Alaska: as observer/support for a brown bear/grizzly hunt

[Foxi]

A question to the AH group:
A thought has been occupying my mind for quite some time now: I would absolutely love to participate in a brown bear or grizzly hunt in Alaska—specifically as a companion.
Before anyone starts hyperventilating:
My goal is not to shoot a bear myself.
The stalk, the wilderness experience, and the photography alone would make the entire trip worth it for me.
However, the costs for a non-resident bear hunt in Alaska fall into a price range that my bank account would prefer to view only from a safe distance .
That gave me an idea: perhaps there is an experienced bear hunter who is heading out anyway and could use a reliable companion?
Naturally, I would contribute generously to the costs—covering bush flights, horses (I’m experienced with them), provisions, and whatever else is involved. I have no idea what the final tally might look like, but I certainly don’t want to be a financial burden on anyone.
I’ve also gathered a fair bit of experience in the wilderness and outdoors—Europe, Africa, and Canada are already on my list.
I still have all my camping gear, I’m fit and good on my feet, and I’m generally considered an easy-going guy.
Here is what I would expect from a potential hunting partner:

A sense of humor. Especially when it’s raining.
Even *more* humor if it turns out my culinary skills fall more into the "edible" category than the "legendary" one.
A sense of humor when you hear my English.
Experience in the wilderness !!!!
Safe and responsible handling of firearms !!!
No sudden romantic overtures toward me—or toward high-proof spirits—while we’re out in the middle of nowhere.
Absolutely legal hunting practices. I’m allergic to poaching and any other "creative" interpretations of hunting regulations.
Not being a serial killer. My wife, for one, would greatly appreciate it if I returned home in one piece and in good health.

It’s probably too late to make this happen this year, but perhaps next year? Hence my question to the group:Is this idea completely unrealistic, or are there actually experienced bear hunters who prefer not to go out alone and would welcome a reliable companion?
Many thanks for your opinions, experiences—and feel free to include reasons why I’m crazy for wanting something like this (according to my wife).

Foxi

 

[Betterinthebush]

Uh.., no. I’ve no time to be on an unpaid Alaska photo safari while I’m hunting. Catch a flight to Anchorage. Rent space with a good tour group and go see Denali NP&P. It’s worth it.

 

[Foxi]

Uh.., no. I’ve no time to be on an unpaid Alaska photo safari while I’m hunting. Catch a flight to Anchorage. Rent space with a good tour group and go see Denali NP&P. It’s worth it.

No, that’s not the kind of trip I’m looking for, as you’re suggesting.
I’d rather go camping there with a friend for a few days.
I want to go with a hunter, not stumble around the area on a photo safari ,or sign up at the McNeil River, because otherwise everything is swamped with tourists.

In the online edition of “Alaska Outdoor Magazine,” some residents are looking for a reliable partner.
But I don’t know anyone there.
I’ve been here for 15 years and know how to judge the quality of quite a few members—that gives me peace of mind.
Thanks for your time to give me an answer.
Foxi

 

[trperk1]

You'd have better luck helping on a moose/bear combo. Having another back to haul a moose out is more beneficial

 

[revturbo9967]

I’m headed to the brooks range in 27 for grizzly. It will be difficult for you to find someone who footed the bill to get there for you to tag along. I’m around 20k deep for this hunt and that’s on the cheap end seeing interior grizzly isn’t as sought after as the coastal bears.

 

[Muskox]

If I lived in Alaska, I would host you. I think this is a reasonable question.

I think you are comparing Alaska tourism to our European tourism. Alaska national Parks are the size of European countries.

Yeah there is probably a lot of assholes at the bear viewing area, but you could easily come over and drive around in remote Alaska away from the tourist. Alaska is the size of mainland Europe after all.

Fly into Anchorage and rent a 4x4 pickup or better SUV that you could sleep in. Hike throughout the road system, and see a lot of wildlife. I believe non-resident aliens can hunt small game in Alaska without a guide, if not then look int he Yukon and NWT.

You are welcome to come on your own dime if you want to experience a lower 48 when I move back. If I end up in back Alaska you are welcome to do that.

Even Yellowstone in September will be mostly empty if you want to see a lot of wildlife.

