I have dreamed all my life of going on an Alaskan Brown bear hunt. With a business to run, four children to raise and all that entailed, it never materialized. I have purchased over the years different rifles for such a hunt and consequently let them all go. I am now 67 years old, retired and working part time and even though the dream is becoming just that....a dream, I still think about it a lot.
I have been a gun nut all my life and enjoy reading about bear hunting in general and big bear hunting in particular. I am also fascinated by the amount of print out there on the perfect brown bear rifle and pros and cons of each one.
Here is my 2 cents. I am going to post a link here (chosen at random) of pricing and accommodations on just one Alaskan Brown bear hunt. Prices range (depending on the time of year and type of hunt involved) from $8700 to $17,500 for the hunt itself. On top of that one must add in a bear kill fee of from $2000 to $3000. On top of that is the licensing, tips, airfare, travel expenses etc., not to mention taxidermist fees etc.
http://www.apgs.com/Alaska_Brown_Bear_Hunting.shtml#brownbearprices
Add it all up and for one of these hunts you are probably looking at $12000 to perhaps $24,000 for the chance at a big brownie. There are other hunts for LESS and others for MORE.
I realize that bears have been taken with all manner of rifles and calibers over the years. I have read that one is better served with a 30:06 and 180 grain (OR) better 200/220 grain premium bullets that they SHOOT WELL, than armed with a .375 Mag that they are afraid of and unfamiliar with. I would be in that camp. On the other hand many feel that in order to start something with a big brownie, you should be toting at least a .300 Win Mag with a premium 180 grain load that you shoot well.
There is also the matter of how long a shot is required on a given hunt, and how many opportunities one might have and how many seconds one has to get into position, and make the shot. One also has to consider making a good shot on a Brownie at 150 to 200 yards (vs.) trying to stop one at 50 yards and closing. It makes sense to me that the .300 Win mag with premium bullets and a quality scope wins the day at 150 yards and one might be better served with a 45-70 and a bright low power scope with a big field of view and stoked with Garret Hammer heads in the charging brownie at 50 yards scenario.
I think it is fun and educational to reminisce about Jack O'Connor taking Grizzly bears with his .270 Win and how too much is made today of magnumitis in choosing a weapon. In most cases I understand it is your guide's responsibility to be your back up and to be heavily armed and a cool shot in the event things take a bad turn. If he or she has a .338 Mag or a .375 H and H and is prepared and able to back you up, then you need to concentrate on an adequate caliber for the job at hand and one you shoot well and are familiar with. I think for the most part if you are a deer hunter that gets a once in a lifetime trip for a brown bear hunt that might cause you to take a 2nd mortgage on your home......then perhaps you need to purchase a rifle in the .300 Win Mag class (OR UP) and learn how to use it well. Take it deer hunting and spend some time at the range with it shooting it out to 300 yards. Practice making a reasonably fast ACCURATE shot with it and then automatically working the bolt with your eyes on target and place a second shot until it becomes an automatic response.
IF you are partial to the 30:06 with heavy for caliber premium loads and the gun is an extension of your arm and you can make an accurate follow up shot out to 200 yards or so quickly, then by all means take the ought six with you.
Make sure whatever rifle you take has quality glass riding on top of it. You don't want to spend $12,000 to $25,000 on a dream hunt and show up with a rifle topped out with a Walmart scope. I suggest something from Swarovski, Leupold, Zeiss, Trijicon or perhaps a HIGH END Burris. This is not a place to save pennies.
IF I were getting ready to go on such a hunt, I would take a hard look at the Savage model 16/116 bolt action stainless Bear Hunter in .300 Win Mag.
Here is a LINK to a test of this rifle:
http://www.thegunmag.com/test-report-savage-model-16116-bear-hunter-300-win-mag-rifle/
I am sure I haven't resolved any issues here, or changed the minds of a multitude of hunters, however it is fun and interesting to look at all the variables in a hunt like this. I appreciate your comments.
I didn't mention what sort of physical shape you might be in. This too could play a role not only in the type of hunt you have, but the type of hunt you want to book. Don't over estimate your physical prowess and make sure your guide knows about any physical handicaps or limitations you might have (including any medications you are taking and if you are a diabetic or heart surgery survivor etc.), so he or she can best accommodate you.
LASTLY there is one more item to consider. Certain bear guides will NOT book your hunt unless you bring a .375 H and H with you. One would be Glacier Guides who insist on bringing the .375 for bear hunting. I have one of their videos and this is by all means a FIRST CLASS operation and very successful. They have a right to their opinion for minimum rifle calibers and they feel very strongly about it. Others I have looked at feel the .338 Win Mag should be the minimum. This means if you are going to book with your ought six or even a .300 Win mag, you NEED to find a different outfitter.
http://www.glacierguidesinc.com/bear-hunt-alaska-guide-outfitter-hunting-bears-brown.html
Again, everyone has an opinion including me. Mine is mostly speculation when it comes to 1000 lb to 1200 lb PLUS brown bears. As mentioned above, IF you can afford the $20,000 plus for the hunting adventure of a lifetime in Alaska, then I would personally bring what my selected chosen outfitter prefers that I bring. IF not willing to comply, book a hunt with another outfitter and bring your 30:06 if you want. On the other hand, what is another $2000 for a top notch rifle with a top notch scope on board. For most of us, an Alaskan brown bear hunt is probably the fulfilment of years of dreams and a once in a lifetime opportunity. No one books a lifetime hunt a week before they leave to go hunting. You will have MONTHS to familiarize yourself with the chosen rifle, ammunition, recoil, trigger and many opportunities to practice, practice, practice until that rifle becomes part of you. You owe that to yourself, your outfitter and the bear that you will hunt and hopefully put your tag on.
ONE last thought on shot placement and caliber. A brown bear can run at speeds up to 40 MPH and has a very slow heart beat compared to homo sapiens for example. My understanding is they can cover a lot of distance very fast and do a lot of damage to you with a heart/lung shot, even if the bullet was adequate and did its job. The best shot placement on a big bear (or possibly any bear) is to place your shot to break the near shoulder if possible and the far shoulder if not and also hit the lungs depending on the shot angle etc. I think one has to look at not only what caliber will kill a bear (MOST will...eventually), but also look at a caliber that will give you an edge with a shoulder shot to ANCHOR the bear and break him down so you can put a second shot into the heart/lungs area. I would not relish the thought of pursuing a brown bear hit only in the heart lungs area into thick brush. For me this would put the discussion back into the .300 Win Mag and UP class, looking at the .338 Mag with premium 225 grain loads and the .375 with premium bullets.
Dan
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