Sitka brownie info?

[jklingel]

Is brown bear hunting near Sitka primarily done by glassing (from a boat) shorelines, any open areas on hillsides/creeks mouths, etc, and then stealthing in? Is the area, in general, ever open enough to investigate extensively in the vegetation, or are they just the odd slivers of visibility here and there and visually impenetrable masses everywhere else? Thanks. j

 

[Bighorse]

brownie

brownie

Ya, got all kinds in Sitka. Young bears keep on moving and feeding and make themselves vunerable. Old brutes, well they are old for a reason. People cruise the waterways extensivly there and the big boys, and girls know the routine. They have ears and use them. Most are nocturnal. Its only take a few feet of movement before they are out of visability. If you want a good chance at a big boy get up high and hope that he gets in the alpine. Or go semi nocurnal in an esutary and you might get one spotted. Salmon streams produce but the big bears still stay very wary durring the day.

 

[Forestar]

Sitka "cover"

Sitka "cover"

The area around Sitka is heavily forested right down to the high tide mark in nearly all places. It's very thick in most places and visibility is generally limited to less than 100 yards (in the woods).

There are some places with fairly open muskegs, but these are not generally on hillsides. You have alpine muskeg/meadows above the treeline. But you are mostly correct: just the odd slivers of visibility here and there and visually impenetrable masses everywhere else.

Best bet for bears is glassing shorelines and creek/stream/river mouths. Some guys actually hunt on foot up or on stand through the wider river bottoms where you can get a little better visbility occasionally.

Good luck.

 

[jklingel]

roger that

roger that

thank you both for the info. j

 

[8x57 Mauser]

I don't hunt bears, but had a good hunt for mountain goats (skunked) and deer (successful) on Baranof this year.

Hunting an area relatively far from any salmon stream, we saw brownies in the high muskegs. We also saw a trail that was the brown bear equivalent of a four-lane highway. It was at about 800 ft. elevation along a bench in the terrain - steep slopes to tidewater below, steep slopes to alpine above.

I don't know if those trails get worn in seasonally or by year-round use, but if I were hunting bears, I'd watch right there.

 

[Bighorse]

Where on Baranof for Goats

Where on Baranof for Goats

Where did you hunt for goats?

Fly in or hike?

I sorta curious because they have had a rough summer. I'm heading out for goats on Baranof next week.

I also see bears up high.

 

[8x57 Mauser]

Bighorse

Bighorse

Sent you a PM.

 

[TradBow]

I just returned from skippering in this area. I do know of a good area to hunt early spring. It's a tidal flat area and has been hunted by guides however a little foot work and you can get the better of the areas to hunt to yourself. This specific are is a tidal flat area. The next cove over is an old cut over area. Thick as heck with lots of places for bears to hide but yet still huntable with a little patience and persistence!