Fall vs Spring Peninsula Brown Bear hunt Pros/Cons

[Murtfree]

Anyone with input on the Pros’ vs Cons of Fall vs Spring Brown Bear hunts on the peninsula. I have a Fall 2023 hunt booked and have been given the opportunity to move up to a spring hunt 2022. I originally chose the Fall hunt to avoid a bear shortage if bears came out of hibernation late. Any reason to select a spring over a fall hunt?

 

[highstepper]

Longer hair on the hide in the spring, but higher chance of rubs by all accounts. More snow up high, therefore easier to spot tracks/bears on snow in springtime. According to some knowledgeable people, pushing the fall opening back to the 7th means the bears in many areas are off the salmon streams and dispersed inland. Peninsula weather can be a crap shoot in either season, but it seems that spring *might* be a little less brutal. I know fall of 2019 was a thrashing. I didn't realize just how nasty the weather was until I had a couple of repected guides remark how unusually harsh the wind /rain/cold was that year on the Pacific side.

 

[Murtfree]

Longer hair on the hide in the spring, but higher chance of rubs by all accounts. More snow up high, therefore easier to spot tracks/bears on snow in springtime. According to some knowledgeable people, pushing the fall opening back to the 7th means the bears in many areas are off the salmon streams and dispersed inland. Peninsula weather can be a crap shoot in either season, but it seems that spring *might* be a little less brutal. I know fall of 2019 was a thrashing. I didn't realize just how nasty the weather was until I had a couple of repected guides remark how unusually harsh the wind /rain/cold was that year on the Pacific side.

Interesting information regarding the spring rubs and bears being off the salmon since the fall season has been pushed back; I made an assumption they would still be gorging on Salmon in the fall

 

[highstepper]

The salmon were long gone by the second week of October 2019 in the part of the Becharof Wilderness I hunted (just below Katmai NP) on the coast of the Shelikof Strait.

 

[CAVEBEAR]

Murfree good luck on the hunt

Highstepper how big was that bear in your pic, just curious looking at his head to his body, looks solid

 

[adventure907]

SPRING!!!!!!!

As someone who has guided both spring and fall seasons on the Peninsula multiple times, I'd take the spring season unequivocally.

 

[highstepper]

9' 3" ft. squared, 26 4/16". Given the conditions and what apparently was a down year, even though it "just" made B&C award- I'm damn proud of that one.

 

[Murtfree]

The salmon were long gone by the second week of October 2019 in the part of the Becharof Wilderness I hunted (just below Katmai NP) on the coast of the Shelikof Strait.

Good information! Sounds like I may be hunting the same area; my hunt is in the Becharof

 

[Salmonchaser]

Been ruminating your question.
Your area is primarily sockeye spawning, some chum and kings with silvers coming later. The bio mass is probably 90% sockeye. Peak of the spawn on those streams is late August, by mid September the Salmon are really starting to thin out.
Weather sucks on either end, 20 years guiding up there and I was never happy about the weather.
I saw a lot of big bears on the streams I fished there last summer, who are you hunting with?

 

[Scottf270]

My hunt with Cabot Pitts near the Katmai in fall of 19 was a rough time weather wise. Several days of wind, storms, and cold down into the teens. We even pulled out a day or two early as a storm was coming.

Several other guides Cabot was in contact with pulled out even earlier. They were further down the Peninsula.

The season starting later is a bigger deal than most realize. The fish numbers drop off quickly in a short time and areas go dry fast.

Rubs on the Peninsula are far less common than on Kodiak. It can happen but it's far less.

The fall can offer less strenuous hunts, more concentrations of bears if fish are present, and more uniform hides. Weather is typically worse and days are shorter.

Spring has longer days, can be better weather, less bears, typically requires more physical effort, danger of late spring, etc.

I urge you to check the fall success from multiple guides the last 2 fall seasons. Several big names were zero for 4 the last two seasons. I was astounded how low the overall success is for some of these well known operations. Also look at size of bears. They can all kill monster once in a while but some kill some smaller ones more than they advertise.

 

[Murtfree]

Thanks to everyone for the input. I now have a new contract with Grizzlyskins for May 10-25 2022, so my hunt was moved forward by a year and a half. My biggest concern is getting in physical shape for this trip. I just retired in December and my desk job left me in not the best physical condition. I thought I had 18 months to prep and now I have 3. Luckily I think I am in good shape with my gear.

 

[Nick Muche]

Good luck! You’re going with one of the best in the business.

 

[Murtfree]

Good luck! You’re going with one of the best in the business.

Thanks! I’ve only heard good things about this family

 

[Scottf270]

Your in good hands. I was thinking about a return trip to the Peninsula and Taj and Grizzly Skins was on my radar. I think Taj said they were 4 for 6 this fall.

He commented that spring 22 had an opening. Wish I could have made it. Good luck and please take pictures!!!!!

 

[Murtfree]

Your in good hands. I was thinking about a return trip to the Peninsula and Taj and Grizzly Skins was on my radar. I think Taj said they were 4 for 6 this fall.

He commented that spring 22 had an opening. Wish I could have made it. Good luck and please take pictures!!!!!

I’ll be sure to post after I get back. He told me about the 4 for 6 and said they would have been 100% but the 2 hunters that didn’t shoot were repeat customers and were looking for an exceptional bear only. Taj really surprised me with this spring hunt opening. I was taking my time getting ready for 2023 and now I have 3 months to get ready. Thank god I am a little OCD about my gear; all is near ready and I was just making final tweaks to my rifle setup last week. Just have to get some miles on my legs.

 

[Michael Dow]

One thing to also consider about spring is that the rut is in spring and some of the gnarly old wise boars slip up and make dumb decisions for love.

 

[TXCO]

How was the hunt?


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[Murtfree]

How was the hunt?


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The hunt was great…….great outfitter, weather was better than expected for the peninsula, but bears were uncooperative. I would say I averaged about 3 bear sightings a day, which is what I was told to expect, but most were sows or young boars and several miles away going in the wrong direction. We did see two boars which we figured were a solid 9.5 ft and attempted a stalk, although we knew they were a long shot. Location, cover and direction of travel gave us little to work with. Now I know why people hate alders.
Overall I would say the hunt was a great experience and the outfitter and guides couldn’t have tried any harder to make the hunt a success. There were 5 hunters in camp and 3 were successful in harvesting.

 

[TXCO]

Glad you had a great experience. Tough luck to not get one.


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[Scottf270]

I know it stings a bit to come home without a bear. I'm 1 for 2 on bears. It's a lot of money and effort. Truly a once in a lifetime hunt for most.

As I get older, over 60, I appreciate the hunts and realize what an incredible experience they were. Hunting both Kodiak and the Peninsula makes me a lucky man. I sat literally feet from several bears catching and eating fish. I heard the crunching of bones and tearing of flesh.

The great bears are probably safe from me due to finances , but I will remember the 2 hunts till my dying day.

Congratulations on stepping up and taking your shot. Hope the memories bring you great joy for many years.