Not in 2026, but maybe in 2027 you could come over and experience some western North American wilderness hunts. Hunt small game, and maybe fish.

Not outfitted, not any money changing hands.

It be ideal to hunt together here in Europe before a major wilderness test hunt.

 

[Muskox]

I’m headed to the brooks range in 27 for grizzly. It will be difficult for you to find someone who footed the bill to get there for you to tag along. I’m around 20k deep for this hunt and that’s on the cheap end seeing interior grizzly isn’t as sought after as the coastal bears.

That is not what he is saying at all.

 

[Foxi]

Muskox
"It be ideal to hunt together here in Europe before a major wilderness test hunt"
That would be really ideal.
Im going in autumn to the red deer rut to Hungary........

I have a few dreams in North America.
Canoeing in Wood Buffalo National Park
a mountain trek in the Mackenzie Mountains, and I’d love to accompany a bear hunter in Alaska.
As I said, I would cover the overhead costs—flight into the bush and back, etc.
@ revturbo9967
either misunderstood me, or I didn’t express myself clearly, which I don’t think is the case.
I want to accompany an Alaskan resident with no guide and not a guided tourist from the Lower 48.
I’m a tourist myself, after all.
@trperk1
no bad idea

p.s.
In the NWT’s, you can easily get a small game license as a non-Canadian, so I’d also have a shotgun with me while camping—just in case.
But it’s just an incredibly long way to get there.
I'm in Alaska in 9 hours.

So, good nigth to US
I'm keep on dreaming.
Foxi

 

[fourfive8]

I understand your question exactly. It’s a good question and nothing wrong with the idea. Since non residents have to be guided, it would probably be a no go for a third party to tag along on a guided hunt as you described. You would need to find and befriend a resident which would involve gaining trust between you and them. Fulfilling a trip like you describe, while an understandable desire, is going to be a tall order and not likely to be realized as you envision. A few moons ago I tagged along as a back up gunner and non hunting companion on my nephew’s bear hunt on Kodak Island. We were close relatives and had fished and hunted together for years. There are a lot of bears in Alaska. I run into a ton of brown bears every time I fish there- especially in August/September. An alternative to a tag along hunt would be to book an early fall fishing trip in one of areas with high bear densities. I used to always run into bears, mostly brown bears but occasionally black bears, when hunting caribou, a constant problem when handling and retrieving game like caribou. Just thinking of alternatives for experiencing bears in the wild other than during a bear hunt. You can always fly to King Salmon, take the water taxi up to Brooks, watch bears from the deck chasing salmon at the falls then go back to King Salmon—- kind of kidding but a lot of people from around the world do exactly that

 

[Wildwillalaska]

I agree that it’s a reasonable inquiry, but one that will come with needed advanced notice and planning. Most of your interior grizzly hunts and brown bear hunts will occur in more remote areas that folks have taken time to either plan on flying, boating or atv’ing back into their desired hunting area. Having an additional person along will mean an additional bush flight possibly or need for an additional atv, none of which is impossible but will require planning and still carry some not so insignificant expense.

My home area is one exception. Here on the Kenai Peninsula we had such a surplus and over-population of bears that by the time the feds were willing to release their census data, it had reached a critical tipping point. Our moose, caribou and sheep populations were down (Moose mostly impacted) and we were having way way too many human conflicts with bears, even inside Soldotna city limits. Case in point during the moose calving season think it was 2012 or 2013 they had several different brown bears chasing moose calves through peoples back yards, and our local pharmacy and hospital parking lots. I had several bears coming through my property and yard that summer.

