Every year I head to AK for a little fishing and hunting trip. My brother is a pilot up in Homer. This year one of our friends drew a goat tag for Bradley Lake area. While he goes for goat might look at some black bears and fish the lake. Anyone ever spend any time up there?
Bradley Lake - AK Goat and Black Bear
- Thread starter Sawdog
- Start date
skipper907
FNG
I have hunted the permit about 9yrs ago. We saw only black bear and not a lot of goats. We went in the end of Sep or first of oct. we got dropped off about half way down the lake
- Thread Starter
- #3
Thank you for the info - hoping we get something
- Thread Starter
- #5
Really late update.
We flew in on Thursday and set up a base camp about 10 minutes from the lake shore. That summer had been really wet and windy and we landed to nice bluebird weather. Many up there said we had the nicest week they had all summer up there. After base camp was done we started clearing trails. We had a small handsaw for each of us and trail clearing took the rest of the day. This trail was steep. There were times where we had to climb up 20’ rock faces and other times where you could reach out with your hand and touch the trail in front of you.
The next day our group split into 2. 2 hunters brought their gear to the high country for goat hunting and me and my brother stayed at base camp for bear hunting. We helped with a load to high country and found a few black bears to stalk. One bear disappeared in the fog but as we were stalking we saw a den of some animal. I never saw it but one other hunter who was below us said he could see a black wolverine following behind us on the ridge. On the way down we saw another black bear but it evaded us before we could get close enough to get a shot.
Day 3 my brother and I hiked back to spike camp to do another gear drop up there. But right when we got to spike camp we looked down at the base camp and saw a black bear less than 5 minutes away from our tents. I hurried back to the camp site (about 90 min hike) but no sign of any bear near our camp. Later that day we saw a bear poking out of the alders, my brother took a shot (200 yard) but missed. The bear walked off unimpressed.
The terrain of the lake is very steep. The lower area is mostly alders, hard to walk through and harder to see a bear. Once they go into the alders they are gone. Higher up from the lake there are lots of bears and its more open. However I was the only non Alaskan resident in the group and for them black bear is easier to find on easier hunts. After a few days of hiking up and down to spike camp I wasnt finding anyone really wanting to do the hike with a ¼ of a black bear. OR 2 or 3 times up and down the trail packing out a bear.
Now I should mention the bugs. Not mosquitos but biting black flies. The weather was calm and sunny which meant we were swarmed from sun up to past sundown by thousands of black flies. Swatting your arm you would hit at least 30. My brother is a pilot up there and rarely uses any bug spray or nets. I know. This was a bad oversite. I have been hunting up there every year for the past 6 years and never been an issue during end of September. I have never regretted anything more than not being up there with good bug protection. I ended up cutting up some game bags for head nets. They were better than nothing but will never go up again without. I ended up with a severe reaction which we couldn’t figure out at first. No Dr Google to ask. I had full body rash, tongue and throat swole up. Had trouble breathing. My right eye looked like I fought off Mike Tyson and lost.
Right at this point we heard a gun shot. Soon a text came in from the spike camp that they had shot a goat. I didn’t feel confident to do the hike up and over to the kill and then back down in the dark carrying a load so my brother made the trip up without me. Later that night they brought the goat back down and we ate backstraps and liver. The meat tasted mild with a hint of blueberries and mt tyme. Very good.
After the goat tag was filled the next day the wind started blowing. We were scheduled to leave but our float plane pilot couldn’t land on the lake. We spent the next 3 days pretty much stuck in our tents waiting for a calm day to get picked up. Friday the pilot was able to land and we flew back to Homer.
One very cool experience the goat hunters had was while they were stalking goats they came to a little stream. They saw a brown bear walking away from it and it huffed at them as it walked away. Then at the stream they saw a dead black bear – recently killed. Then as they were looking a the carcass a black wolverine came up and grabbed the bear head and ran off with it. It could only carry the head about 10 feet at a time, it would fall out of its mouth and it would grab it again and run another 10’.
All and all pretty good trip with some pretty hard work. I am pretty sure I am allergic to black flies which I didn’t know. I will never go up again without bug protection and full box of Benadryl.
And no there are no fish in the lake.
We flew in on Thursday and set up a base camp about 10 minutes from the lake shore. That summer had been really wet and windy and we landed to nice bluebird weather. Many up there said we had the nicest week they had all summer up there. After base camp was done we started clearing trails. We had a small handsaw for each of us and trail clearing took the rest of the day. This trail was steep. There were times where we had to climb up 20’ rock faces and other times where you could reach out with your hand and touch the trail in front of you.
The next day our group split into 2. 2 hunters brought their gear to the high country for goat hunting and me and my brother stayed at base camp for bear hunting. We helped with a load to high country and found a few black bears to stalk. One bear disappeared in the fog but as we were stalking we saw a den of some animal. I never saw it but one other hunter who was below us said he could see a black wolverine following behind us on the ridge. On the way down we saw another black bear but it evaded us before we could get close enough to get a shot.
Day 3 my brother and I hiked back to spike camp to do another gear drop up there. But right when we got to spike camp we looked down at the base camp and saw a black bear less than 5 minutes away from our tents. I hurried back to the camp site (about 90 min hike) but no sign of any bear near our camp. Later that day we saw a bear poking out of the alders, my brother took a shot (200 yard) but missed. The bear walked off unimpressed.
