It is every wild Alaskan boy's dream to go on a Kodiak brown bear hunt. When Randy and his father stepped down the steps of the airplane onto the wet tarmac in Kodiak City, he could hardly contain his excitement.
Randy looked around the airport at the fog that seemed to drip from every surface: the airplane, the luggage carts and fences, and every huge green tree he could see in the distance.
He blurted, "Dad! We're finally here! What should we do first?"
[["Should we go to the store?"->Big Ray's]]
[["Should we go to the charter boat?"->Cabin Life]]Kodiak City is a tight-knit community of around 6,000 people. It has 40 miles of road and endless views of arboreal forests and rocky coasts. Kodiak is a hunting and fishing hub and accommodates the many tourists year-round who come for halibut, salmon, wild goats, deer, elk, and bear.
Big Ray's Outfitting shop is an essential mainstay for the residents and for tourists getting started on their hunting and fishing adventures. As Randy and his father looked around the expansive shop, he questioned, "What do we need dad?"
His dad answered,
[["We have everything we need besides ammo, propane, and duct tape." ->Whale Island]]
[["We have everything we need besides ammo, propane, and some batteries." ->Cabin Life]]A couple of hours later, the 13-year boy peered with bright eyes out of the windows of the Hewescraft Sea-runner they rented for their trip. He watched for whale spouts as they skimmed over 1-2 foot swells. The fog and rain had lifted and it was now a clear, cool spring evening. Before long they were reached the cove where they would find their rental cabin. The 17-square mile Whale Island was a perfect staging area for their hunt because of its close proximity to Afognak - the island that contains Kodiak's greatest number of huge coastal brown bears.
After unloading their gear and mooring the boat for the night, they prepared some dinner. They capped off the perfect day with a roaring bonfire on the beach.
[[Day Two]]A couple of hours later, the 13-year boy peered with bright eyes out of the windows of the Hewescraft Sea-runner they rented for their trip. He watched for whale spouts as their boat skimmed over 1-2 foot swells. The fog and rain had lifted and it was now a clear, cool spring evening. Before long they were reached the cove where they would find their rental cabin. The 17-square mile Whale Island was a perfect staging area for their hunt because of its close proximity to Afognak - the island that contains Kodiak's greatest number of huge coastal brown bears.
After unloading their gear and mooring the boat for the night, they prepared some dinner. Then, they capped off the perfect day with a roaring bonfire on the beach.
[[Second Day]]The next morning, Randy and his father awoke and ate a leisurely breakfast. Then, they paddled the skiff out to the moored boat. They brought it in to the beach, loaded up their gear, and headed out. The water was flat calm and it was an uneventful ride over to Afognak where they would spend the day stalking along climbing game trails.
Late in the afternoon, Randy's father saw a huge boar crossing the path ahead of them. A seasoned hunter, he had no problem bringing it down, and they waited for a time to be certain the bear was dead before they approached it. They worked together to skin out the bear and then began to pack it out with a two-person carrying pole.
[[Danger]]About halfway back to the boat, something chuffed. Randy and his father stopped in their tracks and listened. To the right of their path was an incline - to the left was a steep downhill grade that led to a creek 100 yards below.
Another chuff. Louder.
Before they could look again to their right, they felt the ground below their feet tremble from the concussion of heavy paw treads. Simultaneously, they dropped their load and Randy's father threw him the gun. He yelled, "Shoot her!" as he turned to face the huge sow who was charging out of a cave. Instead, Randy sprang into a tree growing below the edge of the decline just as the bear plowed through his father. He watched as the bear and his father rolled over each other in a chaotic sommersault down the hill. He had only just climbed out of the tree when the bear reached the bottom and immediately charged back up the hill towards the cave, her cub, and the boy. Randy jumped back into the tree as she charged past, and disappeared into the dark.
[[What now?]]Randy climbed down to his father at the bottom of the hill. He was shaking and scratched up from the fall, but that was the least of it. When the bear charged him, her tooth caught in his scalp and peeled it back. Randy tore into their pack to see what he could find to help his dad. He had first aid products to clean the wound, but what would he use to bind it so they could walk out? If only he had some duct tape...
They had to leave their prize; the bear pelt still laid on the path by the sow's cave and it lays there now. Randy had to hold the top of his father's head to keep the skin from flapping about as they limped out of the woods and down the trail to their boat.
A few hours later they pulled into the marina in Kodiak where they could find medical help and the adventure was over. Randy took pictures of his dad's wounds into school the next day to show off in the cafeteria at lunch time. The only thing that could have made the story greater is if they had the bear skin to prove it.The next morning, Randy and his father awoke and ate a leisurely breakfast. Then, they paddled the skiff out to the moored boat. They brought it in to the beach, loaded up their gear, and headed out. The water was flat calm and it was an uneventful ride over to Afognak where they would spend the day stalking along climbing game trails.
Late in the afternoon, Randy's father saw a huge boar crossing the path ahead of them. A seasoned hunter, he had no problem bringing it down, and they waited for a time to be certain the bear was dead before they approached it. They worked together to skin out the bear and then began to pack it out with a two-person carrying pole.
[[Oh no!]]About halfway back to the boat, something chuffed. Randy and his father stopped in their tracks and listened. To the right of their path was an incline - to the left was a steep downhill grade that led to a creek 100 yards below.
Another chuff. Louder.
Before they could look again to their right, they felt the ground below their feet tremble from the concussion of heavy paw treads. Simultaneously, they dropped their load and Randy's father threw him the gun. He yelled, "Shoot her!" as he turned to face the huge sow who was charging out of a cave. Instead, Randy sprang into a tree growing below the edge of the decline just as the bear plowed through his father. He watched as the bear and his father rolled over each other in a chaotic sommersault down the hill. He had only just climbed out of the tree when the bear reached the bottom and immediately charged back up the hill towards the cave, her cub, and the boy. Randy jumped back into the tree as she charged past, and disappeared into the dark.
[[What next?]]Randy climbed down to his father at the bottom of the hill. He was shaking and scratched up from the fall, but that was the least of it. When the bear charged him, her tooth caught in his scalp and peeled it back. Randy tore into their pack to see what he could find to help his dad. He had first aid products to clean the wound, but what would he use to bind it so they could walk out? Thank goodness for duct tape. He wound the sticky stuff around his dad's head, they climbed back up to the path to retrieve their prize, and limped out of the woods and down the trail to their boat.
A few hours later they pulled into the marina in Kodiak where they could find medical help and the adventure was over. Randy took pictures of his dad's wounds into school the next day to show off in the cafeteria at lunch time. The only thing that made the story greater was that they had the bear skin to prove it.