Recomendations Wanted?

[mcreg]

I have been invited on a brown bear hunt, hosted by Outfitter Brian Donovan. Can anyone that know him and/or his operation comment. Want to know if it is worth my time and investment.
Not looking for negative responses, so if you have one simply reply "No" ! Thanks

 

[BRWNBR]

invited? ya i know brian. whens the hunt...and what are you looking for? if i recall your after a 10 footer?

 

[Toddler]

Jake
Aren't we all after 10 foot bears?

Just my nickel
Drew

 

[BRWNBR]

no actually, not everyone is after a 10 footer...everyone hopes for one. but not really after one. i think there is a difference. some guys hunt and hunt, just for a specific number related to a bears size..others hunt for a bear of opportunity inside a size range...others just hunt bears for the expereince of the bear hunt and a killing just adds to the experience.
mcreg has posted on here several times looking for a brown bear hunt and i was just trying to remember if he was shoppin' for a specific size bear...i thought he was...which was why i asked.

 

[Toddler]

I stand corrected!

 

[BRWNBR]

lol no worries...its all interpetation anyway i think!

 

[mcreg]

Jake: You are correct, i am looking for a 10 footer?? This will be my 5th trip to AK in persuit of that "elusive" 10 footer! And after reading your subsequent posts, your description of the various types of hunters is obviously from experience? I guess I'm a mix of #1 &3?
I have seen bears on every hunt. Should of had 1 on the very first hunt, seen a real dandy but waited too long. Knew we shouldn't have- but did? So quite frankly, I screwed up! Can't blame it on anythign or anybody else. However, that has led to 3 (maybe now 4) return trips. In these trips I have met some wonderful people, seen some incredable landscapes and made many unforgetable memories. Everything for a reason. Wouldn't change it for the world!!!
I'm still hoping someday our paths will meet?

 

[BRWNBR]

maybe reg, so whats the story with donavon? when and where are you trying to go out to the wood tikchik park with him?
i keep saying theres really only two places to really target 10 foot bears, the peninsula and kodiak. they kill them elsewhere but the odds are lower.
i'd say half way down the peninsula and farther and just about anywhere on kodiak. they take some nice ones outa the wood park area...but a 10 would be beating the odds by alot...just from what i've seen out there.

 

[jager63]

I surf here a lot but don't post alot. This thread caught my eye because I'm heading out for my first Brownie hunt on 27 April. The fact that you've hunted Brownies as many times as you have and still you have your minimun set at a 1o footer really is impressive. You said you were coming to Alaska which means you are a non-resident like me which means your probably paying a pretty penny also! I admire someone who does not lower there standard no matter what and sticks to what they really want. Kudos to you for that. I'm hunting the Island but I plan to make a good go at with a bow before I turn to my .300 win mag so I'm setting my minimum at a good haired up 9 footer. Sure I hope for bigger but I'll be very happy with that with a bow. mgreg I wish you the very best at hanging your tag this time because you do deserve your goal given the amount of times you've been already.

 

[BRWNBR]

i hope mcreg gets his bear too, i just wish he'd start hunting in places that have more of them..ups the odds of finding what your after that way!
have a blast on the island....jager who are you going with this spring? i'll be setting foot on island the 27th as well...

 

[Catch It]

If the hunt is with Donovan who hunts north of Dillingham you can expect a guy who will work hard to get you a bear, but he may need a stretcher to get you to ten feet around these parts. There are plenty o bears, and 9 plus are taken, but it's not known for producing ten footers with any regularity....so, What BRWNBR said! (He is the pro, I'd take his advice)

But, springtime riding in Dillingham area is spectacular, a gorgeous slice of earth where you will be hunting, that's for sure.

 

[jager63]

Jake,
I'm hunting with Scott Mileur down at Olga Bay area. Best of luck with your clients! Looks like the weather is still pretty cold right now or is it about normal for Kodiak in Mid April?

 

[BRWNBR]

http://akweathercams.faa.gov/sitelist.php this is the site i check for my kodiak weather...go there, scroll down and click on kodiak or Old Harbor, which would be closer to you. temps don't matter to much,they fluctuate alot this time of year over the course of the day. i watch the snow line and right now it looks like they didn't get much snow at all this year. spring should be right on track if i had to guess!
heard great things about scott, he's got a great area you should have a riot!!

 

[tyrex13]

Jake,
I'm hunting with Scott Mileur down at Olga Bay area. Best of luck with your clients! Looks like the weather is still pretty cold right now or is it about normal for Kodiak in Mid April?

Ahh, Olga Bay... My first experience with beaver fever, oh the memories... ha ha

 

[BRWNBR]

[email protected] like scarring...

 

[AlaskaTrueAdventure]

I'm going to agree with those that believe large, mature "TEN Foot" boars don't (often) exist out in western Alaska, in the hunt area mentioned by the OP and the outfitter he is interested in hunting with. Western Alaska has a very healthy population of brown bears that appears to top out at 9'3" or 9'6". I have actually only observed about 50 dead brown bears out there, but have knowledge of another 100+- dead bears. None, zero, exceeded an honest 9'6"s squared.
Those western Alaska bears get pursued by a gaggle of resident and nonresident guided hunters. In the spring they get "pursued" by the boys on snow machines, a practice that I personally dislike, as well as the airplane guides, and the spot & stalk/run & gun guys. In the fall they get whacked by the guides as well as "targets-of-opportunity" by resident moose hunters.
Although hunted as hard as any area in the state, there is still a very high population of brown bears in western Alaska. Brown bears between 8'6"s and 9'3"s are common, but ten foot boars would be extremely few and very far inbetween.

So where would a hunter go to have a reasonable chance of seeing a legit 10 foot square brown bear?
Kodiak or the Alaska Peninsula (as prev mentioned).
dennis

 

[ninefoot]

maybe reg, so whats the story with donavon? when and where are you trying to go out to the wood tikchik park with him?
i keep saying theres really only two places to really target 10 foot bears, the peninsula and kodiak. they kill them elsewhere but the odds are lower.
i'd say half way down the peninsula and farther and just about anywhere on kodiak. they take some nice ones outa the wood park area...but a 10 would be beating the odds by alot...just from what i've seen out there.

i hunt the other side of the same hills on a regular basis...i'll have to agree with jake on the size thing...not a bunch of ten footers in the tikchiks...but nine foot is a good goal on the upper end of the spectrum...and a superb bear for the area.

on another note...i know brian personally...a hard working hunting guide, and a very capable woodsman. i beleive his clients have a good hunt from what i know of him and his brother sean.