Thanks guys
On with the story. Like I said, I just threw this hunt together at the last minute. What I forgot to notice was the full moon when I scheduled the transporter. I think that had a major factor in the lack of brown bears. Another thing that I would do different is camp on the other side of the lake. The transporter suggested that we camp where we did and take our zodiac over to the salmon streams that way our sent wouldn't run all the bears off.
The first time we made it over to the other side we couldn't believe our eyes. Tracks as big as pie plates every where. We knew we were in bear heaven. We stayed tell it was too dark to shoot without seeing any bears so we went back to camp. The plan for the next day was to stalk up on the carcass of my first black bear, to see if anything had found it and if nothing had found it we would cruise the beach to see if there was any beach combers before we went across the lake to bear heaven.
Well the morning came early so we quietly moved through the brush near the kill sight. Nothing. Everything was just like we left it so we hit the beach. After walking along the beach we were noticing a mid size brown bear track over the top of our foot print from the previous day. We were pretty sure that it was beach combing under the full moon. No bears were spotted so we were making our way back to camp.
On our way back we heard a plane landing. Sure enough it landed right at the mouth of the river of bear heaven, so much for our afternoon plans. Feeling bummed out; we tried to figure out another game plan. We decided that since there was plenty of bear tracks within a couple of miles from camp we would just hunt around camp.
Making it back to camp we ate lunch and decided to check our bear carcass that I shot a couple of days earlier. Sure enough it was obvious that something had found it. Hoping it would come back we hung a stand in a tree.
Seeing those medium size tracks within a half a mile from where I was sitting I was hoping it was the one that found this easy meal. I was in the tree for about half an hour when I caught movement to my right. Sure enough it was another black bear. By the time I put my book away and gathered up my bow it was at 10 yards but no shot. It circled from right to left and finally at five yards I had a good slightly quartering away shot. Pulling to half draw, both my elbows cracked and popped. At that range it just as well had been a gun shot. She heard it and I thought the game was up. She stood there at full attention looking around for what seemed like an eternity. To my surprise she finally relaxed and was about to walk off. Finishing out my 28 inch draw the arrow hit her perfect through the top of one lung and out the bottom of the other lung. Once again it was all over in a fraction of a second.
Even though I didn't get my brown bear I did harvest two beautiful old, mature, dry sows.
Thanks for coming along.
Olin
Topic: My Alaskan story (Read 1099 times)
