Bear Bums - Bear Hunting

The four of us that are headed to Prince of Wales Island to hunt black bear and to fish in September just received a packet of information from Alaska Fish and Wild Life. I’m impressed by the help they sent. Alaska has a large variety of game and fish species so sorting through the paperwork can be a pain. The department put together a leaflet just for bear hunters.

Picture from Alaska’s Fish & Game site

The leaflet has a general information section then a good description of the units in Southeast Alaska. We’ll be in unit 2 at the Salmon Lake Cabin on the Karta River System.

I like the info they have about judging bears. There are about ten pointers in judging but the new one that make sense is a triangle method. On a big bear they point out the ear to ear distance is the same as the ear to nose distance. (an equilateral triangle) This of course is not true for a young bear who’s features show a greater ear to nose distance than its ear to ear distance.

Also described are shot placement, care of skull, hide and meat.

Included in the packet but separate from the booklet are large diagrams showing skinning techniques and vitals on large black bears. They even have a how to clean a skull handout.

With the added info I think a first time hunter could be greatly helped. The four of us have killed perhaps dozens of bears combines and we still find the booklets helpful and comforting.