2021 Alaska Black Bear DIY hunt.

Scott74 · May 27, 2021

Hey guys. New to forum. Pretty new to hunting in general. Had my best friend take me Elk hunting in CO a couple years back and got hooked. Since then I have been to CO four times, WV bear hunting a few times. This year I got the turkey bug bad and spent week in TN and most of our season walking WNF. No Bird..... but learnt a lot. Now back to what this post is really about.

This fall I am heading to AK on a solo DIY black bear hunt. I am flying to Anchorage and driving down to Soldotna. From there I am flying into the Field. I am hunting the Kenai Mountain Range in unit 15b For berry munching bears. Be there for 6 days. Got me two black bear tags.

Will be my first rifle hunt. I have my 300 win mag. Shot it a few times. Not nearly enough. But I am having a ammo issue. Been working hard on gear list. Would love any input from anyone here who has been to AK about anything that maybe you wouldn’t have read about but discovered you really wish you would’ve had. I am currently searching several forums for people who have done this trip to get some details about weather. The thing that scares me the most. Lol.

Anyways I am glad to be aboard. Look forward to sharing stories from here and afar.

giles · May 27, 2021

I've killed a few in that same area. Best tasting bear you'll ever have! 300 win mag was also my weapon of choice. Start working out now and take it serious.

"J" · May 27, 2021

giles said:
I've killed a few in that same area. Best tasting bear you'll ever have! 300 win mag was also my weapon of choice. Start working out now and take it serious.

Or hunt with a slower friend….

MoonLab · May 27, 2021

Welcome aboard. Good luck

Scott74 · May 27, 2021

giles said:
I've killed a few in that same area. Best tasting bear you'll ever have! 300 win mag was also my weapon of choice. Start working out now and take it serious.

I have been. Logging a lot of miles. But I usually do for elk season anyways. What’s your take on the weather up there that time of year?

giles · May 27, 2021

J said:
Or hunt with a slower friend….

Lol, being that he is flying in, I'd say he is safe. They don't see many people. We always to a boat across the lake and hiked in. I also took one down on the SW corner of that unit.

giles · May 27, 2021

Scott74 said:
I have been. Logging a lot of miles. But I usually do for elk season anyways. What’s your take on the weather up there that time of year?

Fall is very short...September it could be 70 or 7. I would put money on it that you will see snow and also have some time in a Tee shirt.

giles · May 27, 2021

Pleasantville...is that by Baltimore? I helped rebuild a power line over that way a couple of years ago. There's a couple of members close to that. They also shoot the trads.

Bigcountry40 · May 27, 2021

Whats the Elevations in that part of Alaska compared to Colorado? I could google both of them but I'm not lazy, that thin air makes you short of breath quick.

Scott74 · May 27, 2021

giles said:
Fall is very short...September it could be 70 or 7. I would put money on it that you will see snow and also have some time in a Tee shirt.

That’s a Little bit colder low end than I was expecting. Guess my puffy stuff will have to make trip. Lol.

Scott74 · May 27, 2021

giles said:
Pleasantville...is that by Baltimore? I helped rebuild a power line over that way a couple of years ago. There's a couple of members close to that. They also shoot the trads.

I actually live just between the two. I tried the trad thing. Got nothing but a nagging tendinitis issue from it. Sticking to my compound unfortunately.

Scott74 · May 27, 2021

Bigcountry40 said:
Whats the Elevations in that part of Alaska compared to Colorado? I could google both of them but I'm not lazy, that thin air makes you short of breath quick.

AK will be only about 4500 in range I am hunting. We are closer to 7-9k in area of CO we hunt.

giles · May 27, 2021

Bigcountry40 said:
Whats the Elevations in that part of Alaska compared to Colorado? I could google both of them but I'm not lazy, that thin air makes you short of breath quick.

You can hunt alot of the area he is in at very low altitude. Alaskan mountains are different. They start at the water.

giles · May 27, 2021

Scott74 said:
I actually live just between the two. I tried the trad thing. Got nothing but a nagging tendinitis issue from it. Sticking to my compound unfortunately.

Gotcha. That little diner by the car company has some pretty good fish!

Boarhead · May 28, 2021

I have been to Alaska a couple times,a buddy and I bowhunted in Cordova for black bears and were successful on both trips. Some big black bears up there.. Nothing like stalking and shooting one at 15 yards with a bow. Make sure ya have some good waders to cross the streams. Welcome to the forum and good luck.

xbowguy · May 28, 2021

Scott74 said:
I actually live just between the two. I tried the trad thing. Got nothing but a nagging tendinitis issue from it. Sticking to my compound unfortunately.

I grew up in Baltimore. Currently 20 minutes from Pleasantville (Heath). Welcome to the forum. Lots of Great Fellers 'round here!

Isaacorps · Jun 3, 2021

Welcome aboard and good luck on your adventure!

Scott74 · Sep 14, 2021

Been awhile since I posted this but I just got back. Hunt was just plain great. Got into field one day late and then the two of us tagged out in 2.5 days and got picked up three days early. Kinda sucked to not spend as much time up in field as we woulda liked but how could you ever complain about filling tags. I got two black bear and buddy got one. It was a lot more taxing on body than I was ready for. I brought home about 170lbs of meat. Have enough memories to last awhile. I will defiantly go back at some point.