I saw about 50 bears, including some bigger than the one I took, but they had rubbed spots. I finally selected a mature male with a very long, lush, jet-black coat. He was on the beach of the open Pacific Ocean, grazing on grass at the upper edge of the sand. I stalked him through the driftwood at the high tide line to about 40 yards, and was able to place an instantly fatal shot using an improved .375. The other hunters saw similar numbers of bears and were equally successful. Everyone used big bores, since these bears are apparently quite tough and can be very difficult to track and find in the very dense undergrowth in this area. Mikkelson told me two earlier hunters this year hit and lost bears using .338 WinMags. Mikkelson recommends using bigger rifles. My bear was average for this hunt, the hide squaring at six feet, 10 inches and the skull measuring 19 1/4 inches.
Hunting is conducted from Mikkelson's two custom aluminum hunting boats, from pickup trucks, from ATV's and on foot. The hunt can be as exerting or as relaxed as the hunter desires. I could imagine this hunt as being a very fine option for a handicapped hunter. The weather........(continued)
