Interior Alaska, black bear hunting

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islandphish

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I'm a seasonal worker and have been coming up here to AK for several years. This year I plan to hunt black bear. It will be in unit 20B or 20A most likely.

I have never hunted bear before and I want to do it myself. I'll be shooting a 30-06.

I've got lots of weekends to scout and I would be willing to set up a bait station.

I'm looking for any kind of info I can get, I'm sure lots of THR members have hunted up here. I'd like to know information on black bears, locations, tips & tricks, just anything that will help me be successful.

Thanks a lot for your help.
 
Would someone answer this question and restore my faith in this section of the board?
Does someone have to put something moronic in the title to get you people to respond? Come on. I like to hear about hunting rabbits too, but do you have to say your going to hunt them with a semi-auto .308 assault rifle just to get someone to read and respond?
I wish I had something more to say to IslandPhish about his actual subject/topic at hand, but please someone respond to something that is not reminiscent of when Gecko45 (i.e. MallNinja) goes hunting...
 
I'll keep the thread alive, but without anything pertinent or relevant. I'm going black bear hunting in another week or so with my brother form Ohio, and my uncle, a long term Alaskan. I cannot wait. I'll basically be doing whatever my uncle tells me to do. We'll be hunting over his bait, with muzzleloaders.
 
Can't put my fingers on the hunting regs right now but no matter. Black bear is generally open year round with a 3 bear limit. (sorry not sure about non res). At any rate, you can spot and stalk by glassing the mountain sides for bears eating blueberries or set up a bait station. (bait stations have to be registered with fish and game). Your 30-06 will be great plenty but just remember that you will also be in grizzly land. (use 180 or 220 gr bullets). I'll find the regs, any thing in particular ya need to know?
 
Hey thanks guys for letting this thread come to life.

I did go out last night and hunted overnight. Wow, how cool is that? I was in the woods at 7PM and hit my truck at 3:30AM. Way to early I know, but I was really tired and I honestly thought it was more like 6AM. Note: Bring a watch when hunting in Alaska during the spring/summer.

I about got Moosed! Had a close call, she was on the far side of the river and crossed downstream and downwind of me. I thought for sure she'd vacate when she winded me. Instead she came at me. Finally at about 30yards I was grabbing my rifle and putting trees between myself and her. She had me pinned against the freezing cold river. I don't think she ever really saw me, but with no cover that was too close for comfort. I was beginning to think my first big game animal in Alaska would be a Defense of Life or Property cow moose.

I also had a coyote come by and sit down within 10 yards of me. He never had a clue I was there.

So you can probably tell I was hunting the riverbank. I was posted up and sitting and glassing. THen in the morning I stalked out to the truck, glassing quite a bit. I saw no bear sign in the sand and mud. Lots of wolf, coyote and moose sign.

I don't know the timber country very well, I'm from Nebraska. Do you guys have any tips for likely travel spots? I set up next to a small drainage last night, that's where the coyote came out.

It was a bit discouraging to not find any bear sign, but the other encounters made up for it. I'll keep trying...but any help is really appreciated.
 
I got nothing to add, but am interested in learning more.

In my constant hunt for deer hunting land, found myself with access to some great black bear land in northwestern Virginia (Shenandoah County). GOing black bear hunting for the first time this fall.

Good luck. Alaska is gorgeous
 
Hey Blitzen,

Blueberries will be fall forage right? What is good spring forage? I watched over a bunch of downed stumps and stuff.
 
I'm no botanist or anything but I know a blueberry when I eat one. They also graze on skunk cabbage and fiddle head ferns. You'll also find them munching on many types of grass that starts to sprout in the spring. This blackie was grazing on some green grass sprouts of some kind on the tidal flats. About 5 days ago.
 

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