I was an Alaskan resident for 25 years, and i hunted with a bolt gun quite a bit, but i'd say i hunted with my drilling and Valmet 412 more. If i had owned a good double rifle back when i was hunting brown bear all the time, i would have carried it instead of a bolt gun. They are the perfect brown bear gun, in my book!
It's true, most of the fish/hunt guides don't even live in Alaska all year around. They are mostly outsiders trying to make a living off Alaskan resourses! And yes that bothered me when i lived there...
It's also true that there's a strict weight limit on flying into the bush, but outsiders for the most part are paying so much for the hunt, they don't even see it. The guide knows this, and add's it in, but as a resident you are trying to save money and already know to travel light.
I once was stuck in the Brooks Range on a sheep hunt, while the pilot flew loads and loads of "luxuries" into a camp for a guided hunt! That cost me about a week EXTRA out in the bush, with not much to eat! WHY? Because the "guide" paid enough to get serviced first! (why not? it wasn't HIS money he was spending!) Add in the weather delays, and you can get stuck out in the bush for quite a while...
As an Alaskan, you learn to travel as lightly and cheaply as you can, as you can't afford to do other wise, and with weather delays ect., your friends and realitives are trying to go places too, and you want to be considerate.
DM