KraigWY... can you PM me some places or outfitters for those hunts please? I can't afford big game hunts in the Rockies, but this sounds fun.
WB300, I never used "ourfitters" in Alaska. A couple of charters, but no guides. Also I retired and left Alaska in '94.
Most of my dealings with bears was when I lived with the natives. I was and XO of one Native NG company, and CO of another. Hunting polar bears for non-natives is not legal, Browns as a non-resident is an expensive proposition. You have to have a guide, or hunt with a relative. Blacks are quite common and cheap to hunt even as a non resident. They are over populated in a lot of areas and they arent hunted that much.
In the interior, find some blue berry patches (which are all over the place) and you'll find blacks in the spring. Bears are night feeders, but in the spring in the interior of Alaska (late May-June) its shooting light all night long.
Its best if you know someone but black bear hunting in the interior of Alaska is pretty simple. Head to Alaska, once you cross from Canada, drive to Tok, Glenallen, and points south as you come upon a rise you can look across the country and see miles and miles of alders and blueberry brush. Several places you can find a two track road, take one (or several), once away from the highway find a high spot and glass at night. If you've found blueberrys youll find bears.
If you ever watched those Alaskan (non reality) reality shows, you see some where villagers panic because they discover a bear in the town dump. Thats silly, every dump in Alaska has bears. But we've all heard, you are what you eat, Bears are no different, animal is. For example you can buy grass fed beef, or grain fed beef, there is a huge difference in the meat of those two steers. Bears that eat garbage are going to taste like garbage, they eat fish they will have a greasy fish taste. But if they eat blue berries, roots and such, they are going to be better tasting.
A note about Alaska: Its not like you think. I first went there in 60-61 when my father was stationed at Eilson AFB near Fairbanks, it was wild and as we often think Alaska could be. I went back in '72, then lived in Lignite (3 miles north of Healy on the rail road, and it was still Alaska, if you go off the high way you could hunt. I moved to Anchorage and it started to change. You had to get away from town. I chose the rivers. But now, even the rivers are bumper to bumper, boats instead of cars. You have to fly out.
The interior is a bit different if you get away from town, but the highways, and ever the interior rivers are crowded.
Alaska is huge, but limited. The AK Native Claims Act set aside a lot of the state for Natives. Environmentalist set aside a lot of the state as protected wilderness. A lot of country, which a large percentage is locked up. State land is still available, but they still have restrictions. In the 70s you could just hike out, find a spot, put up a cabin and go on about your business. Not any more.
If I was to go back to live (which I wont) I'd go back to the West Coast on the Bering sea and live with the natives. But its hard to be accepted by natives You have to gain their trust, Once that happens you are part of the village, which means you are part of the family.
Hunting is a heck of a lot better right hear in Wyoming. If I do go back, and I will, it will be for a short visit, maybe a fishing charter out of Seward or Homer. Relatively cheap and good fishing. Wyoming has good fishing, but no halibut and salmon.
Sorry for the rambling, but No Sir, I dont know anything about the Outfitters and Guides, except they come and go, and it takes big bucks. Do an internet search but before you sign up get their references. It they are any good, they will furnish them. Dont be afraid to call his past clients. That is the only way you'll get the truth.
I only went out with one guide. He was funny but a joke. He had to leave the state because he owes the city and harbor master in Valdez a lot of money. Any way we were suppose to be goat hunting. Saw goats but you couldnt get to them in the time he gave us. He got drunk and I had to drive the boat back to valdez. I've never driven a boat that size, It was dark and cloudy and you couldnt see the stars or mountains on either side of the sound. He didnt have any compass or other navigation devices on the boat. Only way I found Valdez was when I spotted a Oil Tanker, riding high in the water, meaning empty and assumed he was heading to Valdez for another load.
You havent until, in the pitch black night, you ran into the wake of a super tanker. The only saving grace the guy owed me so the trip didnt cost anything. Otherwise he would have been one of the many unknown soles lost at sea.
Ive had some great times in Alaska, swamped boats in the Nenana River. Rescued by the Coast Guard, Jumped into Galena when it was 65 below, even run off by the Russians when our skin boat got too close to the Russian Navy Base on Big Diamode Island.
Alaska changed and I got old. There are a lot of things I'd like to do, but at 70, not likely. For example, lately I been studying the North West Passage. That is tempting. Good thing my wife has more sense then I do.
To the young reading this. Doing stupid stuff makes some interesting stories to tell your grandkids. Don't put your dreams on hold. Life is met to be lived. There is an old Western Saying "I'D RATHER SPEND 8 SECONDS IN THE SADDLE THEN A LIFE TIME IN THE STANDS"
