Brown bears with a bow

[John Havard]

Having taken two brown bears with LARGE rifles and having participated in the taking of four more as a backup, I have an appreciation of how tough and vindictive a brown bear can be.  Instead of running away when shot they almost invariably turn toward the direction of pain and begin looking for the source.  In country the term for the look in their eye was "I want to get some".

There's all the difference in the world between a brown bear and a grizzly.  A large grizzly boar in the fall might weigh 700-800# maybe.  A large brown bear boar could weigh 1200-1500#.  That's a whole lotta bear to let the air out of.

That brings me to the question of hunting them with a bow.  Have any of our readers taken them with a bow?  If so, what were your experiences?

I'm familiar with most if not all of the printed stories about bear hunts with a bow.  Supposedly the famous video of Fred Bear taking the large brownie was of the second bear he stuck.  I heard from a pretty reliable source the first one that Fred shot on video had to be put down (during a charge) with the backup rifle.  

Anyway, I'd appreciate any first-hand input.

John

[Twang at Work]

John,

No first hand experience.  I know Dan Quillian shot one, he said the bear never knew he was there or had been hit, just went to "sleep".    

Good luck!  

[Rick McGowan]

Monty Browning has told me the story of his hugh brownie. He shot it with his back up against a high bank while they were wading up a creek. The bear came around a corner and looked right at them and then looked away. Monty shot it at 9 yards and the bear ran directly away before dropping at 70 some yards. Rick

[Van/TX]

Perhaps the lack of noise makes a difference.  Most dangerous thing I've shot lately was a full grown armadillo    ...Van

[Twang at Work]

You gotta watch out for those armadillos, Van.  I hear tale that they carry leprosy.    

Wouldn't want anything to fall off prematurely, now would we?      

 

[Rick McGowan]

Bif animals often act very differently when hit by an arrow as compared to a bullet. Rick

[juneaulongbow]

Living in Alaska gives me plenty of opportunity to see them.  I have friends that have taken them with gun and bow.  Scott Leslie (TBM article) is a friend and his kill with a longbow was an impressive one.  Steve H. is also chasing them at the end of this week with selfbow.

I plan to hunt them in the future when I have some more experience with my longbow under my belt.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Twang I ain't worried.  As long as you cook them to an internal temperature of 140 degrees you are safe        ...Van

[O.L. Adcock]

Van, You been eatin them possum's on the half shell again? John, what are you planning? Guess I'd better get to jogging so I can have a chance to out run you!   :eek:  ....O.L.

[John Havard]

Hey O.L.  It was your interest in pursuing these dang things with a bow that caused me to ask.  Every time you have brought the subject up I've tried to talk you out of it!     But if you do talk me into going after them some day I feel like Gene Hackman in the movie "Enemy Of The State" describing Will Smith's character:  "he's either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid".

Just the thought of poking one of those brownies is daunting.  All the years I lived in Alaska and hunted them with a 375 H&H magnum I always said that I'd prefer to hunt them with a 20mm chain gun if I could carry it! I figured it would be helpful to hear from others who have already done it with a bow.  Since no first hand replies have come back maybe we should conclude that most people die when they try this??  :D  

John

[O.L. Adcock]

LOL, John, Stupid is more likely the case! When Bowhunter4life had that blacky stick his nose in the blind last year 18" from his head, I'd of whacked him on the nose just to say I'd done it! Then changed my shorts! LOL Bad enough I had to talk to mine a 3 feet to spook him out to the more sporting distance of 10 yards to shoot him. Don't know nothing about the browns but I've alway figured if they don't know you are there they can't attack. 1 in 360 chance they head your way. If they do know you are there, better re-evaluate if you want to poke him with a stick or not.    ....O.L.

[LeftyNorCal]

HI fellas, please allow me to chime in on this. I had the mixed-fortune to guide hunters and fishermen throughout Alaska. Most recently having spent 5 seasons down on the Alaska Peninsula where they grow 'em big. I never had the chance to guide any bowhunters for bear, but did spend enough time around them to know it can be done w/relative safety (though we may all have a different definition of "relative") it's been my experience that a bear will most often run the direction it's facing when hit. The exceptions to this seem to have been when a really heavy bullet sent 'em spinning around.  They are tough to kill, most particularly when their adrenaline is up and pumping (like most of us I suspect). However, I think therein lies the advantage of the bow. They are relatively easy to get close to particularly in the fall on the salmon streams or late season berry patches. You can get in close (the terrain typically lends itself to quite stalks and good cover) slip an arrow into a quartering away bear and hope he's read this email and takes off the direction he's facing. His adrenaline wont be pumping nearly as much as it would be had a .375 just gone off in his ear and if you've done your set up and stalk to the best of your and your guide's ability you may just go home w/a clean set of shorts and a nice bear trophy. The spring hunts would be way tough for a big brownie. They just move too much in the spring and are hard to catch up to let alone ambush.  I've always found them to be more cantacourous (sp?) in the spring too. This is by no means "gospel" but rather one more fellow's ideas on it. Though I've not "stuck" any with arrows, I've had some fun "blunting a few".  When you guys are ready I'll set you up w/a good outfitter and a qualified guide to back you up.

Cheers,
Lefty

[AkDan]

Lefty,

Curious as to whom the outfitter is?

[LeftyNorCal]

I could suggest any number of "great" outfitters, depending on the area one wants to hunt. But my first/best suggestion would be Mel Gillis of Alaska Trophy Hunting and Fishing. Wholesome down to earth no b.s. sort of guy who happens to sit on some of the biggest bears AK has to offer.

 http://alaska-trphy-hunt-fish.com/bear.html

I'm the one in the gray ball cap green shirt w/the big brownie in the alders.

