South Brooks Range Self Guided Caribou Hunt

RyanD16

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After several years of dreaming finally able to make an AK hunt. We decided on a fly-in self guided caribou hunt out of Prospect Creek, AK to the tundra of the South Brooks Range this September. It will be 4 hunters....

I have had several years to research and this site has been the best place to get information. I have purchased what I feel is the best gear based off of reviews from this site. I have read several threads and watched countless videos but still can not get a definitive answer concerning hunting in Grizzly country.


My issue is that I have seen several pictures and videos of people cooking, keeping capes and skulls, meat and food in their barren ground campsite. I have always read about keeping food, cooking, latrine, etc 100-150yds from camp for bear protection but the recent photos and videos I have seen seem to contradict what I have previously thought to be the norm. There are some people that go as far as changing clothes that could have any cooking or game processing odors on them and leaving away from camp and keeping all scented items such as baby wipes, etc away as well. On the other hand I see videos of people cooking and eating Mountain house meals in their tent or tarp. Recently I watched a video where 2 guys had an electric bear fence on the sane type of hunt and kept their meat and trophies next to their tent inside the bear fence....


I understand that barren ground areas really has no trees to hang "scented items",etc from camp and the bears are not as used to people so what do you guys who have hunted the same type of area recommend?

I have camped in Montana while fly fishing in my mega tarp in Grizzly country with no issues however, I want to be prepared as to what to expect...

Thanks in advance,


Ryan
 

Tod osier

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I have spent some time in grizzly country and understand and apply the fundamentals of keeping a clean camp in the backcountry. The second you kill that all goes out the window. You are covered with the scent of game and there isn't a way to get it off of you or your clothes or your gear - you might as well eat in your tent once you have an animal down and in camp.

If a fence makes you feel better - they do appear to work. They can be made cheaply from readily available parts.
 
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duchntr

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Bring a bear fence and put your mind to rest. I cook, eat and even put meat in my tarp/tipi in bivy camps and haven't had issues, but I rarely stay in one place for long. When I do a drop hunt with a base camp a bear fence is used to incircle my whole camp and meat cache. Don't buy into the discovery channels hysteria of bears, just be cognizant and aware of your surroundings and you'll be fine.
 
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Who are you flying out, and/or hunting with? If you are on the southern side of the Brooks, I am going to venture a guess that there going to be trees around.

As far as cooking and food goes, I have been cooking in, near, and around my tent for as long as I can remember and have never had a bear bother my camp (knock on wood). Sometimes you have no choice but to cook in your tent depending on what the weather is doing.

With that said, if black bears are around, I'd be much more concerned with them bother a camp than I would with G bears.
 
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Bears are like people. You can't assume anything except they can whatever they please at any time. Books have been written on this subject and the only thing everyone seems to agree on is that nothing works 100% of the time. The good news is 99.9% of the time you don't need anything to work because most bears don't mess with humans willingly.

True wilderness bears don't have a natural attraction to Lasagna With Meat Sauce or Granola With Blueberries. I keep my food in my tent. I don't worry about that. I want a bear in the area to smell me and smell camp. I want all the man odor I can give them so there is no doubt I'm there. I urinate all over the perimeter of camp. I use an electric fence if much bear sign is about.

Most concerns about bears are akin to the emotions around a shark attack. It's awful to consider but the odds are extremely tiny. Putting into true perspective, I am more likely to die in a plane crash in Alaska than to even be mauled (and likely survive it) by a bear. There is definitely reason to be careful in bear country, but there is no reason to be fearful or constantly thinking an attack is likely. More likely is that you never see a grizzly closer than half a mile.
 
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RyanD16

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Thanks Guys for all the good advice just what I wanted to hear.

We are booking through Mike Odin's Alaska Adventures and flying out with Bushwhacker Air Service. One of the guys in our party hunted Grizzly with Mike last year so thats how we got connected. They have an area they hunt but as you all know it depends on what the heard is doing.

I see the bear fences either have flat ribbons or string type conductors. Any advice on which ones are better?
 

Tod osier

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Both are synthetic material with a trace of metal that conducts. The string/rope type is more commonly used for bear fences. The wire is the positive and the ground is the negative. There are times when it is tough to get a good ground (gravel bars are one). Some also use the netting type (that is what I have) and the individual strands alternate pos and negative, so you don't have to worry about a good ground in the earth. It seems like relatively few AK residents worry about a bear fence, but they also usually have a bear tag in their pocket.
 

realunlucky

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I used a three strand setup with the center grounding so you have to touch top and center or bottom and center to complete the circuit and shock. This takes the worry out of finding a good ground

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I hunted caribou and moose in the area you are talking about going to. My buddy arrowed a caribou and I arrowed a moose and 'bou as well. One evening shortly after dark and retiring to the two man backpack tent, we had a grizzly show up. He sniffed the tent wall 6" or so from my head! If you ever want to feel small and insignificant that will do it! I not sure if I took a breath for about 5 minutes! Luckily he left and later found my moose carcass.

On another trip to the north slope we had a sow and cub sniff our tent wall at mid-night. They walked all around checking things out before leaving. Makes you realize you are just part of the food chain. Good luck!
 

Jimss

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I sheep hunted several years ago in an area with no trees. Every time we returned to camp something new was tore up around our camp. I would be a lot more concerned about bears tearing up your camp when you are gone than when you are there! The only way to keep your camp from getting tore up when gone is likely a hotwire fence! If you think about it, there likely is no place you can put your food that is away from bears if there are no trees! You can always store it in bear-proof containers. If you can somehow rig your food and downed game in a separate spot from your camp...that may also be a good idea? What do you do once you have a caribou down and are away from camp hunting? You obviously don't want a bear tearing into your meat, cape, and antlers! The biggest thing for bears is not to surprise them...especially a sow with cubs! Keep the wind direction in mind and let them smell or hear you.
 

MTNRCHR

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There is also a BIG difference between Montana grizzlies and Alaska grizzlies just from the simple fact that the bears in the lower 48 have never been hunted.
It falls in the same line as the "dinner bell" gun shot bears. Oh how easy it would be to guide bear hunts if that were the case...
That said, the best bear deterrent is a tag in the pocket!
 

Trule

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How was your caribou hunt? Did you have a good experience with Mike Odin? Was his hunt plan worth the expense? I'm planning a trip for next August and would appreciate any feedback you can provide.

Thanks!
 
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Are the bear tags in Alaska pretty tough to draw for an out of stater, i havnt much heard of anyone doing both species.
 

AKBorn

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Are the bear tags in Alaska pretty tough to draw for an out of stater, i havnt much heard of anyone doing both species.

Black bear tags for a non-res in AK are over the counter. Unless you have a second degree of kindred in Alaska who hunts with you, non-residents are required to hire a guide to hunt grizzlies.

If it weren't for that law, I believe I could have shot 1-3 nice grizzlies in the past 8-9 years...
 

Labdad

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That guide law for NRs saved a lot of dall sheeps their lives. I would had sheep hunted every yeary ....
 
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