Results of the recent Black Bear hunt with Homer Ocean Charters/ More pics added

[Bow n' errors]

Hello all,
Sorry to be MIA as a fellow crewmember on this thread up to this point.  Have been nursing some medical and computer problems since my return.

Anyway, you've heard about the bear and the fishing, and seen some pics (the last 3 posted by Matt were mine, thanks again Matt for helping).

Since I started this thing a year and a half ago, and with a lot of Gene's help, worked thorugh the planning and recruitment of our crew for this adventure, I am thinking that some may wish to hear more about how a trip like this comes together. So, in case you are interested and can wait a couple days, I'm composing a narrative in Word to paste here that will describe more of the hunt, to include the logistics and planning, recommendations on equipment, realistic expectations, and perhaps some of our less successful, yet enjoyable and sometimes comical experiences.  

Bear with me as it will take a couple days and I will post when ready.

Again, Congratulations to my good buddy and my elk bowhunting mentor, Gene, on his remarkable bear and his nice halibut, and just let me say for now that this was a really cool adventure even for those of us who were personally unsuccessful and can say that at least I (and probably all or most of us), really enjoyed and learned a lot from our experience.

More later....

[killinstuff]

I shamed the group by wasting one with a gun   . Flats and beach spots to hunt were limited and I didn't want to distrub the other guys and what they had going on so after going up and down mountains for 3 days and it about killing me......... That's my story. I thought I was in pretty good shape, I'm a gym rat and run daily but those mountains are tough. I did have a really good chance the first two hours on the boat heading out of Homer the first day when we saw a big bear on a beach. I grabbed my bow and headed in. That bear was in a rock slid and I got about 30 yards from it when he looked up at me and up the hill he went. All the guys on the boat watching said that bear was twice as big as me. Had another nice bear at about 75 yards on the side of the mountain that I could not get any closer to before it just walked up and over the moutain. Those mountains are so steep and do all they can to keep you from going up and watching bears do it like we walk down the sidewalk is amazing. Once you get to snow line it's not bad but by then you need a nap.

I bet I saw 100 bears, 100 Mt goats, a dall sheep, 20 moose, sea otters everywhere and a whale. It was great. Matter of fact though my body is back in Michigan, my mind is still in Alaska. Had bear back straps the other day and I think if we could raise bears like cattle, no one would eat cow meat ever again. I just love bear meat.

Speaking of food, forget all the stories about dropping a crab pot over the side of the boat and having crab every night. Can't do that anymore. No clam digging or seafood til you burst, just standard grub. Still pretty good.

And my hat's off to Gene and him killing a bear. Yes he had the lucky horseshoe up you know where that week but this was an unguided hunt in a place he had never been before and Gene got his bear. There had not been another bow killed bear with HOC in 2 years I think it was  so good job Gene. He eanred it.  

CJ

[hogdancer]

CJ, you DID NOT shame the group, you took a bear differantly than we did , legally, you could have done that right next to us but were considerate enough to get in the small boat and go a couple miles away.  Not wrong Just differant.

[Bow n' errors]

Right on, Thomas.  CJ, you went to Alaska to get a bear, and you did it.  I'm really glad for you, and I really enjoyed having you as part of the crew and getting to know you.  No shame for how you went about it, the rest of us are just more hardheaded than practical.  It was a blast, and I'm glad you were a part of it. I learned a lot about fishing from you.
Sincerely

[snag]

Man, you guys really need to find a place to hunt that has better scenery!         What a great place to spend some time doing what we love to do and with a bunch of good guys to share it with. Good times!  I keep thinking "someday I need to..." Hope I don't wait too long for that day and find I can't do it!

[Curmudgeon]

Hopefully I have posted below my favorite picture of the trip.  Found the bear skull up at the head of Port Chatham Bay on day two of the hunt.  The bow was built by Curt for this trip and a fine shooter it is.  This was my first Alaska experience and thanks to the great company and crew I had a fabulous time.

Along with the scenery we had unusually good weather, according to Cpt. Rick.  This was good because the flora of the place was an experience in itself.  Glad we didn’t have to experience getting wet also.  The moss in the picture grew everywhere.  You would expect to see leprechauns, trolls, or ewoks in some of the thick stuff.  It did make for quiet walking though.

Thanks to all for the experience

 

[L. E. Carroll]

CJ,
Your choosing to take your bear in a non- traditional archery way in no way reflects on you as a bow hunter...We all spent "Big Bucks" to make this trip happen.  I'm happy for you, that you were able to take a nice bear...

 Without your help this "Old Man" would probably still be working to get that bear of mine down to the beach... Or possibly, be trying to eat it where it lay...

This is the party member who almost by himself, got may bear down to the part of the beach so that it could be picked up later at "High Tide" with the Zodiak... I can't thank him enough.

Let me add if I may, that after backing off of the bear until the next day,,,, that it was thru the excellent tracking of Doug Kriengs from Montana and a pretty well know "smiling guy" who just happens to go by "Hogdancer", that my bear was finally located... These two guys are excellent hunters and really great people to share a hunt with.    

[Kevin Bahr]

Good to see Captain Rick Swenson's smiling face again.  Sounds like you guys had a great adventure!

[Jerry Wald]

Looks like you had an amazing trip....Yeah it seems a shame when I live in a place like this that I don't get out and do that kinda stuff daily...but with work and all the other commitments it just never seems to work out time wise.

I think our new vison will help though. I will be able to come back in late spring and hunt/fish and then stay until the fall and hunt/fish for about 3 months out of the year...live in my wall tent in the bush...the animals will start racking up then.

Congrats....jer bearless...well so far

[Bosco]

Kudos to Gene on a great bear! The most impressive part to me is stalking one within 20 yards on beaches composed of broken clamshells, uneven broken rocks and gravel, not to mention "popcorn algea," as well as anything else you can imagine that is designed to make noise while you walk.

It was a fantastic trip, and one worth doing again!  Nice to meet all of you.

Doug Krings, MT

[Havoc]

Way to go Gene, yea its a bit bigger than a LAB, LOL. I love all the pics and makes me want to plan a trip. When we doing a fish fry? I will even host it if you bring the halibut.