My Brown Bear

davevigne · #1 09-04-2006, 07:16 PM

Here's a picture of the 10' - 6" bear I got this May near Cold Bay, Alaska.

Valigator · #2 09-04-2006, 09:19 PM

He's beautiful and congratualtions....do you think you could probably give us the story behind him....be graphic...I would love to hear about this hunt soup to nuts........Val

davevigne · #3 09-05-2006, 11:02 AM

It was truly the hunt of a lifetime. My brother and I were able to hunt with old family friends as our guides so it was a fantastic time. We saw 2 bear early in the week but couldn't get shooting at them. Then there were about 5 days of 30 degrees with gale force winds and nothing was moving. We were due to be picked up the next day when this bear came down the valley at 10:00 pm (didin't get dark until 12:00). The two of us sneaked along the edge of the willows and he was over 500 yards accross a field. I was in the prone position and waited until he got as close as he was going to get - 436 yards by laser. I aimed about 15 inches over his back and hit him several times with my .375 H&H. He got into the alders and we waited while our other two party members ran to us from up the valley - then we started towards the alders. The bear couldn't get up the hill but was sidehilling to the left. We ran to within 300 yards and all of us shot. He went into a thicket and we ran closer. He came out the other side and we all shot again. He finally went down. He was still huffing and puffing when we got up to him and needed a final shot to the base of the neck. It took all 4 of us on one side just to roll him over. Then we had to drag the hide and head back to camp - too heavy to carry. I'm getting a full body mount made.

petey · #4 09-05-2006, 01:06 PM

Awesome story! The Huntchat Pro-Staff are in Alaska as we speak hunting the smaller black version. The salmon are running and they are getting plenty of rain from what I hear. They checked in yesterday to tell me all have had several opportunities at smaller or average bears. (I think 16 bear total so far if I added it up right?) They have quite a few more days to hunt so they are looking for that exceptionally large bear.

I'll make it up there soon enough!! I can't wait until my turn. Oh yeah, welcome to Huntchat!

davevigne · #5 09-05-2006, 02:03 PM

Here's another picture - of his front paw.

Dom · #6 09-06-2006, 01:24 AM

Welcome to HC dave, thanks for sharing stories & pics, nice bear!

What ammo did you use? Reloads? Bullet? Waidmannsheil, Dom.

davevigne · #7 09-09-2006, 09:13 AM

I used handloads - Barnes 270 gr X bullets with 70 gr IMR 4064 powder and CCI 250 primers - this gives me nice groups in this rifle - Win Model 70 Classic.

AK NIMROD · #8 09-25-2006, 12:34 PM

congrats- very nice bear
we had one run off when moose hunting on the Kenia pen. last week from a gut pile.....probably bigger, if that is possible..front paw print measured at 11 inches across. we saw 3 brownies in less than 2 hrs and a 7-1/2 to 8 footer walked by at 20 yards. this was in high country not along salmon stream. all in a 300 yards area. real shame there is not a season again this bear........too many killed for defense of life and property.