetation. Your timing for bears will be great. Decent amount of moose in there, may as well have some fun and work on your calling skills.

I think a smoke jumper got smacked around by a bear a couple years ago fighting that fire at Trout Lake cabin.

I'm glad you mentioned working on my moose calling skills. I hadn't even thought of that. Thanks. I didn't check Trout Lake but I believe Swan Lake is all booked up for the dates we will be there. I'll take a 2nd look.

 

[Cheechako]

The burn should make getting around up high much easier and opened things up for glassing. If it is rainy during your trip any soil that’s still bare will probably get really slimy and be a real pain to walk through. Think gumbo in eastern montana and the dakotas if you’re familiar.

I have no idea what effect the fire might have had on berries. I could see that one going either way

 

[Luke S]

Hopefully they got a bear.

Question for the group. How do mountain bears react to early snow storms like we currently have in Alaska? Will they be out in the alpine areas still or will they head down low? Or is early hibernation a possibility?

 

[Catchfish]

Any update on how the trip went

 

[Gen2shark]

I'm planning this same basic trip in September 2023 for me and 3 buddys. I've been up to Fuller Lake, but just on here looking for the best recommendations for mid to late September, for best chance for success for Berry Black Bears.

 

[Mykolaivka887]

I'm planning this same basic trip in September 2023 for me and 3 buddys. I've been up to Fuller Lake, but just on here looking for the best recommendations for mid to late September, for best chance for success for Berry Black Bears.

If the four of you are in really good physical condition, you might consider Seattle Creek. Very, very few people ever bother hunting black bear in there and other than a possible goat hunter you might see, you won't see anybody else down in that canyon.