As a result, they opened and significantly liberalized the brown bear season on the Kenai to include taking brown bears over bait. We’d had black bear baiting for years, and it was good but was always a timing issue because once a brown bear found it and decided he liked what you offered, then it became more of a hassle/liability than anything. So we were always cautious to use sweets vs any type of meat for baits, usually also using smaller holes and things that a black bear would fiddle with to get what he wanted but a brown bear would find frustrating, try to break open and then move on. If a brownie liked your bait sight, he’d make it his own like a kill and try to keep others and black bears away. So when they allowed us to start taking brown bears on bait sites, it really helped thin out those problem bears and also some absolute huge, old bears too. By the time they opened it, I was no longer doing a bait site myself or much bear hunting at all. I’d taken my fill of both black and brown/grizz. I did go for a final brown bear hunt in 2020 with several guide/outfitter friends since the spring season closed due to covid. It was more to hunt with my buds who I never get to hunt with since hunting season with when they earn their living. I did take a BIG brown bear that measured into Boone & Crockett and squared 10’4”. It was my biggest. And that fall while helping my ex-wife on her Dall sheep hunt, I took likely my oldest interior grizzly. I don’t target them anymore, but I also don’t mess around with them. If I come across one remotely close to camp, I’ll take it while things are in my favor vs having to deal with it in the middle of the night in my underwear while it’s trying to carry off moose/sheep/caribou meat.

So, I can’t personally offer to host as I’m not planning a specific bear hunt anytime soon, but think it’s perfectly fine to ask to go along. If willing to help pack and able to take care of yourself, you could prove an additional asset to a hunting party. I would just keep a thick skin as some folks will appear to come off shitty or rude, even make fun of you asking. Others will not, and sooner or later someone will say sure, c’mon. I’ve done a few several hunts, and a couple were due to hunting partners having something with life/work/family come up and had to bail last minute. In those cases, I would have welcomed someone along to help with field preparing the animal and packing. You could also post in the Alaska sections of the **NOT**PERMITTED** and 24hrcampfire forums which get way, way more Alaskan traffic.

Good luck. Here is my little DIY, self-guided, Alaska Peninsula brownie from 2020.

 

[Wildwillalaska]

This is an ancient old interior grizzly taken up high in the Tok Management Area on a sheep hunt, also in 2020, just fall vs spring above. Also the skulls of each side-by-side showing the dramatic size difference between coastal brown bear and interior grizzly.

The big brown beat was from a 1-bear every 4-years area, and the interior grizzly was taken in a predation control area where residents can take 1 or 2 every year…can’t recall the limit that year.

 

[Altitude sickness]

It’s not a bad idea at all. Without a guide means a NR drop camp for moose or black bears. Or a resident hunt for big bears. Both the resident and NR drop camp style hunt requires each member of the team to trust each other (A lot). And that comes from experience. Not a written resume. I’ve learned the hard way. Who I will share a tent with for two weeks in potentially rainy, cold Alaska.

Of course, in a guided situation, the
Guide doesn’t have a choice in taking only experienced friends, but he’s getting paid to take that risk.

Perhaps you could book a coastal black bear boat based hunt. They are affordable. You fish and crab during slow hunting periods. And may see remote wild brown bears also.

 

[Foxi]

I have previously hunted black and brown bears with success.But a couple of years ago. Currently, however, I am saving up for an elephant hunt—after all, one must let one's dreams grow; otherwise, they eventually become too small.
A vacation in Alaska, I believe, should still fall within my budget, without getting too much in the way of that coveted African safari.
Life, after all, isn't an "either-or" proposition, but often simply a matter of patience.

Recently, I reread that magnificent book, *No Room for Bears*, by Frank Dufresne.
Since then, I’ve found myself on a full-blown "bear kick" once again—at least in my mind, I am already roaming the Alaskan wilderness.

Has anyone here read this book? It was published around 1962 and is likely only available through antiquarian booksellers these days. To me, it is one of those works that serves as a reminder that the wilderness is not merely a spot on a map, but also a state of the soul.

Thank you all for your responses so far. Naturally, I’m hoping for a few more—especially those that give me the courage not to throw in the towel too soon.
As we like to say here in Europe:
Constant dripping wears away the stone.
Sometimes, a dream simply takes longer to realize than a hunting trip.
Your magnificent photos alone make this thread more than worthwhile.
They fuel the longing—and longing, as we know, is the sustenance of every adventurer.I’m sticking with it.
For the world needs fools—and even more so, it needs their dreams. Without them, there would be no discoveries, no stories, and, presumably, no wilderness hunts in the future.

