Kodiak Island Rifle Selection

[BRWNBR]

I’m with the over paranoid crowd on this one

Rifle. Pistol. Spray.

Which one Do you plan to throw on the ground?

I’ve guided Kodiak 28 years. Never wished I had a handgun. Never wished I had pepper spray. Never needed a rifle to deter a bear. But that’s only several hundred days in the brush with them…

Pick a hunting rifle. Go hunting. Have fun.

 

[kwackkillncrew]

Which one Do you plan to throw on the ground?

i got the plan. they are going to throw the bear spray in front of the bear, shoot the can with their rifle to make a bear spray bomb then once the bear blows through the pepper smoke, they will drop the rifle and go ahead and do a 20 round mag dump of 9mm while the bear is still 40 feet away.

 

[Justin (Raz) Rasmussen]

i got the plan. they are going to throw the bear spray in front of the bear, shoot the can with their rifle to make a bear spray bomb then once the bear blows through the pepper smoke, they will drop the rifle and go ahead and do a 20 round mag dump of 9mm while the bear is still 40 feet away.

No need to shoot it, just cover it in bacon grease and let the bear do the rest.

 

[BRWNBR]

i got the plan. they are going to throw the bear spray in front of the bear, shoot the can with their rifle to make a bear spray bomb then once the bear blows through the pepper smoke, they will drop the rifle and go ahead and do a 20 round mag dump of 9mm while the bear is still 40 feet away.

You remember years ago they did a test with pepper spray and sprayed one tent with it and not the one next to it. The bears ate the tent with the pepper spray on it. Apparently it’s like Tabasco. Good to eat but not fun in your eyes!!

 

[medvedyt]

You remember years ago they did a test with pepper spray and sprayed one tent with it and not the one next to it. The bears ate the tent with the pepper spray on it. Apparently it’s like Tabasco. Good to eat but not fun in your eyes!!

bear seasoning is the name we called spray against bear here ...

 

[Kcollins01]

I know a 30-06 with a 200gr accubond is great bear medicine. I think you’ll be fine with the old 30-06

 

[hereinaz]

I used to tell the scout’s the way to tell the difference between black bear and grizzly scat was if it had berries it was black bear. If it had jingle bells and smelled like pepper it was grizzly, hahaha.

 

[duckhunter175]

OP- Did a deer hunt on Afognak a few years back. There are plenty of bears around and I'd never been in country where there was anything but black bears. We stayed partnered up, each with our hunting rifle (270wsm and 7saum), my buddy carried spray and I carried a 10mm. We felt we had all the bases covered with that set up.

Not sure if you are bringing a buddy with you or going solo. I think with bear spray AND a 10mm you would be more than fine and the difference between a 30/06 and 300 isn't gonna much matter. Load it with 180gr partitions and enjoy your hunt!!

 

[Steve O]

I’m closing in on double digit trips to Kodiak. 30-06 is fine. All the pistol and spray do is complicate your travel and give you more to carry. Unnecessary hassle for rifle hunting. Waste of time and effort.

 

[Slickhill]

Don’t forget a huge Bowie knife for when your rifle, pistol, and spray have all failed.

 

[ZAK13]

30-06 is plenty for your hunting trip. Good luck

 

[Shadowbuck]

I knew I was going to stir the hornets' nest a bit with this post. Thank you for the input from those who have spent time on the island. I don't think I am going to worry about the handgun, but I will probably still carry spray. Sounds like I'll be packing my 06. The closer I get the more worried I am about getting through the brush than the bears.....

 

[TaperPin]

One day on Kodiak we were hiking some trails near town and ran into what was probably a new coast guard family. I don’t know if they read it, or someone from the base loaned them bear bells as a joke, but the wife jingled those things like it was treading water and if she stopped it would be all over. It was all we could do to not laugh. lol

She’s probably telling the exact same story as we speak, that those bells saved her life. lol

 

[Bado20]

I lived in northern BC for a while, still hunt there every year. Plenty of bear encounters, they usually leave after a warning shot. The only time I was charged I stopped it with a 30-30. Your 30-06 is all you need.

 

[Johnny Bruin]

To each their own, but I'm definitely in the camp of not bothering with the pistol or spray. You and your buddy each bring an adequate rifle and you'll be fine. No need to buy the .300WM, your 30.06 is that adequate rifle.


While I certainly don't have the experience as some that have commented on here, I've been to the Rock a few times. And while I will echo what several guys have said in that you should be fine as far as aggressive bear encounters, you do want to be prepared if things do go left.

One night I did have a major pucker moment in the middle of a narrow creek with a pretty big bear. It was a "we surprised each other" kinda situation. No shots were fired, but it was REAL close to happening. Finger was on the trigger and it was itchy. HA! He kept getting closer and wouldn't back off. He eventually did and got out of there. He wasn't necessarily being "aggressive", but it was probably more about trying to figure out what the hell I was. It was real dark out and it took him a while to wind me. Had buddies that were deer hunting that had to give a charging sow a hair cut with a warning shot over the head at about 10-12'. Luckily the shot made her veer off, and she took her cubs and got out of there. No human or bear harmed.

Hell, you may never even see a bear, or you could see several a day. All that being said, keep your rifle near, be aware of your surroundings, and go out there and have a blast! Kodiak is one of the coolest places on the planet, IMO.