Zachar Bay 2018 Spring Bear Hunt

[arrw_flinger]

Hey everyone thanks in advance to responses. I drew this tag last year and am preparing to head out in a couple months in late April for the adventure. I've hunted goat and deer in that area but never been there in the spring so it'll be exciting. Currently, plan is to get up high for a vantage point and glass til I'm blue in the face looking for a traveling bear. Currently looking at starting in the bay and maybe a little of the river valley but dont want to to travel too much as scent is something of a concern with bears especially this time of year.
Curious if anybody knows of guiding operations/camps that take place in that area year to year? It appears that there are guides assigned to the location but I can't dig up too much info on them, just concerned with competing in the same areas as I know we all are these days.
And for everyone that is not familiar with the area any good spring hunting input that may help is always welcome. Me and a buddy are getting dropped and have plenty of experience with the wet and wild Kodiak weather and wind so prepared for those conditions. I would rather go first week of May but I am limited to last couple weeks of April or the the first 10 days of April, figured later would be better in regards to numbers of bears out and about.
Cheers!

[Rainshadow]

I hunted spiridon last year and communicated a lot with Munsey. He was good about responding to me and can probably point you in the right direction if he's not the guide for that area. For the most part I think he hunts by boat.

edit: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm...kbear.kodiak19

might not be munsey.

[BRWNBR]

Paul chrevanak might still have that area.
As
For timing,
Don’t worry about it. Best time frame in the world with a weather system
Blowing sideways rain is worse than the worst time frame with sun and calm
Winds.

[Roland on the River]

At one time Leon Francisco of Spiridon bear camps guided there. I believe a fella by the name Sky Roberts bought him out. It would pay to do a search of those names.

[454casull]

Karl Braendel had Zachar for quite a few years but I heard Paul Chervenak got it back. Karl used to spend a lot of time up the river. Rent a boat from Kodiak Kamps. Take a tide book. Glass from Carlson Point. Concentrate on the north side of the bay (glass from the south).

[ol whatshisface]

Hey everyone thanks in advance to responses. I drew this tag last year and am preparing to head out in a couple months in late April for the adventure. I've hunted goat and deer in that area but never been there in the spring so it'll be exciting. Currently, plan is to get up high for a vantage point and glass til I'm blue in the face looking for a traveling bear. Currently looking at starting in the bay and maybe a little of the river valley but dont want to to travel too much as scent is something of a concern with bears especially this time of year.
Curious if anybody knows of guiding operations/camps that take place in that area year to year? It appears that there are guides assigned to the location but I can't dig up too much info on them, just concerned with competing in the same areas as I know we all are these days.
And for everyone that is not familiar with the area any good spring hunting input that may help is always welcome. Me and a buddy are getting dropped and have plenty of experience with the wet and wild Kodiak weather and wind so prepared for those conditions. I would rather go first week of May but I am limited to last couple weeks of April or the the first 10 days of April, figured later would be better in regards to numbers of bears out and about.
Cheers!

Just make sure it's dead before you approach it. If it isn't, it could spring to life an get really really mad and try to hurt you. Bring some bear spray just for precaution. I heard the bears down there are more scary and ferocious than the mainland bears. It makes me wonder, why do bears get so mad when they get shot? Why on earth would they want to hurt us?

[arrw_flinger]

Thanks for the posts, I have attempted to contact Paul, the guide, just to touch base but have not been successful so oh well I guess.

Karl Braendel had Zachar for quite a few years but I heard Paul Chervenak got it back. Karl used to spend a lot of time up the river. Rent a boat from Kodiak Kamps. Take a tide book. Glass from Carlson Point. Concentrate on the north side of the bay (glass from the south).

454, curious why you recommend glassing north side in lieu of south in the spring?

[arrw_flinger]

Paul chrevanak might still have that area.
As
For timing,
Don’t worry about it. Best time frame in the world with a weather system
Blowing sideways rain is worse than the worst time frame with sun and calm
Winds.

BRWNBR, I think that may have been the wisest advice on "when to go" that I have heard.. we've all been sitting in a tent because we're fogged in or listening to 50 mph wind saying, "****, the weather LAST week was perfect!"

[arrw_flinger]

Thanks for the posts, I have attempted to contact Paul, the guide, just to touch base but have not been successful so oh well I guess.




454, curious why you recommend glassing north side in lieu of south in the spring?

NM 454, I reread and realized you were advising to glass south facing, I should've stayed in school... haha

[BRWNBR]

Glass everything. Don’t think one will produce more than the other. Haven’t shot a bear with a compass yet!

[AKHUNTINFOOL]

Zachar has thick brush and two canyons for the Zachar River and Little Zachar River. Contact Karl Braendel http://ninridgeguides.webs.com/ He is the real deal and a super nice guy. He guided there for a lot of years and took a lot of big bears. Ask him how he hunted Zachar and do the same. He may have a cabin you can use. Rent a boat, watch the wind and don't spread your scent around everywhere.
Paul Chefornak also has a cabin that he rents out to hunters if he isn't using it.

[4merguide]

Hey Jake.....any chance you're the "real deal" too...???

[BRWNBR]

No not yet. They told me I’d get a email. Haven’t got it yet.

[454casull]

Absolutely glass everywhere but I have spent a bit of time in Zachar and I’m just trying to help save some time. Concentrate on the north side. Just sayin’. Karl would be a wealth of knowledge about the area. He seemed to spend a lot of time up the river in the spring. If the wind or conditions were wrong for the river he was known to glass the north side and has maybe taken a bear or two on that face. His cabin is on the south side of the bay and Paul’s is on the north side just a little up the bay from the cannery. I wasn’t aware that either one rented their cabins out. I have stayed at Paul’s with a mutual friend and it wasn’t rented.

[BRWNBR]

Karl is one of the unsung guides on Kodiak with a wealth of experience that folks don’t usually hear about. He has a real unique hunt style for the island which I really respect.

[arrw_flinger]

Karl did provide some great info, lots of respect for his hunting style and willingness to share some insight. Really confirmed much of what I have read and witnessed about the area and made be think a little harder on some other details. I'm confident this hunt will be challenging as rewarding! Thanks to everyone who has pitched in their thoughts, I'll be sure to post up the story, successful or not.
Cheers