The terrain of the lake is very steep. The lower area is mostly alders, hard to walk through and harder to see a bear. Once they go into the alders they are gone. Higher up from the lake there are lots of bears and its more open. However I was the only non Alaskan resident in the group and for them black bear is easier to find on easier hunts. After a few days of hiking up and down to spike camp I wasnt finding anyone really wanting to do the hike with a ¼ of a black bear. OR 2 or 3 times up and down the trail packing out a bear.
Now I should mention the bugs. Not mosquitos but biting black flies. The weather was calm and sunny which meant we were swarmed from sun up to past sundown by thousands of black flies. Swatting your arm you would hit at least 30. My brother is a pilot up there and rarely uses any bug spray or nets. I know. This was a bad oversite. I have been hunting up there every year for the past 6 years and never been an issue during end of September. I have never regretted anything more than not being up there with good bug protection. I ended up cutting up some game bags for head nets. They were better than nothing but will never go up again without. I ended up with a severe reaction which we couldn’t figure out at first. No Dr Google to ask. I had full body rash, tongue and throat swole up. Had trouble breathing. My right eye looked like I fought off Mike Tyson and lost.
Right at this point we heard a gun shot. Soon a text came in from the spike camp that they had shot a goat. I didn’t feel confident to do the hike up and over to the kill and then back down in the dark carrying a load so my brother made the trip up without me. Later that night they brought the goat back down and we ate backstraps and liver. The meat tasted mild with a hint of blueberries and mt tyme. Very good.
After the goat tag was filled the next day the wind started blowing. We were scheduled to leave but our float plane pilot couldn’t land on the lake. We spent the next 3 days pretty much stuck in our tents waiting for a calm day to get picked up. Friday the pilot was able to land and we flew back to Homer.
One very cool experience the goat hunters had was while they were stalking goats they came to a little stream. They saw a brown bear walking away from it and it huffed at them as it walked away. Then at the stream they saw a dead black bear – recently killed. Then as they were looking a the carcass a black wolverine came up and grabbed the bear head and ran off with it. It could only carry the head about 10 feet at a time, it would fall out of its mouth and it would grab it again and run another 10’.
All and all pretty good trip with some pretty hard work. I am pretty sure I am allergic to black flies which I didn’t know. I will never go up again without bug protection and full box of Benadryl.
And no there are no fish in the lake.
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backstrap billy
FNG
- Joined
- Dec 3, 2020
- Messages
- 11
Those are killer photos. You know of anyone ever taking a water taxi over and hiking the road up to Bradley?
Blind Squirrel
Lil-Rokslider
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2021
- Messages
- 146
Great report. Very jealous of guys living in AK.
CRJR45
WKR
Beautiful ! And black flies are the debil , momma said .
- Thread Starter
- #10
I dont see why you couldnt - over even bring over an ATV... Def things we thought about.
- Thread Starter
- #11
Well and now I will never do any backcountry trips without an Epipen. Never had any issues with bug bites in my younger days but man this was sketchy!
Great adventure and memories for a lifetime with your brother...priceless! Thank you for sharing the story and pictures for us to enjoy.
My son and I drew a goat tag near your hunt location several years ago...truly beautiful country and steep climbs! My son took his first goat...a nice mature billy. Saw lots of black bears as well, but we weren't hunting them that trip.
My son and I drew a goat tag near your hunt location several years ago...truly beautiful country and steep climbs! My son took his first goat...a nice mature billy. Saw lots of black bears as well, but we weren't hunting them that trip.
I live in Anchor Point, just up the road from Homer and drew this hunt for this year. I thought about the ATV route on the road as well. Did you explore this any further. DM me if you want.
- Thread Starter
- #14
AKTinesNTails
FNG
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2024
- Messages
- 4
The Bradley Lake road is a non-motorized road for public. Technically, you're not even allowed to use E-bikes. The road while allowed to be used by the public is a maintenance road specifically meant for the Dam. So don't ask the Powerplant crews to shuttle you b/c they can lose their jobs and you can get ticketed/fined for doing so. If your hiking that's one thing but ADFG has regs against that. Make sure to do your due diligence and check my info but I don't think it's changed since when I worked for ADFG. Don't hesitate to call in and ask the Bio's questions, they will help you the best they can. I also drew DG359 for this year. Hope this post didn't come off harsh, I've just been up there a lot over the years and have seen a lot of wild stuff. 
Yeah, I have decided against the road anyway. We are going 1st week of September, when are you thinking about going?The Bradley Lake road is a non-motorized road for public. Technically, you're not even allowed to use E-bikes. The road while allowed to be used by the public is a maintenance road specifically meant for the Dam. So don't ask the Powerplant crews to shuttle you b/c they can lose their jobs and you can get ticketed/fined for doing so. If your hiking that's one thing but ADFG has regs against that. Make sure to do your due diligence and check my info but I don't think it's changed since when I worked for ADFG. Don't hesitate to call in and ask the Bio's questions, they will help you the best they can. I also drew DG359 for this year. Hope this post didn't come off harsh, I've just been up there a lot over the years and have seen a lot of wild stuff.
AKTinesNTails
FNG
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2024
- Messages
- 4
I'm planning multiple trips up there for Recon. Definitely going to be there for the opener. If we can't make it happen on that trip, I'll go up the first and second week of September. Although, that is up in the air right now b/c of moose season.
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