It was cold and damp as the sunlight played through the giant Sitka Spruce trees in the primeval rain forest on the Lost Coast of Alaska. The deep cushion of vibrant green velvety moss covered everything and dampened the sounds of the Black Bear and Moose that often traveled the trails crossing in front of us. Over head the rich vocalizations of ancient ravens could be heard as they went about their business and squabbled over their daily bread. We’d named this particular stand “The Garden of Eden” because of its unique pristine qualities and its outstanding beauty. As I marveled over its splendor my mind wandered back to George Ramos, 85 year old Chief of the Tlingit Raven and Eagle Tribes in Yakutat. Recalling a story that George had related, I was awed as I considered that this primitive rain forest had not changed and was the same as it was over 70 years ago when George first visited it. He and his father had paddled a dugout canoe over 80 miles of treacherous ocean from Yakutat to the Lost Coast to hunt Moose and lay up a supply of meat for the winter. As I considered this rugged feat, my mind snapped back to attention when a twig broke to my left. The shadowy figure of a Black Bear magically appeared out of no where. It was the huge old Boar we’d named Goliath! He was the biggest Black Bear we’d seen all season.My name is Vern Humble. I’m an Alaskan Master Guide having guided in the State for over 35 years. My partner, Garrett Cox, had invited my two young grandsons to hunt Black Bear. Zale was 12 and Jonathan was 14. We would be hunting in our private concession at Icy Bay. It would be the first hunting adventure for both of these young men. They would be hunting for the large Coastal Black Bear that have been known to reach the enormous size of almost eight foot square in this country.
They began their preparation by shooting thousands of rounds through Red Rider BB guns at duct tape covered Ping Pong balls.
As the snow melted in Yakutat and the hunt neared Garrett and I, along with our crew, flew to Icy Bay. There had been a lot of snow during the winter and the struggles of the Moose were evident as we found many Willow Trees stripped of their bark up to the eight foot level. The bears were comfy in their dens and only a few were already out and moving about. The stands were put up and the conditioning process was started to get the Black Bear motivated to visit the hunting sites.
Finally D Day arrived and Jonathan flew down from Anchorage. From Yakutat he flew out to the hunting camp and was treated to awesome views of Mt. St. Elias and coastline. Jonathan couldn’t hunt that day since he’d flown in a small airplane. (Alaska law doesn’t permit hunting on the same day you’ve been airborne, for most big game animals.) The anticipation grew as he unpacked and went out to make sure the .243 rifle was still dead on. It was! One of the guides suggested that Jonathan could shoot his .338 and after several shots he decided to go with the larger caliber. I was a little dubious but I didn’t want to interfere with his decision. Jonathan could hardly sleep that night but finally a new day arrived and the hunt could begin. Garrett drove him out to the “Garden of Eden” and they quietly snuck into the stand. I can only guess at the level of adrenalin that was flowing through his body when a magnificent boar first came into view. This was a great trophy Black Bear that would go well over 6 foot square. He had a perfect spring hide with a thick raven black luxurious coat without a blemish. The excitement was intense as Garrett filmed and let the bear settle down. He talked with Jonathan and they both steadied themselves while they waited for the perfect broadside lung shot. When the moment came it is almost anti climatic as Jonathan squeezed the shot off. The bullet entered the chest cavity and took off the top of the heart as it passed through both lungs. The big boar ran 30 yards and collapsed. What a shot and what a Black Bear! When the hide was fleshed it was spread out on the ground. Without touching it or stretching the hide it squared out at 6 foot 9 inches. The skull measured over 19 inches and will qualify for the record book. What a beginning for a young hunter! Jonathan was elated! He’d set quite a standard for Zale to follow.
Zale finished school and flew to Yakutat on May 27. The spring in Yakutat was one of the best ever so he was also privileged to get a great view of Mount Saint Elias and the Lost Coast. Excitement ran high as Zale practiced shooting with the .243 Remington. We were all anticipating the hunt and wanted him to take a nice bear. We’d been watching a big boar in a different stand that would fill the bill but we hadn’t seen him for a couple of days. We were a little worried that he’d hooked up with a sow as the breeding season was now in full swing. Zale and Garrett went to the stand on the 28th but the boar was no where to be found. Zale got to experience how cold a stand can be when you’ve sat there for 4 or 5 hours. We were all disappointed and a little concerned. The next evening they went back to the same stand. What a surprise! They were only on the stand for five minutes when a new boar came in. This Black Bear was a GIANT! He had undoubtedly kicked out the other boar and had taken over the territory. Now it was Garrett’s turn to be nervous as he’d never taken a bear for himself that went this large. He steadied himself and talked Zale through the possible shot placements while he filmed the incredibly big boar. When he gave the go ahead, Zale held steady and placed the 90 grain .243 bullet right in the bread basket taking out both lungs. The big boar ran about 50 feet and keeled over. When I arrived at the site Zale nearly knocked me over as he ran and leaped four feet through the air to give me a big bear hug. Let me tell you the excitement ran through the camp like wild fire. I’ve been involved in outfitting for well over 250 Black Bear and this is the biggest bear I’ve ever seen taken. When the hide was fleshed and spread out on the ground it measured 7 feet 6 inches square without being stretched or touched. The skull will most likely measure over 21 inches and go well into the record book. Zale is still excited and is now talking about hunting for a 10 foot Brown Bear.
Of course, now you know what Grandpa is in for! The boys have two great Trophy Black Bear that have to be mounted. Oh Yes, Zale is pushing for a life sized mount! I think I’ve created two monsters! Now they’re talking Africa! And Goliath? He outsmarted us and won this round!
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