Tag Archives: bear hunting

Bear Hunting in the Last Frontier

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Long considered the country’s last frontier, Alaska has been the stuff of legends ever since the days of Jack London. In this state rests the last great stronghold of the black and grizzly bear, and it is the hunt for these kings of the forest that draws those searching for a challenge.

Alaska is home to a huge population of brown bears, also commonly called grizzly, that numbers over 30,000 according to statistics from the state Department of Game and Fish. These bears, which can get to as large as 1500-pounds along the salmon-rich feeding grounds of the coast, are very capable predators. Eating anything they can get their paws on from berries to small moose, these animals grow heaviest just before winter. So if you can get in on the short but sweet fall brown bear season, your odds of getting a giant animal increases. If not, the spring season’s leaner animals, which many consider better sport due to the more aggressive nature of hungry bruins, may be for you.

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Read more in my post over at 1816 by Remington

Burglar Bear: 0, Homeowner with Marlin: 1

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When Victor Peters found a 400-pound black bear tearing through his sunroom in a search for food Wednesday night, the mild-mannered retired park ranger wanted things to work out amicably for both sides. However, when the bear decided otherwise, Peters had his Marlin 1895 there to help even the odds.

The story began the day before when Peters, 64, of Lady Lake, Florida came out to discover that a 35-pound bag of dog food for his Rhodesian Ridgeback, ironically named Bear, had been destroyed, a hole made in the wall of his sunroom, and the windows destroyed. A recent transplant to the state from Michigan where he had spent 30 years as a wildlife officer and park ranger, he quickly figured out that the culprit was likely a very different type of bear rather than his canine companion.

After calls to local authorities, who advised him to take any dog food and trash inside and to be vigilant, Peters broke out his Marlin 1895 big bore in .45.70 that he used to hunt feral hog in the state and loaded it– just in case. This later turned out to be a good idea.

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Read the rest in my column at Marlin Forum