On May 3, 2014 I flew out of Honolulu on an adventure that I had been looking forward to for the last 2 years. This was my second try for an Alaskan Peninsula Brown Bear. My hunt would take place along the South Eastern part of Alaska along the coast of Baranof Island which makes up part of the ABC islands. My hunt would be for 10 days from May 6 through the 15th. There would be two other hunters beside myself, one who was a former Senator from Tennessee. My Outfitter was Bruce Parker of Parker Guide Services.
My first attempt was at a place called Perryville located way down along the Alaskan Peninsula coast across from the Bering Sea. During that spring hunt the area was experiencing the worst winter in 50 years. My guide was an Aluetic native from the area. Although we were unsuccessful in getting a bear we did see a few bruins, had a few good stalks but just did not connect. At that time I was also hunting with James Brion from the Nosler Magnum Club who also was unsuccessful. Although I did not get a bear I had a great time it was cultural experience learning about the Aluetic people and how Perryville was established in the early 1900’s.
On this hunting trip it was like déjà vu again only the opposite weather conditions. When I got to my hunting destination on Baranof Island I could not believe that they were experiencing the least amount of snowfall ever. My pilot that flew me out to the area has been living in Sitka for 40 years had never seen anything like it. The sky was so clear and beautiful with the temperature averaging 50 degrees. The mountains had snow on the tops but not down low like usual. This meant the Big Boars did not have to venture down to the shoreline in search of the grass that they like to feed on during the spring.
We saw bears every day but the Big Boars were up high feeding and bedding down way too high to get to. I guess someone forgot to tell them they were bears and not mountain goats. My outfitter Bruce Parker insured me that our best days were to come. Evidently the rut starts around the 10th of May and by his statistics most of the bears killed are between the 10th of May and the 14th.
By the 6th day May 11 which was Mother’s Day we had seen bears everyday just nothing big. What we saw along the shoreline were either sows with cubs or boars that were too small. The evening before while out on the ocean side of the island we did see a nice boar and sow as we returned to home base in the basin. It was too rough for us to come ashore and set up an ambush. Dan my guide said they may head over into the basin and cruise the beaches so we’ll hunt the basin tomorrow. Mother’s Day was the coldest day so far with good cloud cover, as we searched the basin we saw a nice sow with cubs I got some nice camera shots as they browsed. The cubs were almost as big as the sow. We continued searching the basin it was around 9:00 pm that we spotted two bears feeding on a beach. After putting the spotting scope on them Dan said it was the sow and boar that we had seen last evening. The boar was a shooter which meant the stalk was on. As we got closer with the boat you could tell it was a big boar by the way he walked. We maneuvered along the shoreline and were able to get within 340 yards before getting out of the boat to set up for a shot. We had to hurry before the sow and boar decide to move back into the woods. The boar stayed out just long enough feeding for Dan to verify it was a boar and for me to get my shot off. My first shot was good it dropped to the ground and appeared to be crawling I was able to get off an insurance shot. After a few minutes there was a tremendous growl that echoed through the area I asked Dan what was that, he said it was his death growl. We waited a few more minutes before heading over to where I shot the bear. I couldn’t wait to see him it was dark by then but enough light to see the area without a flashlight. Dan instructed me to wait in the boat as he searched the area. The bear was not visible at first I was thinking don’t tell me he got away I know I put a good shot on him, Dan assured me that it was dead especially after hearing it’s death growl we just had to find it. After getting a flashlight we found some blood then a lot of blood evidently the bear had crawled under a brush just a few feet from where we were looking and died. After cutting away some of the brush I saw what monster I had shot and his head was so huge. We had to work getting him out of the brush into an area where we could get some pictures. It turned out to be a beautiful huge 9 ft. cinnamon colored boar that I had always dreamed of getting. After a few high fives, hugs and pictures we headed back to the main base to celebrate our success. We would return the following day to take more pictures then skin it out since it was already after 10:00 pm. Upon returning to the main base we found out Steve one of the other hunters had also shot a nice boar almost the same size. What an awesome day it turned out to be I was flying high with excitement. We spent the night celebrating and talking about what we had just experienced. The following day we returned to retrieve my bear and skin it out still not believing that I finally got my bear. It’s these special moments that we experience as hunters that we will cherish and remember for the rest of our lives. I thank the Lord for allowing us this opportunity to be able to do what we do and experience all of his creations.
Jack