Brown bear hunt

Alaska Peninsula has been producing the largest coastal brown bear on the average over the past twenty years (nine to ten foot bears, even some eleven foot monsters). Bears from our camp have ranged from upper 8 foot to 11 1/2 foot in size with an overall average of 9 1/2 feet for many years.

Alaska Department of Fish and Game has designated the Alaska Peninsula (Game Management Unit 9) as a trophy bear area for game management purposes. The goal is to produce bears of the largest possible size for sportsmen. To accomplish this, seasons have been restricted since 1976. Fall hunts take place in October of odd years (i.e., 2005, 2007, 2009 etc.) and spring hunts take place in May of even years (i.e., 2004, 2006, 2008 etc.). The technique has been very successful.

Alaska Peninsula Brown Bear hunts start from the village of Sand Point, Alaska, taking advantage of the support services, maintained airfield, 24-hour weather briefings and the safety and reliability these services provide. From Sand Point, we transport you to our actual bear camp via Cessna 206 or Super Grizzly Cubs (wheels and skis). The main base camp was established 1964 with a comfortable lodge facilities that sleeps 20 people; cabins include, generator power, running water, showers, etc. It is located in Canoe Bay. We also have two spike cabins approximately 15 miles from the main base camp. We also outfitted to set-up tent spike camps on knolls to increase your opportunity to take trophy Brown Bear. We have the largest exclusive area on the Alaskan Peninsula for Brown Bear with more than 30 miles of coastline in prime Brown Bear habitat. The only other hunters you will see is the ones that come to our bear camp.

Like all successful bear hunts, the primary activity in fall or spring is glassing. In October you glass the mountain walls and valley floors for bears feeding on roots or in the salmon streams. We usually see more than 10 bears per day. In spring you hunt by glassing the mountainsides in search of fresh bear track or dens appearing on the snow covered mountains. As the days become longer the bears break out of their dens and move into the valleys in search of feed. Unusual weather can bring the bears out early, or cause them to stay in late so weather is still a factor. Regardless of which period you choose, bear size will remain about the same. We do not encourage you to shoot the first animal you see. You can shoot only one bear every four years, so it might as well be a big one.

Though success on brown bear is over 90%, and many years we have enjoyed 100% success, it's inevitable that occasionally a hunter will go home without a bear. For some it will simply be a matter that they held out for a really large bear, others will not be willing to hunt in bad weather and for a very few the circumstances and game movement just will not fall in their favor. Regardless, occasionally we do have clients go home without the bear they came for.

Most clients are successful within the first 7-9 days of the hunt and there really is no need to commit to the extra expense of a longer stay. If for some reason you do not take your bear in this time frame, you may extend your hunt on a daily basis if your schedule will allow. If you desire a packer, we charge $200/day for a packer.