Best regards from the mountains in Tyrol.
Foxi

 

[fourfive8]

You can also save up for a 1x1 hunt of your own . But sadly, no matter where in AK for brown bear hunts, the price increases have steadily outpaced other hunts except for possibly sheep. Outpaced basic cost of living and inflation by a wide margin. Boomer demand has driven these prices, IMO. Maybe just have to set a priority, sit out hunts elsewhere for a couple years, save up and do it. There are plenty of bears for the foreseeable future. Just be prepared to hunt and walk in hip boots in bad weather and sloggy tundra.

 

[Tanks]

A thought has been occupying my mind for quite some time now: I would absolutely love to participate in a brown bear or grizzly hunt in Alaska—specifically as a companion.
...
The stalk, the wilderness experience, and the photography alone would make the entire trip worth it for me.
However, the costs for a non-resident bear hunt in Alaska fall into a price range that my bank account would prefer to view only from a safe distance .
That gave me an idea: perhaps there is an experienced bear hunter who is heading out anyway and could use a reliable companion?

Are you a youthful female. tall. and athletic blonde? Asking for a friend that could use a reliable companion.

 

[SafariCurious]

How about Colorado this September for a black bear and antelope (American Pronghorn) hunting and trout fishing trip?

I drew a muzzle-loader doe antelope tag in Colorado this year, and I'm planning to pick up a bear tag that overlaps some of the same season and area, and attempt to harvest one of each over a few day period.

I'm not a super experienced big game hunter yet, but I have jumped in with both feet the last few years. Last year I got a doe Antelope on my own, and a black bear with a guide.

I also like fishing for trout, and there are lots and lots of great places to fish for trout in the area.

I'd want to meet at least briefly first before potentially agreeing to spend multiple days together, but I live in Las Vegas, so if you want an excuse to come to Vegas sometime before summer ends, come on over and we can talk in person over lunch.

 

[BAY]

Muskox
"It be ideal to hunt together here in Europe before a major wilderness test hunt"
That would be really ideal.
Im going in autumn to the red deer rut to Hungary........

I have a few dreams in North America.
Canoeing in Wood Buffalo National Park
a mountain trek in the Mackenzie Mountains, and I’d love to accompany a bear hunter in Alaska.
As I said, I would cover the overhead costs—flight into the bush and back, etc.
@ revturbo9967
either misunderstood me, or I didn’t express myself clearly, which I don’t think is the case.
I want to accompany an Alaskan resident with no guide and not a guided tourist from the Lower 48.
I’m a tourist myself, after all.
@trperk1
no bad idea

p.s.
In the NWT’s, you can easily get a small game license as a non-Canadian, so I’d also have a shotgun with me while camping—just in case.
But it’s just an incredibly long way to get there.
I'm in Alaska in 9 hours.

So, good nigth to US
I'm keep on dreaming.
Foxi

That dream can become a nightmare pretty fast in those mountains. Wondering around in the Mackenzie’s with a shotgun? That place is crawling with griz. Small game? Maybe a poor marmot or pika, if you are lucky. Hope you have the shotgun ready when the one covey of ptarmigan you see that day flush. Absolutely the wildest and most beautiful country I have ever been in. 12 miles side hilling through berry thickets with a light pack was a good day and it kicked my ass. I can’t imagine traversing any of those secondary mountain ridges or spurs without a guide. Serious country. Bring a pack raft for the river crossings. Deep, deep mountain wilderness that deserves the utmost respect and skill. If you really want to experience the Mackenzie’s and can’t afford a hunt, join a trip with Canoe North, great people.

 

[RedTag]

Not a terrible idea. You’re basically looking to hang out with an Alaskan resident friend when he kills a bear. Technically nothing wrong with that. But be careful. The Alaska state troopers just love to take away guns/trucks/atvs/boats/boots/etc. for the slightest infractions. If they suspect for a moment that some form of remuneration has been rendered in exchange for an unofficial guided hunt, they will make you and your friends wish you never heard of Alaska. I don’t make the rules, I just don’t trust those who enforce them.

