Kodiak Brown down with recurve (new #17)

[jpetropoulos]

Congratulations. Awesome bear. How many hunts did you do before your success?

Hi MtnW. Perfect question. I went after mountain grizzly in the Brooks Range twice (once with no sightings and a second time ended up upside down in a raft on day 1 losing all our gear), and Brown Bears on the Peninsula where I had some close encounters but no luck. Of course it only takes 1 shot but, as your question implies, getting that opportunity can be elusive. It is the height of hubris to choose to hunt with a trad bow AND insist on a record class bear, and I was not at all in that camp. I am just fortunate that this is the animal that happened to be in front of me.

 

[BRWNBR]

Congratulation! That is a great experience! I’m glad to see Greg is still going after it. We went to church together for years!

 

[Ddog]

Awesome! Congrats!

 

[Tanner]

That is truly bad ass. Congrats on a heck of a bear

 

[wildwilderness]

Scary for sure! What type of call was the guide using? Fawn bleat? Dying rabbit?


More scary since the bear was coming in for a kill… Congrats on holding it all together and making a great shot on a big bear

 

[TxxAgg]

Man, that’s remarkable!

 

[Agross]

Badass!!

 

[jpetropoulos]

Oh man, can’t imagine the rush that must of been. The modern Fred Bear. Congratulations on a great bear.

It turns out that it was 1/8" larger than the Fred Bear's Brownie. It is with mixed emotions that I bumped him down to #18

 

[jpetropoulos]

Congratulation! That is a great experience! I’m glad to see Greg is still going after it. We went to church together for years!

Hi BRWNBR Yes he is still at it. He takes a packer but his dedication is amazing. See the photo of he and his dog glassing. That is what I would see him doing all day long..... every day. So many other guides call it quits midday. Not Greg. He packs in sooooooo much gear and food..... all at extra expense to himself....... just to be sure he offers a great experience. The camp he had was low and wet and AMAZINGLY full of wildlife. Especially birds of every species. It was like watching a nature show. And he knows his bears, knows what they'll do (as well as anyone can know what a brown bear will do). I have so much respect for the guy.

 

[jpetropoulos]

Scary for sure! What type of call was the guide using? Fawn bleat? Dying rabbit?


More scary since the bear was coming in for a kill… Congrats on holding it all together and making a great shot on a big bear

Hi Wild. Greg was using a bleat. There were deer and caribou all over and it was spring time. Yeah he was coming in for a kill. I really can't explain why, when he turned to me, he then turned back to Greg. Maybe Greg blew the call and it refocused the bear. Indeed he had killing on his mind but somehow it never seemed I was in danger. I am not a particularly brave guy but fear just didn't register. It was almost like the script was written and this thing was destined....... as if the bear just looked in my eyes to be sure I knew that he knew I was there. Amazing really. I will never forget that moment.