Brown Bear on AK peninsula

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Mar 5, 2019
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I'm looking into doing a spring brown bear hunt on the AK peninsula, probably in 2022. I'm considering Joe Klutsch or Brent Jones and looking to see if anyone has hunted with either of these guys? I'm also open to any other guide recommendations if someone had a good experience.
I appreciate any information you can provide. Thanks!
 
OP
L
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Mar 5, 2019
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Thanks Vern, I will check him out. What do you think about the spring hunt vs the fall? I can see positives to each but the longer days make the spring hunt a little more appealing to me.
 

Wapiti1

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Vern beat me to it. Phil Shoemaker is as good as you will find. His daughter, Tia, does a lot of the guiding these days, and is solid. They should be a first choice.

Cabot Pitts is also worth a look on the Katmai. Phil usually has a waiting list.

Jeremy
 

Scottf270

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I hunted on Kodiak in the spring of 2014 with Scott Mileur. I had a great hunt and killed a 28 inch bear. I chose Kodiak over the peninsula because I could never get comfortable choosing an outfitter or area there.
Fast forward to 2019 and the itch to do the Peninsula led me to book an exploratory type kill fee hunt with Cabot Pitts. Due to crazy circumstances, I ended up at Cabots best area and hunted nearly the whole fall 19 season. Saw a ton of sows and cubs. Had a slam dunk shot at a younger nine footer but passed. Just not the bear I was after.
The fall of 19 was considered a bad weather year with low temps and wind etc. Cabot was 0 for 5 with me passing and 2 guys leaving on day two.
Cabot spoke extensively with Joey Klutsch and I think they did poor as well and lost some days to weather. I think I heard Phil's Grizzly Skins outfit was 4 for 6. No knowledge of bear size.
Cabot runs a good camp and is a good guy. I can't fault his effort. I was kinda disappointed after his phenomenal success fall of 17. I still don't know how I really feel about the Peninsula hunt compared to Kodiak. I ended up paying Cabot half the kill fee and still hunted the Peninsula. I was not out as much as the others which is some consolation I guess.
I think Alaska's great bears are safe from me for now. If I had to return I would likely return to Kodiak and hunt the Red Lake area with Mileur.
If I went back to the Peninsula, and paid full price, I'd call Phil for sure and I would not rule out another shot with Cabot.
Just remember, a lot of outfits take a lot of hunters. Most outfits will kill a big bear or two most years. Your looking for the smaller quality service outfitter hopefully hunting a guide exclusive area that doesn't over extend themselves.
 
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VernAK

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Delta Jct, Alaska
Thanks Vern, I will check him out. What do you think about the spring hunt vs the fall? I can see positives to each but the longer days make the spring hunt a little more appealing to me.

Spring days are longer no doubt but I've known of several folks that tried spring and spring was late with bears still in the den. I've only hunted that area in fall and my 4 friends all chose fall.
 
OP
L
Joined
Mar 5, 2019
Messages
64
I hunted on Kodiak in the spring of 2014 with Scott Mileur. I had a great hunt and killed a 28 inch bear. I chose Kodiak over the peninsula because I could never get comfortable choosing an outfitter or area there.
Fast forward to 2019 and the itch to do the Peninsula led me to book an exploratory type kill fee hunt with Cabot Pitts. Due to crazy circumstances, I ended up at Cabots best area and hunted nearly the whole fall 19 season. Saw a ton of sows and cubs. Had a slam dunk shot at a younger nine footer but passed. Just not the bear I was after.
The fall of 19 was considered a bad weather year with low temps and wind etc. Cabot was 0 for 5 with me passing and 2 guys leaving on day two.
Cabot spoke extensively with Joey Klutsch and I think they did poor as well and lost some days to weather. I think I heard Phil's Grizzly Skins outfit was 4 for 6. No knowledge of bear size.
Cabot runs a good camp and is a good guy. I can't fault his effort. I was kinda disappointed after his phenomenal success fall of 17. I still don't know how I really feel about the Peninsula hunt compared to Kodiak. I ended up paying Cabot half the kill fee and still hunted the Peninsula. I was not out as much as the others which is some consolation I guess.
I think Alaska's great bears are safe from me for now. If I had to return I would likely return to Kodiak and hunt the Red Lake area with Mileur.
If I went back to the Peninsula, and paid full price, I'd call Phil for sure and I would not rule out another shot with Cabot.
Just remember, a lot of outfits take a lot of hunters. Most outfits will kill a big bear or two most years. Your looking for the smaller quality service outfitter hopefully hunting a guide exclusive area that doesn't over extend themselves.
I appreciate the info, I will do some more research and decide what are my best options. Sounds like you killed an awesome bear on your first hunt!
 
