Congratulations on a fine hunt!

great bear

Gary was this a DIY hunt?

That's a nice head on that bear Gary any idea on the weight?

Yeah, those Alaska black bears seem to have some of the nicest heads I've seen (in photos).

It wasn't fully DIY. We had gear provided (tents, zodiac, motor, cookstove, etc.) but we provided all of our personal gear and food. Myself and my hunting partner (TJ) were dropped off via float plane in an area that Ryan had selected. The other 2 guys in our party were about 6 miles away by boat.

All of the bears were in that 6 6 1/2 foot range and I'm guessing around 300 lbs. or maybe a little more... we didn't have scales.

thats a good springer at 300, i know in AK they have more food but generally a 300 here in the NW will go 400+ in the fall

Looking forward to all of the details!

yeah, he's probably going to make us wait until he's got a full blown article written so we'll have to suffer. It's our punishment for cast vs jacketed, mag vs std, and now Keith.

Ha ha ha ha ha

I snorted on that one... ... ...

You're probably right!

Gary, Thats a good size Alaskan black bear with a nice coat. How will you have him mounted???

There aren't more pics yet because I'm still dealing with cameras with new technology and computers with old technology. Apparently, never the two shall meet... Anyway - I want to do some sort of pedestal mount but I'm going to have to talk with the taxidermist when the hides get here because I can't quite visualize what to do with the front legs without turning it into a half a bear mount. I don't have any room in the house for a rug or full mount.

Sounds like time for a bigger house

for what it's worth, my uncle has a half mount of a bear about that size like it's creeping out onto a log, and damn, it looks good.

Congrats again.

Nice bear Gary, congratulations! Also, very nice photos on the bragging board...looks like y'all had a great time. I am envious!

Like other folks have mentioned, I'm hoping that we get to enjoy a well-written article on the hunt soon!

Congrats again,

Darrell

Sorry for blowing up the bragging board but that's the way the silly thing works.

Don't apologize! I don't think anyone in their right mind will object to those photos! Awesome trip!

X2!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The pictures are AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

At least you took pictures of those memories...

I told my wife that is the one hunt I want to go on...

it's a great great hunt. i'll post a bunch more pics in a bit.

Many have said it well before me but, great bears, great pictures, and great hunt. I was anxious to see how you guys fared, and you all did more than well... congratulations. I know who to ask questions to if I ever get to book a hunt like yours.


p.s. I, like many others here, am jealous and hope to get the chance at a true great adventure hunt like you guys had. congratulations again.

You guys truly represented the finest of handgun hunters to those boys in Alaska

So, there were 3 .454's, and a .475. Do you think you would have been as successful using a FA .44 mag? Could you have taken them cleanly from the same spots as you did with the guns you had? I ask because I would like to do a trip like that some day and just would like to know?

Great hunt guys....thanx for the pistures.
Mike

A 44 Mag is certainly capable using the right bullets. It may or may not involve a little more tracking after the fact but that will depend on shot placement as much as anything else.

i know on my bear, using a hardcast on this hunt just wasn't in the cards for me so pushing an expandable pretty fast was what i felt was needed. on my shot in went throught the shoulder and the spine. i'm pretty sure one of double taps 44 mag hot barnes loads would've still got to the spine, might not have looked as neat chewing up going thru the spine and then the offside shoulder but the bear would've dropped. i'm pretty sure kyle's bear would've made it a touch further into the trees but if ya crank one thru the boiler room with a good 44 bullet that bear is dead. where the larger calibers really kept the bears from making the trees is on the shots gary and tj had over 100 yards. they were able to crumple the bears and stop them from making the trees and getting hidden from view whether they died or not. i can not tell you how nearly impossible tracking them in that mess could be. our guide was very very explicit when he told me, "i don't care what you shoot them with, we hear the bear made the trees and we just don't expect to see it again." so i took that seriously and wanted as much damage as possible with as flat a trajectory as possible but yes, i'd do it with a 44 or a 41 with the right bullets.

Thanks for the replies. I sure want a FA .44 mag and a .454 in 7.5"

I 7.5" 44 would be awesome in a FA. Mild felt recoil and scary accurate.

I have a FA 44 in 7 1/2" & one with a 10" bbl (an older competitive shooter) -- both acquired used. Both are very easy to shoot & accurate. I highly recommend the FA 44.

x3 - I'm with Gary and wt - My 7.5" .44 is silly accurate. So much so that a short barrel is on the list...well, just because. Like the rest of them, acquired used.

I have the FA'itis BAD.