Anyone hunt Bears in Alaska?

[AndrewJ]

I've only hunted the Interior, but I have heard Unit 6D- Prince William Sound- is a popular area for coastal black bear hunting. However, this is the only unit in the entire state where you cannot shoot a black bear from a boat. If you spot a bear you most go to shore before you shoot. If you are in any other unit you can shoot the bear from the boat as long as the motor is off and all boat movement attributed to the motor has ceased (i.e. the boat has to be naturally floating in the water when you pull the trigger). There were too many bears being harvested and the State put this restriction in place to help stabilize the population. The season for black bear in 6D is Sep 10 to June 10.

 

As stated above, the cost of everything in Alaska is insane. Travel costs will not be reasonable. It's a big state, and it takes a lot of money to get to where you want to go. If you have a lot of luggage (especially if you get a bear) that will add to it, and lodging will also be expensive.

 

Although you don't need a guide for black bear, some units have a unique nonresident guide requirement...if you are DIY you have to get a permit which are limited in numbers (maybe 30 or 40 per hunt), but if you go with a guide there are no restrictions on you getting the permit. Most of the southeast is like this...Unit 1 (near Juneau), Unit 2 (Prince of Whales Island), Unit 3 (Petersburg). For the other units there is no limit to the number of harvest tickets that can be issued to nonresidents.

 

If you go on these coastal hunts, it is going to be crowded (by my standards). If I'm on a hunt I don't want to see another person. The Interior doesn't have as many opportunities for bear vs the coast, but you'll also have the whole place to yourself.