I finally got my first Alaskan big game animal, a black bear on the Kenai Peninsula. I was driving down the Kenai to glass near Cooper Landing. I saw a black dot on a hillside so I stopped and glassed -- bear!!! I managed to get 232 yds (lasered) from it, with the bear on the other side of the river/gorge, and shot her behind the shoulder with my 338. She spun around and ran no more than 20 yds before dropping for good.
I picked what at the time seemed like good landmarks and hiked down to a river crossing. Note -- if the water looks knee deep...it'll be crotch deep. Note -- Gortex boots do not keep water out in crotch deep water...they do, however, keep it in. I looked for the bear on that steep hillside for a good two hours with no luck. Crossed the river again...which was much colder without the previous adrenalin rush. I called a couple fellas (young fellas) from work and they agreed to pack the bear out while I guided them from across the canyon (Cabela's gift certificates comin' their way, I figure).
Bear's now at the taxidermists and the meat's at the processor. I tried some meat last night; pan fried with country gravy and it was just fine.
Off on the Susitna tomorrow for early King's with my son on his tenth birthday.
Vital Stats:
Hide squared 5ft, 10" (no, I did not wipe the milk of it's mouth before the pics)
Skull measured 16" and 13/16"
Sow
Hill in the background is where I shot it
These are the two guys from work who packed the bear out for me. The one on the left added 40 lbs of water to his pack just to get in shape for sheep guiding.
Guy on the left (sheep guide) called this morning. We measured length yeterday at 48" plus 22" (on a 48" tape)...and "re-added"....to 5'10"...not the original 5' we thought -- I know it's supposed to be length + width / 2 but we couldn't even add :wink:
