Spring Grizzly in BC?

[J from Denmark]

Hi Jack, hope you body is treating you well so far..
Mtnbowhunter, I hope you have a great hunt,
Be sure to let us all knoww how it goes. I would be very interested in hearing about how many bears you see, as grizz is on my to do list too !

Just beware of Troy if you get a grizz up close and personal...if he pick up a big rock......its for you and not the grizz..!..          

Good luck and dont forget to bring back pics

Jacob

[mtnbowhunter]

Thanks for the heads up on the bug juice sealevel, will definitely get a bottle.  Jacob that was a great story on your goat hunt, I will try and get some pictures and give everyone here the details on my hunt once I get back.  Jacob did you see many bears (other than the one that supprised you and Troy} and any stalkable mule deer on your goat hunt?

[J from Denmark]

mtn,yes we saw a grizz sow with two cubs and a couple of black bears.
Lots of younger muledeer but not any stalkable 4x4´s wich was minimum legal points at that time
J

[talltines]

Best of luck.  I'll be heading to AK in May for my spring grizz.  I too am interested in any pointers for bowhunting grizz.  My hunt will run the last 12 days of May.  I just need this arctic like weather to move out so I can get outside and do some shooting!

[mtnbowhunter]

talltines, I hear you on the weather, its been in the minus teens here the last couple of days, I try and get out and shoot in the early morning and then a few arrows in the evening before dark if I have time but it is sure tough to shoot in these temps.  What outfitter are you going with in Alaska and what area?  Whats your set up going to be for your hunt.  I think we will both be hunting about the same time.  Be sure to let me know how your hunt goes when you get back.  Good luck!

[talltines]

I'll be hunting with Stan Parkerson of Denali Hunts.  I fly into Fairbanks and he picks me up from there.  I will either be shooting a homemade recurve or my Dalaa around 58#'s with axis 400's and 2 blade stingers.

[R.W.]

mtmbowhunter,

If you are hunting the East Kootenays, in spring, ticks are hit and miss. Some years they are everywhere, other years hardly any.

If you are hunting high mountain slides (avalanche chutes) bugs won't be too bad, unless you hit very warm weather. Stays colder higher up, so bugs emerge later in spring, up there.

There ain't no shortage of grizzlies in the Kootenays, though "Bearwatch" would have us believe that they are extinct.

Who is your outfitter? I spent 38 years in the Kootenay's.

[mtnbowhunter]

talltines, I've heard really good things about Stan Parkerson, I'll be interested to hear about your hunt when you get back.  Did you book your hunt directly with Stan or did you go thru a booking agent.  My set up is the same as I hunt elk here at home with, 66lb Schaffer Silvertip recurve and 720 grn goldtip carbons including 190 grn grizzly broadhead.

R.W., the outfitter I'm going with is Beaverfoot Outfitting (Troy Wolfenden).  Sounds like the bugs and ticks are similiar to here at home only it seems like we always find more ticks in the chutes and shale slide areas.  I hope there will be lots of gizzlies so that one or two will be in a position to be stalked.

[talltines]

I booked the hunt through BSC after talking with Mark Buerer.  I am not sure where you are hunting, but in 2003 I hunted moose a couple hours from Prince George, B.C.  That place was covered in grizz.  A timber cruiser got mauled while we were hunting in the area.  We had several run ins with grizz.  I didn't have the money for the tag or trophy fee at the time, but if I had there were a couple different opportunities at atalking grizz.  We will see if we have what it takes in a few months! : )

[acolobowhunter]

I got a grizzley with my recurve bow in BC.  Was hunting northern BC (Atlin) right on the Yukon border.  Found the bear up on the tundra - no trees and no rocks to hide behind.  I belly crawled 100 yds. to within 25 yds.  When I jumped up and was a full draw the bear saw me.  I had to hold a long time and was shaking ( 70# bow) finally the bear turned and I shot it broadside behind the shoulder.  It ran back on me to about 10 yds. and dropped.  One arrow through the heart.  My wife filmed it.  My guide was 100 yds up the hill behind me watching.  Was really exciting.  Think my wife was counting the life insurance check before I shot.  Ha
I hunted with Indian River Guides and Outfitters out of Atlin BC. 10 days on horseback - the only way to travel a lot of country is on horse back.

[R.W.]

mtnbowhunter,

I doubt you will have any problem with finding grizz around that area.

The stalking may be good, question is, whom will stalk whom?    

And up here, no handguns allowed. And during bow seasons, I "think" you are not allowed to carry firearms. Check with your guide on that one.

Get yourself in shape, if you are not already, cause you will certainly not want to "tucker out" after a couple of days.

[sealevel]

it will not be bow season when he is hunting. even if it was in bc you can pack a fire arm for protection

[talltines]

I was under the impression that in B.C. the seasons were "any weapon" meaning bow or gun.

[sealevel]

general season you can hunt with anything legal. bow season is archery including crossbows only. You can pack backup in archery season.

[mtnbowhunter]

talltines, I just got back from the national SCI convention and talked to Mark with BSC for quite a while.  We were disussing a moose hunt with Stan Parkerson for 2009.  Sounds like he is an excellent bow hunting guide, hope you do well, want to hear the details when you get back.  
R.W. thanks for the thoughts, I live in similar terain and elevation as we will be hunting but, you are right about staying in shape, I trade hunts with folks for elk hunting here and usually the biggest limiting factor of getting a bull is the shape their in, so I've already started to step up my daily hikes to get ready for the grizz hunt.  I also wish I was consitent with my recurve out to 40 yards but after 40 years 25 to 30 yards is still my comfort zone, just hope to get the shot oppurtunity. As everyone can see I'm really looking forward to this hunt.