Equipment for Grizz/brownies

[talltines]

Hey guys.  I have a grizz hunt booked for this May in Alaska and was wandering what recommendations some of you might have for this type of hunt.  I will most likely be shooting a 60# recurve with axis 400 shafts and woodsman heads with 100 grain inserts.  Any good grizz bowhunting videos out there?  Suggestions or shared exeperiences are greatly appreciated.

[jrchambers]

i dont think i would use woodsmans although they do not have as much fat in the spring,  i would try to make shure that my head was tough enough for a large moose, you are going to want a exit wound, i cant say i have done it but i have known a few that have,  one was using a 70# bob lee curve with carbon shafts and zwickey heads he killed a large one, he did not get a passthrough and did not hit a shoulder.  he said it was pretty scary the bear became irate foaming and woofing but he wouldnt leave his kill, but he was looking for what bit him it took over 10 miniutes to die.  im shure your pulling plenty of weight im suprised you are not under spined with that much weight upfront.

[Jack Shanks]

Bryan Martin of Canadian Mountain Outfitters in BC sent me a promotional DVD this year with some grizzly hunts on it. There are a couple of grizzlies taken with traditional equipment on the video.

 Although I had a couple of close calls while hunting Brown bears in Alaska I never actually got a shot. Quite an exciting hunt to say the least. Good luck!

[talltines]

Jason--the shafts may end up being under spined.  My bow is being shipped as we type.  That shaft has seemed to shoot well for me out of a variety of bows and weights, but I very well may have to lighten the tip weight a bit.  We will see.  I was wandering as well about the woodsmans.  Possibly a 2 blade STOS or zwickey would be a better choice?

Jack--I'll shoot Bryan an e-mail and see if I can get one of those videos.  I think Pat L. hunted with him a few years back.

[Jack Shanks]

Brian,

 Your right, Pat hunted with Bryan Martin and that hunt is on the DVD as well. You might also ask Fred Eichler what his set up was. I hunted  with the same outfitter in Alaska he used to take his Brown bear. He normally shoots 53# but I think he might have stepped up a bit in poundage on his grizzly and Brown bear hunts.

[Dave Pagel]

Fred told me he jumped up to 57# his grizz, brown and polar bears.  He shot the AXIS and phantoms.

Dave

[talltines]

Looks like I will be shooting a 340 beman mfx classic out of a 60# dalaa.  jrchambers was right, the 400's ended up being a little weak with that heavier head.  I am still up in the air as to the broadhead, but I am still leaning towards the woodsman.  It performed well for me in Africa and on several species here.  I have been told that they are fairly thin skinned and that a good deer/elk set up will work fine. Anyone else?

[Jack Shanks]

The outfitter I hunted brown bears with in Alaska said exactly the same thing. That they were thin skinned and any reasonable arrow and bow combination would be fine. He is the same outfitter that Fred Eichler hunted with and has taken several bears with a bow himself.

 Dave, a friend of mine said Fred told him he jumped up to 57# pounds but still only pulled 53#. Once he pulls back and hits that weight the arrow is gone.

[talltines]

Jack...Who was the outfitter that Fred and you hunted with?

[Jack Shanks]

Brian,

 Sorry for the delay I haven't checked this thread in a while.

 I hunted brown bears in the fall of 05 with Braun Kopsack. Fred hunted with Braun earlier that spring. Neither of us got a bear that year. I had two within twenty-five yards but never got the shot angle I needed. Fred told me he missed one but returned the following year and scored. I think he had a segment of his hunt on his TV show but I have never seen it.

[Fletcher]

On his grizzly, Tred Barta put a Woodsman right in the pocket and the arrow just disappeared and I don't think the bear went too far.  I don't plan on trying for a griz, but a 190 Grizzly head would be high on my list of choices, esp if I was looking for point weight.  Have a great hunt, man.    

[shootssmallbulls]

Im not sure if I would use the woodsmans, but tred barta uses em on evertthing so that sould be a good setup. if not try the stos 160s thats what I use and they seem work great.

[talltines]

I ended up using a 61# self made recurve and killed a grizz at 8 yards with a beman mfx 400 and a woodsman head w/ 100 grain insert.  Complete pass thru.

[doug77]

how bout some pic's

doug77

[fatman]

congrats, Brian

We need a full story!

[Jack Shanks]

Brian,

 Congratulations! Awesome job! Must of been exciting!

 There must be more to the story. How about a recap?

[talltines]

Guys, I saw 11 bears in 3 days of hunting on a 12 day hunt.  The Brooks Range is an awesome place.  I saw tons of game including sheep, moose, wolf, caribou, and grizz. I have the story being printed in the upcoming Oct./Nov. issue of Bow and Arrow Hunting magazine.  Maybe Jack can post a pic for me.

[Jack Shanks]

Brian's Grizzly. Now we need the story!

 

[Hattrick]

sweet!!!!!!!  

[tradwannabe]

plan for the worst! only make a perfect shot broadside. If it were me i'd want 190 grizz broadhead razer sharp with 800 grains of arrow. AND a partner packing a BIG GUN.I want it dead, dead, dead, if i am going to poke it. If i was using a gun, i would want a 300 weatherby magnum or Remington 300 ultra magnum minimum! Reports of bullets bouncing off their skulls have been reported and shots through the heart do not necessarily stop them. Rifle shooters hit them in the shoulder so they cant run, then shoot till dead. One swipe of their paw can rip your entire head right off. If it sees you once you anger it (shot through heart) you are in trouble.
I don't care what anyone else says.
R