Kodiak Bear

[ENCORE50A]

I'd been thinking of a Kodiak bear hunt for years. Like everything else, something always comes up. Yes, I'd use my muzzleloader.

Well I guess its something I should have been saving for instead of just thinking about it. The cheapest reputable outfitter I can find is $21,000. By the time you include everything, you're talking a $30,000+ hunt!
The boat based hunts are expensive as all get out. From reputable guides, prices start at $27,000, so you'd end up with at least $35,000+ into the hunt.

I don't believe its going to happen. Already took that out of the bucket.............

 

[michiganmuzzy]

Dang! I bet you could buy a live bear for that price… and teach him how to load your ML, cook, and carry all your gear, too.

 

[.45er]

I'd been thinking of a Kodiak bear hunt for years. Like everything else, something always comes up. Yes, I'd use my muzzleloader.

Well I guess its something I should have been saving for instead of just thinking about it. The cheapest reputable outfitter I can find is $21,000. By the time you include everything, you're talking a $30,000+ hunt!
The boat based hunts are expensive as all get out. From reputable guides, prices start at $27,000, so you'd end up with at least $35,000+ into the hunt.

I don't believe its going to happen. Already took that out of the bucket.............

No doubt it would fall into that category as a hunt of a lifetime. If I were young and rich it sounds challenging and adventurous. However I'll have to settle on watching the Kodiak Bear hunt on the TV show MOUNTAIN MEN.

 

[retrieverman]

I used to have a hunting bucket list, but after acquiring the place in Oklahoma, I threw the bucket away. My bank account won’t allow me to have both, and I really love my place up there.

 

[snapbang]

As a young man a friend and I did several non guided Colorado Elk hunts. First rifle. We used to sleep on the side of mountains and woke up a few times with everything froze solid. Thankfully not us. We slept under tarps on a rope between two trees. Caught brook trout to eat. I was able to score two bulls in those six trips.

I think those were my dream hunts. The other day I sold my 2009 Colorado with 258,000 miles and had to dig up the title. In with the title were pics of those hunts. What first struck me in the pics was not the bull on the ground but the scenery. Aaahhh the scenery. Im so glad I did it when I could because those days are gone.

I saw my buddy a few weeks ago when we planned our hunting and fishing for this coming year. I told him we were just stupid or had a lot of balls doing what we did. I got no argument. So if some day you see me sitting at the retirement home with a smile on my face you know where my head will be at. Good Luck.

 

[ENCORE50A]

......................... Im so glad I did it when I could because those days are gone.............

I'm afraid those days are well past me too. At 71yrs old and with health issues, I better just watch the Outdoor Channel.

 

[snapbang]

I better just watch the Outdoor Channel.

You Tube has some pretty good stuff.

 

[Bushfire]

Are grizzly on the DIY list for US non residents?


I'm a diy hunter at heart but accept some things can't be done that way. I've done 3 guided hunts to date, and only because they gave me the freedom to do it my way. No interest in following someone at heel like a pup until they point at an animal and tell me to shoot.

Prices are ridiculous now. My last year at university you could find dall sheep and moose hunts for around $10k aud and grizzly about $15k. Figured I'd be able to do it inside 10 years. 12 or 13 years later and those same hunts are between $40-50k each Australian. It's like that everywhere unfortunately. Around the same time a rusa hunt here in Australia was around $3-3.5k, now they want $6-9k. Purely because folks are willing to pay it. We have 6 deer species in Aus, Been at 5 for the last eight years and don't think I'll ever finish it now.

I hunted two buffalo in 2021 for $4500 usd. Now at the same outfitter a single bull is $6500 usd. Chatted to the guide last night on the phone, he'll no longer take less than 3 clients as it's not worth his while. Glad I did it then, I'll never bother again.

I considered hunting kyrgyzstan this year for ibex but with price increases, mandatory tips, and usd:aud conversion it was around $15k. Tahr may not be as attractive but I can diy hunt them in NZ for $1500.
I'm planning on a Scotland roe hunt this year with my brother and father, only because we're looking at a discounted rate and a semi diy type freedom.

Other than that I'm just saving my points up for WY. Won't be paying $10k Australian for an elk or mule deer guide though, I'll take my chances diy.

 

[rickiesrevenge]

Its pretty crazy how expensive they are. If you want a truly big brown bear I'd look at the Alaska Peninsula. Not saying big bears don't come off Kodiak, but there are bigger on Unimak and the Peninsula. At your age I'd just take out a loan and go do it. Only live once.

I had a tag on Kodiak for the 2021 season. Went, but didn't see the right bear so I didn't shoot one. I could have but it wasn't the right one.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Hunts of a lifetime was something I just lost interest in. It became such a rich man’s game I respectfully bowed out. They can have it.

I bought a chunk of land for myself as that was also on the bucket list. It should have been number one all along because my hunting dreams are being fulfilled and then some on that tiny spit of land.

I did a workin man’s hunting trip for a King Ranch Nilgai hunt last month and as far as i am concerned, that is the best bang for your buck in guided big game hunting today.