Black BearNovember 22, 2010

Ursus Americanus is the Alaskan Big Game Animal that has about as extensive a habitat distribution as can be found for any one species. They range over most of the State and can be found from Alaska’s Arctic, South into Mexico, and from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Coast. The natural color of their pelt varies and includes the rare creamy white and glacier blue sub-species, or the more common colors of brown, cinamon, blond, mousy grey, and raven black. They live comfortably in the Arctic, where 6 feet of snow covers the top of their dens, or in the high deserts of New Mexico and Arizona where they might den in the sandy soil under a tree root system. Size can vary a great deal where some populations of adult bears average four and a half to five and a half feet square, while at the other end of the scale some huge Black Bear can be found living around the farming country in Pennsylvania or along the Coastal Salmon streams in Alaska. Trophies selected from these well fed bear populations can average over six feet square with some monsters going over seven feet. As one might expect, the methods of hunting Black Bear are numerous. Hunting from tree stands that are placed over bait stations is probably the most common and is done extensively in Canada and also in a number of States in the US. Hunting with dogs is another popular method that can provide more excitement.

Enjoy an easy hunt in the Spring for the monster Coastal Black Bear that can be found along the shoreline coves and meadows filling themselves with beach grass. Black Bear hunting can also be done on stands where we pattern the Black Bear and can select the larger record book boars. These are spectacular Coastal Black Bear that can measure to an awesome 8 foot square. Since beginning the hunting operation, on the private property in Icy Bay, the success rate has been 100% on spring hunts. In 2009 eight hunters harvested 8 trophy Black Bear. Seven Black Bear made the record book with 4 of the Black Bear measuring 7 foot square or over. The largest was 7 foot 6 inches.

When you consider the hunt location on the wild and primeval Coastline of Alaska, the daily spectacular scenic beauty, the abundance of animals, sea birds and marine life such as Whales and Sea Otters, the large numbers of trophy sized Black Bear, and the quality of service and comfort offered on this hunt, this safari will be remembered as one of your most outstanding hunting experiences!