[AkDan]

just curious, I almost ended up with an outfit down that way this spring.  Couldnt get the asst guides lisc paper work back fast enuf, oh well.  Looks like it will be the fall hunt of 04 if things work out the way I plan.

[LeftyNorCal]

You can't go wrong down in that area. Not all outfitters are created equal (from both a client and employee standpoint) but if you can get past the b.s. from any of them you will see some fantastic country and "BIG" bears.

Good luck in '04.

[John Havard]

Lefty,

That's interesting what you said about the brown bears being more cantankerous during spring.  I've wondered about that. The closest I ever came to getting eaten was during a spring hunt when I jumped a huge boar from out of his day bed while fighting my way down hill through alders.  He was definitely in an argumentative mood.  Do you have any theories as to why they are more likely to act aggressively during the spring rather than the fall?  Perhaps because they are more hungry?  Or have a hangover?

John

[Steve O]

Originally posted by John Havard:
Lefty,

Do you have any theories as to why they are more likely to act aggressively during the spring rather than the fall?  Perhaps because they are more hungry?  Or have a hangover?

John

My theory would be mating season frustration or territory, not hunger.

[LeftyNorCal]

I think it's all of the below.

Higher hormone levels (Spring being mating season)
Hunger (just having come off a multi-month period w/little to no food)
Competition for both of the above.

Spring is by no means the "time of plenty" for those bears, all they have to eat is whatever they hunt and kill, green grass, or whatever they can scavenge up. They work harder in the spring for everything. They hunt a lot more  that time of year too particularly as the Moose and Caribou start to drop new borns (Usually Late May early June)

As far as rifle hunting goes, There's no better time to hunt then the Spring. There's less cover/foliage which means more bears are visible from greater distance. Giving the hunter plenty of options to look for the biggest bruin he/she can find. But they cover lots of ground and quickly in the Spring and it would make a close stalk/ambush much more difficult. In the fall you can stake out a likely spot on a salmon stream and start to pattern the better bears who are reluctant to leave their fishin' holes and berry patches....they should be poppin' out of their dens as we speak...

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I spoke with Chris (juneaulongbow) this weekend and he made me aware of this post. John, you have asked for first hand accounts. I have one.

As Chris mentioned this story was printed in TBM. May 2002, I believe. It happended just like I wrote. If you have not read the article here is the  Reader's Digest version.

A good friend, Lon Hadfield, encouraged me to consider brown bear hunting in the spring of 2001. I had never really considered hunting browns until then. I was thinking I needed more "experience" hunting dangerous game before I took up this challenge. After a day trip out with his family (scouting browns for Lon's wife Phyllis and blacks for me) I was convinced this hunt would be possible. The beach and stalking conditions around this part of Alaska made it clear to me that this could be done, given the right circumstances.

The next afternoon we left the boat launch and headed toward some likely beaches. The goal was to glass the shore, find a bear cruising the beach and get in front of him. If all worked out, I would wait in ambush with Lon providing the back-up gun. It worked better than we could have imagined.

I spotted the bear around 7:00pm. Lon quickly and quietly manuvered the boat ahead of the bear and into the beach. I strung my bow and ran up the beach to find a good ambush site. Lon would see to the anchoring of the boat and be along shortly with the back-up.

I positioned myself near the storm berm and with a fallen tree to my left. This seemed like a good spot because the tree would hide me from approaching bear until he was in a shootable position. I figured he would continue up the beach and towards our location. If he passed within 15 yards I would take the shot.  

Lon Finally arrived after what seemed an eternity. From the contour of the beach neither one of us could see back down the beach or the bear's approach. We mouthed a few signals and a few shrugs. No bear yet. I glanced to my left and caught movement just passed the fallen tree. I could see the paws and claws of the bear under the limbs. He was very close. I turned to Lon. He said by the look on my face he quickly surmised the situation. No time to relocate so he just layed down on the beach and steadied the gun.

I turned and readied for the shot. The bear walked out exactly where I had hoped he would. He stopped broadside directly infront of me. He started sniffing the air and turned his head to look out toward the ocean. I drew at that moment and released the arrow. As the arrow struck behind the shoulder I crouched down and did my best impression of a piece of driftwood.

I recall seeing the fletch disappear behind the shoulder. The bear jumped up and spun at the impact of the arrow. He was now facing the opposite direction he was heading. He looked left and right then trotted back the way he came. He looked back over his shoulder once or twice before his back legs faultered. He collapsed moments later there on the beach not 75 yards from my position.

I was standing watching the bear when Lon quietly walked up. We were speechless for a moment and then he said "That was too close." We measured the distance from the divots in the gravel to my spot. 5 yards. The bear had never seen or smelled us.

I looked at my watch. 7:15pm. The whole event from spotting the bear until he was motionless on the beach was arroximately 15 minutes.

After talking with other bear hunters and sharing stories I realize just how fortunate I was that spring evening. The bear did not react the way many hunters and guides describe. He never bit at the arrow, he did not run the direction he was pointing and he did not break for the forest after being hit. That was fortunate for me. He would have run right over the top of me if he had bolted for the woods.

All in all, an amazing hunt and the experience of a lifetime. I used a 56# Fox take-down longbow and 580gr cedar arrow tipped with a 135gr Magnus 1 head.

I hope this sheds a little light on how a brown bear hunt can go.

Respectfully,

Scott L.