Joined
Mar 11, 2020
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South Central Alaska
I'm looking into doing a spring brown bear hunt on the AK peninsula, probably in 2022. I'm considering Joe Klutsch or Brent Jones and looking to see if anyone has hunted with either of these guys? I'm also open to any other guide recommendations if someone had a good experience.
I appreciate any information you can provide. Thanks!

Not sure if you already have plans locked in with a guide, but i thought i'd chime in - I don't personally have nor do i know anyone who has any experience with Klutsch or Jones, but if you're still deciding, i'd look up Matt Thoft, Billy Molls, Rod Schuh, or Rich Guthrie. They all go out of Cold Bay or Sand Point and have real prime areas. One thing - Mr. Guthrie is getting pretty long-in-the-tooth and might not be flying anymore. Last i spoke with him was about a year and a half ago, and he told me then he probably only had another couple of seasons in him; he may be still employing a small team of guides though. I think any of those guys would at least be worth a call.

As mentioned though, Shoemaker has been in the brown bear game a long time and his resume surely speaks for itself.
 
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Joined
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Yeah, put me on the list for recommending Phil Shoemaker as well. I do think that he’s winding down towards retirement though, as his son and daughter are in the process of buying the lodge and taking over the business. That being said, both Taj and Tia are excellent guides also, and stand up folks to boot.


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OP
L
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Not sure if you already have you plans locked in with a guide, but i thought i'd chime in - I don't personally have nor do i know anyone who has any experience with Klutsch or Jones, but if you're still deciding, i'd look up Matt Thoft, Billy Molls, Rod Schuh, or Rich Guthrie. They all go out of Cold Bay or Sand Point and have real prime areas. One thing - Mr. Guthrie is getting pretty long-in-the-tooth and might not be flying anymore. Last i spoke with him was about a year and a half ago, and he told me then he probably only had another couple of seasons in him; he may be still employing a small team of guides though. I think any of those guys would at least be worth a call.

As mentioned though, Shoemaker has been in the brown bear game a long time and his resume surely speaks for itself.
Thanks for the other recommendations, I haven't locked anything down yet. I did speak to Take
 
OP
L
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Mar 5, 2019
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Thanks for all the recommendations, I didn't get anything locked down yet. I appreciate all the input from all the guys on this forum, I feel like the guys that replied to my post are very knowledgeable and I am taking their recommendations seriously. I did speak to Taj at Grizzly Skins and I really liked everything he had to say, I'm really considering booking something with them.
 

keller

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wi
I hunted with Rick Hoskins hunt Alaska outfitters on kodiak took a beautiful 9'6 bear perfect hide not bc but 27 11/16.couldnt have asked for more
 
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AK
I think the first thing to ask is, what are you looking for in the experience? Included in this is what type of bear you are looking for and/or would be happy with. Some guys are looking for 10 foot plus bears or nothing, and many outfitters in Alaska don't have the area with the potential that produces 10 foot bears. If you are a trophy hunter and have a certain type of bear in mind, many outfitters can be eliminated just on that. If the experience is the more important thing to you, with the type of bear being secondary, that will also be a factor which will help narrow down your choice of outfitters. You have received some good and bad recommendations already on this thread, but I think the most important thing to do first would be to define what you are looking for in the experience and trophy aspect of the hunt, then you can go forward in narrowing down your potential outfitters.

Josh
 
Joined
Jan 7, 2019
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Lafayette, in
I hunted with Alaska Skookum Guides operated by Lyle Becker. lyle guided for a guy named John Peterson I believe and bought his area when John retired (lyle has an area in the Alaska Wildlife Refuge too for moose, caribou and griz). Lyle is a great guy and ran a super camp. i had never hunted brown bears but Lyle was always willing to explain “why” and I couldnt have been happier. On day 3 I killed a 10’ + brownie...officially scored 27 8/16 BC. That was in 16....in 18, one if his clients took a real monster...scored 28 8/16. i also hunted with Lyles operation in the Refuge in 17. i would post bear pic of the brownie, but as a new guy I cant just yet. Will do so later if you want. Lyles area is in Unit 9 on the peninsula.
 
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Western Montana
OVIS OUTFITTERS: http://www.ovisoutfitters.com. Emily & Matt Thoft

I hunted grizzly bears on the north side of the Brooks Range in Alaska and had a fantastic time. Wonderful guides and outfitters. Food in camp was fantastic. Excellent equipment and they have a large area to hunt. I highly recommend these folks.

Besides grizzly bears, they do also hunt Brown Bears on the Alaska Peninsula.




 
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