Grizzly bear hunt

[Machias]

A real good friend of mine Eddie Alfaro is stationed up in AK at Elmendorf AFB.  We used to be stationed together here at Fairchild AFB.  Here is a few photos from a recent grizzly trip he made.  Eddie is Philipino and we have been on several arrest and incidents in the past.....we were the ones doing the arresting

[jackelope]

 

awesome country and a good looking bear
thanks for posting them

[GoldTip]

Dandy grizzly, congrats to your buddy.

[addicted]

i cant wait. im trying to get stationed up there.

[hogsniper]

Awesome pics..wish i could get up there and do that someday....just soo dang expensive...congrats to the hunter and thanks for posting the pics....i love lookin at em..Justin

[huntingnut]

Beautiful country and a awesome bear, congrats.

[WAcoyotehunter]

Nice pictures!  I hope to do that someday 

Hey Machias- do you know any blackmouth cur dogs around?  I'm looking to get one.
any ideas?

[saylean]

Nice... I have got to get up there ...Grats

[WDFW-SUX]

15k for a guide........ you can go in one hell of a elk hunt for that much scratch

[saylean]

15k for a guide........ you can go in one hell of a elk hunt for that much scratch

cheaper just to move up there and live for a bit...then go out.. dats my plan

[Machias]

Eddie did not use a guide, he's a resident now.

WAcoyotehunter  try these two site, they will be able to help out:

http://www.biggamehoundsmen.com/forum/index.php

and

http://www.coondawgs.com/forum/

[high country]

nice bear.

addicted, ft rich? elmendorf?
I have seen some macho bulls on elmendorf.

if youreally wanted to hunt big bears I think I could point you to one for about half of the 15k.

[Skyvalhunter]

So did your friend just get dropped off and hunt for bear? So this was a grizzly bear and not a Brown bear? I have a buddy that is a gunsmith/guide in Anchorage. He was an assistant guide first on Kodiak for 4 or so years before he took on clients alone. He does 2 spring bear hunts on Kodiak. They get 10'+ brown bears regularly but the price is around $15,000. This priced me out of the market. You can get a decent grizzly(small sized typically) for about 10 grand. There are probably some cheaper grizz hunts out there but you get what you pay for. My friend has taken a couple Brownies on kodiak where he was self guided.  I believe there is a 2 or 4 year wait before you can put in for another permit.

[WDFW-SUX]

To hunt Brown/Grizzly bear in Alaska there are a few options.  You can pay a guide the cash or you can go with a family member that is a resident and is within a second degree of kindred which means the family member must be a mother father stepmother stepfather, brother sister and thats it. 

I'm lucky in that I was an Alaska resident for the first 21 years of my life and most of my immediate family still is. I would never pay the prices they want for Sheep, Goat and brown bear so I am really lucky that I can go with my dad when I go hunting up north.  Alaska fish and game take this stuff VERY VERY seriously and follow up on who and where you were hunting when you have your hide sealed.  If they bust you for this you go to state prison.....................a very bad place.

[Skyvalhunter]

Well lets just say you are fortunate to still have relatives there. But the best thing is to live there. Heck you could even marry a native and get additional benefits. With all the hunting and fishing oppurtunities there it is definately the place to be. For us who want to hunt the sheep, bear(grizz or brownies), goat we pay for our PASSION.

[Machias]

Well I just spoke with Eddie, sheesh   You guys are not going to wanna hear this at all.  He has been stationed at Elmendorf AFB for I think three years now.  Any ways a new LT arrived and seems he comes from a very well to do family from TX.  He bought a plane soon after arriving and since he isn't a resident this year he offered to take Eddie out.  He didn't want any money but Eddie paid three hundred for gas and bought him a knife for $200.  Eddie also paid $25 for the bear tag.  For a grand total of $525!  They couldn't hunt the first day so they flew around and scouted the area and saw several nice bears.  Next day they put a sneak on a huge boar that was following a sow and a cub almost as big as she was.  They got set up and suddenly the sow and cub popped out at about 15 yards, stopped and stared at the two guys, the other guy was filming.  They kept waiting for the boar but he never showed.  After a little bit the moved up a little higher and saw the boar running full tilt away.  They are pretty sure he did not smell them, they think he saw the sow and cub tense up and that was all he needed.  Later they shot the sow in the photos while she was fishing for salmon.  She was a little over 8 foot.  He was a little south of where the Bear man was killed.

[high country]

I would not be telling folks he paid for fuel or offer any "gifts" alaska is SUPER tough on guiding or outfitting w/o a license. I have heard of more than one guy getting his hand slapped for doing a "favor".....fyi.

[Machias]

How would he be guiding if he gave a resident a ride?  He's a nonresident that flew a resident to an area.  Not sure that would constitute guiding.  I don't think the bush pilots are licensed as guide or outfitters, are they?

[cohoho]

Reading the post, it's clearly a friend taking another friend on a trip, paying gas is one of those expected items, now if the guy requested payment, advertised or solicited for payment then it would be as a "Transporters"- must have a license if they accept a fee or exchange of anything. 

"More than likely a friend to a friend, helping out the cost of gas is what accured..."
 
 It is no different than you or I driving somewhere sharing the cost of fuel....  Just his fuel is probably five-six bucks a gallon...............

Great job on your buddies part, good Bear, any Browine/Grizz is respectable, any size!  Besides it helps out the Moose and Caribou population in a good way....

[high country]

How would he be guiding if he gave a resident a ride?  He's a nonresident that flew a resident to an area.  Not sure that would constitute guiding.  I don't think the bush pilots are licensed as guide or outfitters, are they?

I meant no offense to anyone, but alaska requires transporters to be licensed. guideing can be as simple as "look over that ridge". there has been a bunch of hubub in the state because a citizen can't even rent a cabin out to a hunter, res or non, as it is considered "outfiting". like I said, just be cautious in telling folks that there was goods or money exchanged....just for safe measure. alaska is VERY strict on this stuff.

[Machias]

Thanks High County, not offended at all, I appreciate the advice.

[bucklookout]

wow thats a nice griz  awesome