Brown bear

[Brown229]

Wanted to get people's opinion on archery, brown bear hunting in Alaska. I've done a fair bit of internet search. Have been to a couple conventions looking at different outfitters. Obviously expensive hunt. Hard to know if you are making the right decision. Anyone have input on good outfitters for archery brown bear hunt.

 

[Lukeandcod]

No experience with archery hunting brown bears and have only done one brown bear hunt (last year), so I’m not an expert. My outfitter had successfully guided archery hunts before and we talked about bow hunting them in some of our conversations. It seems to me that he felt like the fall hunt was a better option with the bow because the bears were typically working along the salmon rivers and distracted due to their hunting for fish…typically set up a better archery opportunity.
I did a spring hunt and had a great time. Although we were not trying to get within archery range it seems like it would have been quite challenging to get within bow range on our hunt. The bears were in pretty thick cover and moving quickly. Also we had nice weather but that made the dead grass and plants quite noisy to sneak through. The guide probably would have approached things a little differently with a bowhunter so it’s worth asking him. I hunted with Lyle at Alaska Skookum Guides and would recommend calling him to discuss a hunt. We were on the peninsula in his federal concession.
Good luck in your search, anyone who hunts those big bears with a bow gets my respect!

Ed

 

[Brown229]

Thanks for the recommendation. I’ll reach out to him.

 

[Nick Muche]

If you want a very good chance at killing one, book a hunt with Jonah Stewart. Most traditionally run brown bear hunts are likely under 25% success rate on archery bears. If money is of little concern, no big deal. If you’d like to take a brown bear home, Jonah will give you the best opportunity to do that.

 

[Scottf270]

Biggest decision about bow hunting is if you want a spot and stalk type hunt or a sit in a blind or treestand bait hunt. I would say the bait hunt is a more sure way to get an opportunity.

I'm not saying either hunt is easy, it's just that a true spot and stalk bow hunt, in my opinion, would be the more challenging type of hunt.

Bait hunts are no guarantee but it can concentrate the bears and provide a closer shot opportunity. Either hunt would be a awesome experience but I think the true stalking bow hunt for a true trophy boar is one of the world's greatest hunts.

 

[Footshooter]

I had a great hunt a couple of years ago with AK Guide Service, did a decent write up about it on another forum site. It was an archery hunt and I did not end up releasing an arrow, but it was one of the best hunts I have been on. Something about a fall hunt wearing waders and seeing thousands of Salmon and a lot of close up bears is pretty exciting.

Ultimately I needed about 30 seconds more with a 9’+ bear and I would have gotten a shot. It just didn’t work out on that trip, but the experience was awesome. With a gun, I would have gotten a great bear for sure but I’m not sure I’d have changed a thing on that trip.

Have to say that I am booked to go to Kamchatka next spring for another adventure and chance at a great big Brown Bear.

 

[ClaytonDoskocil]

Jonah’s Alaskan Outfitters, I asked the same question on here two years ago, booked with Jonah, just got back from my successful hunt last week.

 

[Brown229]

Biggest decision about bow hunting is if you want a spot and stalk type hunt or a sit in a blind or treestand bait hunt. I would say the bait hunt is a more sure way to get an opportunity.

I'm not saying either hunt is easy, it's just that a true spot and stalk bow hunt, in my opinion, would be the more challenging type of hunt.

Bait hunts are no guarantee but it can concentrate the bears and provide a closer shot opportunity. Either hunt would be a awesome experience but I think the true stalking bow hunt for a true trophy boar is one of the world's greatest hunts.

Biggest decision about bow hunting is if you want a spot and stalk type hunt or a sit in a blind or treestand bait hunt. I would say the bait hunt is a more sure way to get an opportunity.

I'm not saying either hunt is easy, it's just that a true spot and stalk bow hunt, in my opinion, would be the more challenging type of hunt.

Bait hunts are no guarantee but it can concentrate the bears and provide a closer shot opportunity. Either hunt would be a awesome experience but I think the true stalking bow hunt for a true trophy boar is one of the world's greatest hunts.

agree. definitely spot and stalk

 

[puppyhat]

IMO... First off, aim is super important. You want to visualize an X that runs between the left eye/right ear and right eye/left ear. Right where those lines cross is your 10-spot, and you need to hit there.
Once you hit the bear there, that's when you need to drop your bow and grab the double barreled 12 gauge shotgun you've also carried into the woods, and shoot the bear before it stops laughing at you.

 

[Brown229]

That’s very funny. Still laughing.

 

[WTNUT]

Went through this process last year, will offer what I learned. I have been brown bear hunting in Alaska before, but never with a bow.

1. Most people that I trusted said if you have to take one with a bow book a fall hunt. A number of reasons, but most thought they were easier to pattern then. A couple down sides are the days are shorter and the bigger bears know it is just as easy to feed at dusk or after dark as in the daylight.

2. Ultimately, I went with a spring hunt because I do not have to kill one with a bow. My hunt is a 16 day hunt. I will take a bow and a gun. I am considering the first 8 days with a bow and the second with a rifle. In 32 years of traveling to a lot of places on a lot of big game hunts, I have only take two animals with a rifle so bowhunting is my “go to”. So, I am not the guy who just takes a bow to say I took a bow.

3. The rut is active in the spring, the biggest bears seem to be moving more then and everyone seems to prefer it over the fall if you don’t have to take one with a bow.

4. You can send me a PM and I will tell you what I concluded about the outfitters I spoke with and why I booked where I booked. Spoiler - I booked with someone I knew about from a trusted friend who had been there and that is always best.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Max333]

I just booked an archery brown bear hunt with Steve’s outdoor adventure for next august. He recommended unit 17 which is right above the peninsula due to a higher success rate with archers. As everyone said in here they are distracted on fish at that time. Hopefully I can get an arrow sent lol. Good luck to you as well !

 

[Royal7]

Wanted to bring this thread back up for some follow up conversation and also see if anyone has more info for Kodiak specifically.

I pulled up a different thread here and contacted a few of the suggested outfits and almost all said they don’t do archery anymore…

 

[BRWNBR]

I’ve guided them and done it myself. Spot and stalk and baited hunts. There’s so many variables to this.
If I had to choose one location. One experience.
It would be Alaska peninsula in the fall. I would never bow hunt Kodiak if I only had one shot at it. (Guided there for 25 years).
Bait is fun, like, a lot of fun! But it’s not for everyone. Save that for when you can’t get around so well.
Be ready to go home empty handed. Be ready to shoot in the wind. Feel free to message me if you have specifics. Lots of good outfitters with good areas. Not one magic wand of an outfit out there.