 

[Foxi]

Not a terrible idea. You’re basically looking to hang out with an Alaskan resident friend when he kills a bear. Technically nothing wrong with that. But be careful. The Alaska state troopers just love to take away guns/trucks/atvs/boats/boots/etc. for the slightest infractions. If they suspect for a moment that some form of remuneration has been rendered in exchange for an unofficial guided hunt, they will make you and your friends wish you never heard of Alaska. I don’t make the rules, I just don’t trust those who enforce them

But I wouldn't give anyone any reason to make concrete assumptions.
After all, the U.S. is a country governed by the rule of law.
Just because I wear a red T-shirt every now and then doesn't mean I'm waving red flags for Putin.


@SafariCurios
Thanks for your kind offer, but Las Vegas is just too far for a cup of coffee.
The flights from Munich or Innsbruck are quite a hassle for that.
But ultimately, it has to start somewhere. Too bad you’re not from Alaska.


Constant bear attacks in Japan.

Google it.
They have too many bears there, too (and I’ve got plenty of ammo for that in my cupboard....)

Bear sightings in a city.
All schools there are closed.
The Japanese don't seem to be keen hunters, or are the Greenies overprotecting everything again?

 

[Beck]

I agree that it’s a reasonable inquiry, but one that will come with needed advanced notice and planning. Most of your interior grizzly hunts and brown bear hunts will occur in more remote areas that folks have taken time to either plan on flying, boating or atv’ing back into their desired hunting area. Having an additional person along will mean an additional bush flight possibly or need for an additional atv, none of which is impossible but will require planning and still carry some not so insignificant expense.

My home area is one exception. Here on the Kenai Peninsula we had such a surplus and over-population of bears that by the time the feds were willing to release their census data, it had reached a critical tipping point. Our moose, caribou and sheep populations were down (Moose mostly impacted) and we were having way way too many human conflicts with bears, even inside Soldotna city limits. Case in point during the moose calving season think it was 2012 or 2013 they had several different brown bears chasing moose calves through peoples back yards, and our local pharmacy and hospital parking lots. I had several bears coming through my property and yard that summer.

As a result, they opened and significantly liberalized the brown bear season on the Kenai to include taking brown bears over bait. We’d had black bear baiting for years, and it was good but was always a timing issue because once a brown bear found it and decided he liked what you offered, then it became more of a hassle/liability than anything. So we were always cautious to use sweets vs any type of meat for baits, usually also using smaller holes and things that a black bear would fiddle with to get what he wanted but a brown bear would find frustrating, try to break open and then move on. If a brownie liked your bait sight, he’d make it his own like a kill and try to keep others and black bears away. So when they allowed us to start taking brown bears on bait sites, it really helped thin out those problem bears and also some absolute huge, old bears too. By the time they opened it, I was no longer doing a bait site myself or much bear hunting at all. I’d taken my fill of both black and brown/grizz. I did go for a final brown bear hunt in 2020 with several guide/outfitter friends since the spring season closed due to covid. It was more to hunt with my buds who I never get to hunt with since hunting season with when they earn their living. I did take a BIG brown bear that measured into Boone & Crockett and squared 10’4”. It was my biggest. And that fall while helping my ex-wife on her Dall sheep hunt, I took likely my oldest interior grizzly. I don’t target them anymore, but I also don’t mess around with them. If I come across one remotely close to camp, I’ll take it while things are in my favor vs having to deal with it in the middle of the night in my underwear while it’s trying to carry off moose/sheep/caribou meat.

So, I can’t personally offer to host as I’m not planning a specific bear hunt anytime soon, but think it’s perfectly fine to ask to go along. If willing to help pack and able to take care of yourself, you could prove an additional asset to a hunting party. I would just keep a thick skin as some folks will appear to come off shitty or rude, even make fun of you asking. Others will not, and sooner or later someone will say sure, c’mon. I’ve done a few several hunts, and a couple were due to hunting partners having something with life/work/family come up and had to bail last minute. In those cases, I would have welcomed someone along to help with field preparing the animal and packing. You could also post in the Alaska sections of the **NOT**PERMITTED** and 24hrcampfire forums which get way, way more Alaskan traffic.

Good luck. Here is my little DIY, self-guided, Alaska Peninsula brownie from 2020.View attachment 768268View attachment 768269View attachment 768270View attachment 768271View attachment 768272

Gnarly looking tooth on that guy, I wonder how that happened