Shanes big bear saga continues...2009-2014 and counting

[ninefoot]

It was a good spring this year... seems all over the state from the reports. it was awesome weather out in western ak, and proly the most pleasurable 19 days I've spent consecutively in Alaska since I started. had a couple clients, and was fortunate to send em both home with mature boars.

Most guides that have been at it a bit have clients that return on a regular basis to hunt with them. A highlight for me this spring was getting to guide one such client again. Shane and I have been hunting big bears together for six years now, with a moose and reindeer hunt thrown in as well. Shanes easy to guide and understands and performs his role in the hunt well. he lets me do my job and has confidence in my decisions. this hunt proved no different and produced Shanes 5th big bear with me...a whopper boar that multiple guides in the company have been hunting for the past three seasons.


this boar got dubbed the "grey bear" 2 seasons ago by my boss and I, and gave me the slip 2 falls ago when a long stalk concluded at sixty yards when a trio of caribou ran into the brush with us and took him away in pursuit of them. I was ticked and vowed to make good on my next chance at him. he got by another guide last spring. we were beginning to think of him as pretty **** lucky.
...the grey bears luck ran out with Shane this spring at 75 yrds after 7 days of fruitless glassing. he was far skinnier than last I saw him and seemed to have not faired so well over the winter. same huge bear for our country with an unmistakably lighter color and head than usual . his skull went well over 27, and he squared 10ft 1...interestingly he didn't seem to have much age for a bear of that size and head bone. but he sure was skinny. skinniest big bear I've ever put a knife to, and it was still all I could do to roll and skin him alone the next day.
Shanes saga continues...he killed the 1st ten footer I ever guided in 2009 at 10'2, took a 9'3 and 9'10 brownie with me in 2010 and 2011, killed a HUGE grizzly with me last fall at 9'6, and now this spring bruiser. Shane likes to hunt big bears...as do I. best of all its not at all about ego with shane, and while we hunt for mature boars only, he appreciates the stalks and tactics of bear hunting the most, and feet and inches secondarily. I look forward to our hunts together, and look to see him continue his bear hunting in the future.

hope everyone that was out enjoyed there time in this great state as much as I did again this spring. heres some pics

after the fact I gotta admit...I kinda hate to see him go.

 

[ninefoot]

here they are all together...2009 to 2014

 

[AGL4now]

Congratulations to everyone.......including the bear.

 

[Larry Bartlett]

sweet write up, thanks for sharing, Zach. Nice to hear clients and guides touching on the same surface.

larry

 

[chinookee2004]

There is not too many people that can say they have taken 5 big bears in Alaska. His home must be wall to wall bears. Thanks for the great photos and story. Shane is the bear magnet. Good work!

 

[redneck hunter]

Great job and great bears Zach. Hey, I'm working hard to replace my drop camp moose hunting partner who dropped out on me after our Kodiak hunt. We were supposed to do the hunt with Wade the fall of 2015. Maybe we'll cross paths.

 

[Amigo Will]

Congrats on the great spring and hope the fall fairs as well.

 

[ramhunter]

Nice Zach… figured you would whack a hog or two this spring! Where’s few things that I would rather do than hunt big mature brown bears!

Congrats to you and Shane!

 

[martentrapper]

View attachment 78935
killed a HUGE grizzly with me last fall at 9'6, and now this spring bruiser.

Your boss obviously has a very good area to hunt in and you guides are putting in the time and miles I'm sure. Impressive record.
I'm assuming the above quote means fall 2012 and this spring, 2014?
Aren't you about ready to get your own Reg. Guide License, Zach?

 

[ninefoot]

Thanks fellas! As always i was humbled and blessed by Alaska and my ability to do what i do. Its still what drives my life, is my passion, and feeds my wife and i. I am a fortunate guy.

Mt...nah man, i love guiding. Outfitting is a pain in the ass. I just started some winter stuff of my own in the desert down south and that little bit is enough for me. Someday ill use my body up and be forced to be the guy making the money. Until then i plan on hunting...just like i always have. Next year ill also be adding new zealand and aussie to my long seasons. Some guys guide for a hobby...i guide for a living. To do that u gotta chase hunting seasons. its a grand life...and very short! Im just trying to live it...

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[Roland on the River]

Zach, a very nice collection of big Bears. You da man.

 

[HuntAK59]

Thanks fellas! As always i was humbled and blessed by Alaska and my ability to do what i do. Its still what drives my life, is my passion, and feeds my wife and i. I am a fortunate guy.

Mt...nah man, i love guiding. Outfitting is a pain in the ass. I just started some winter stuff of my own in the desert down south and that little bit is enough for me. Someday ill use my body up and be forced to be the guy making the money. Until then i plan on hunting...just like i always have. Next year ill also be adding new zealand and aussie to my long seasons. Some guys guide for a hobby...i guide for a living. To do that u gotta chase hunting seasons. its a grand life...and very short! Im just trying to live it...

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You are the freakin man!

 

[kahahawai]

Awesome stuff Zack !!! Shane is the Bear Slayer hands down and Congrats to him...But a great guide is what makes it happen, I like the attitude and the way you hunt, And " Hunting Hard" makes for the best experience. Good Stuff Buddy !!!! Congrats to you and your hunters....

 

[ninefoot]

Thanks kaha!

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