Spring in Alaska is a special kind of awakening that only happens in the northern most territories. It can be snowing one day and raining the next. There can be beautiful sunny days that look like summer, but it is mostly grey. Spring also means training and getting our bodies used to hauling around the backpacks we are going to be wearing all summer for backcountry trips and hunting season.
The last three years we have been in Alaska, my partner and I have gone bear hunting every May in the hopes to get a black bear. We haven’t been successful yet. But we have walked a few hundred miles with our rifles and our backpacks and seen country that “certainly isn’t ugly” as we crest yet another ridgeline with no bears in sight. Many of you are probably thinking, how have you gone three seasons without getting a black bear? It’s Alaska, aren’t they everywhere?
Why, yes of course they are everywhere! I could make up a laundry list of excuses as to why we have been unsuccessful thus far in our pursuit of getting a black bear. But I would rather point out a very important thing I have learned from my hunting career: Just because you decide to dedicate time to a hobby doesn’t mean you need to be successful or even good at that hobby. The goal is the experience and the joy it brings you.
Why, yes this sounds like the consolation prize given to a person who would have surely died by now if their life depended on hunting and gathering for their own survival. Yes. You would be correct. Truthfully, I have never been a very successful hunter. Even though I grew up in the community and got my license and my first deer when I was 12. I have always been immensely unlucky. My partner has had a much different experience than I have, but I am almost certain that my terrible juju has rubbed off on him. Sorry, babe.
As we prepare for our fourth bear hunting season, I have the experience now of how to not be successful hunting black bears in the spring. I have compiled the list here in case you also needed to be aware:
- Snowshoes
Spring in Alaska means snow and slushy snow at best. This means all of those hard-packed trails being used by skiers and wildlife all winter long are now more difficult to traverse. They’re nearly impossible to utilize without snowshoes because post-holing is a real problem when hunting and attempting to be quiet. Finally, being quiet with snow shoes means not clacking them together when you get to where you’re going and finally take them off. Don’t ask me how I know. - Barrels
Setting up a bait station for a bear is allowed in Alaska, but it is highly regulated. Once you’ve gone through the process of getting the certification and knowing all of the rules on where it is and isn’t allowed to set up a bait station, you still need a barrel. From what we have found, most people use a 40-50 gallon plastic barrel, fill it with all of the smelly things (besides fish), and are fairly successful. However, it’s important to note the hole being cut in the barrel to allow for the lovely aroma to escape, shouldn’t be very large. If it’s too big, the barrel that is supposed to be feeding and drawing in the bear, is instead going to feed and draw in everything else (i.e. crows, foxes, weasels, etc.) and leave no snacks left for the bear. Again, don’t ask us how we know. - Cameras
Trail cameras are immensely helpful if there isn’t time to sit on a spot for days on end to see if there is any traffic coming to the bait station. They’re also a helpful tool to be able to tell how much wildlife traffic travels through a particular area you’re looking to hunt. Always remember to bring a charging device for the camera or batteries, and a blank SD card to switch out every time you visit the camera. Yup, you guessed it. Don’t ask me how I know. - Timing
Like any other outdoor activity, hunting involves a certain amount of luck when it comes to timing. Obviously, the more resources dedicated to hunting and the right amount of research and time can help mitigate some of the need for luck. But you can do your best to build the scenario that can make you the most successful, and you can still simply not be in the right place at the right time for a harvest.
Hunting brings us closer to the land, how we nourish our bodies, and how we care for our souls. It was introduced to me as a family affair. My parents would take myself and my sister to a ranch with friends and we would all set out together, walking up one side of a canyon and down another. Driving to pick up a friend at the bottom of a ravine they traversed to track a deer or wild pig. When an animal was harvested it was a group affair to bring it to the processing station in a barn and process and pack it for the freezer. This sense of community and family and care has always permeated my memories and experiences of hunting. No, I am not successful most of the time. But hiking a trail quietly up a mountain or sitting and listening to the forest brings me a sense of peace and connection only matched by standing in a river and fishing. I have hopes for this years season, and I wish you all of the success in yours.
One response to “Hunting: Taking My Rifle for a Walk”
Preparation and time spent, equal success. I shared a similar experience with hunting. I’m only 12 years in. Learning, growing as a hunter equated to time. I have no doubt you and Wes will be successful! Give yourself grace. Be patient. Your time will surely come!!