Alaska Peninsula

Alaska Peninsula Brown Bear Hunts

The Alaska Peninsula or root of the Aleutian Chain is also home to some of Alaska’s largest bruins. Our Ugashik Lake Camps are centrally located on this peninsula, in the midst of the Alaska Peninsula Wildlife Refuge. The Alaska Peninsula Brown Bear are much like the bear found on Kodiak Island and in some case bigger and more plentiful than the Kodiak Island Bears. We have two guide use areas on Federal land in the Ugashik Lake area. In these two areas we can accommodate up to nine clients, whom we disperse into areas that have been very productive in the past, usually near major salmon streams and denning areas. Wall tents constructed with steel frames and/or Bomb Shelters are used with the famous Alaska Peninsula weather in mind. In some cases cabins are available for the man that likes all the comforts of home. Regardless of where you stay or what type of structure you put your head down in, rest assured your safety and comfort have been thought of along with your odds of taking a good bear. Our concession is roughly 593 square miles and the bear population in this area is roughly 3.8 bear per square mile.

With that many bear one would think this would be a cakewalk but that is not always the case. As late fall approaches bear can be very elusive and often do not move until early morning or late evening. During the spring season bear can be very late coming out of hibernation especially if the weather remains cold. Normally we do very well and have taken record book bear here with skulls nearly thirty inches and hides squaring eleven and a half feet. Our normal skull size for these two areas is between 25 to 27 inches. One spring season seven out of eight clients were finished within the first three days of the season! Our archery clients, during the fall season, have enjoyed 90 to 100 percent on shot opportunity.

Ugashik 1 client : 1 guide 10 hunting days
Season: 05-10 to 05-25 and 10-01 to 10-21

Harry Scharfenburg from Michigan had been on a Sitka Blacktail deer hunt on Kodiak Island and decided he wanted to see more of Alaska by hunting his Brown Bear on the Alaska Peninsula. Harry was one of six clients to put a bear on the ground in the first three days of our season. He was also among those first five that got a bear at or above nine feet. A machinist by trade, with Hunter Tool and Die, Harry made and sent us a first class skull measuring device, just like they use at Boone and Crockett. Question for Harry can be emailed to him at huntertoolandie@att.net.

Duane Disterhoft, of Iowa, who came on his first hunt with us, to Kodiak, for brown bear, in 1988, is quite happy with his archery brown bear. Duane enjoyed hunting in Alaska so much he came back many times until he decided to get his guide’s license in 1998. He has worked for us since then, occasionally bringing friends or family on a hunt. This time he decided to take some time off from the family business, and treat himself to an archery bear hunt. Duane and his guide, Bryce Johnson, came upon Duane’s bear on the third day of the hunt. If you would like to ask Duane some questions about his time with us you can contact him via email at emmadood@iowatelecom.net.

This archery bear brought a happy smile from Bernie Kamps of Michigan. Bernie met us at the Safari Club International convention and decided he wanted to take a break from his business, Kamps Pallets, to hunt a brown bear, from our Wolf Lake camp. Eric Beeman, who, like myself, grew up and was trained by his father, an early Alaska guide, guided Bernie. Bernie may be emailed if you have questions for him. Here is Bernie’s guide, Eric Beeman, as they sit in ambush for a bear on the creek.

Mark Brackstone took time away from his bricks at http://www.brackstonebuilders.com , coming to us all the way from Great Britain, to bag this brown bear on the Alaska Peninsula. Mark was guided by Glenn Bohn, and took this sleepy bear out of our Wolf Lake camp on the second day of his hunt. Mark’s smile says it all in this picture with his bear. He can be reached via email at mark@brackbuild.com.

When Alan Thomas of Texas asked his son, Mitch from Louisiana, what he wanted for a college graduation gift, he said “A Brown Bear Hunt.” So Alan called us. Mitch was guided by Jonathan Lotton and got his bear on the first day of the hunt. Alan got to hunt out of a cabin at the Ugashik Narrows and got his bear on the fifth day while being guided by Glenn Bohn. Alan can be contacted at alan.thomas@edwarjones.com.

Dr. Byron Gatlin of Washington was guided to his fall, Alaska Peninsula Brown Bear, by Paul Lenmark. They put packs on their backs and headed off into the hills, and it only took them four days to get this beautiful bear. For questions about his hunting experience with us he can be emailed at gatorfan@gmail.com.

Matt Johnson came to Alaska from Texas, taking time off from http://www.summitpetroleumllc.com Paul Lenmark assisted Matt in taking this beautiful bear. Matt arrowed his bear at 30 yards on the eighth day of his Alaska Peninsula hunt. Matt may be reached at mjohnson@summitpetroleumllc.com.

Gus Congemi, from Marlboro, New York brought his friend, Mike Gilbert, along as videographer on his archery brown bear hunt. Gus hunts in many countries and is a bit of a cable television personality as he can be frequently seen on Mike Avery’s Outdoors. Gus and Mike ambushed this bear on a creek on the Alaska Peninsula on the third day of the hunt. They were guided by Cody Cowels. Gus is coming back for another archery brown bear. Starting in 2011 he will have his own show on the Sportsman Channel called Live the Wild Life, with Gus Congemi. You can view a video of this hunt on youtube.com.

Ken Asbury, from Wheatridge, Colorado, decided he wanted to come to Alaska to try for an archery brown bear. Paul Lenmark guided Ken to this beautiful brown bear on the 6th day of his hunt on the Alaska Peninsula. Ken can be reached for comments at jasbury237@aol.com.

We met Roy and Angela Walk when they came down from their business, in Port Matilda, Pennsylvania to the Harrisburg, PA sport show we do every year. They had set the goal of an Alaska Peninsula brown bear - with a bow. Roy would hunt and Angela would act as videographer. Eric Beeman guided them onto this bear on the 5th day of the hunt. It was an excellent shot, and the bear died within thirty seconds. The down side was that it died in the river. Angela got some excellent footage of the hunt and the kill. A short excerpt is included on this site. If you missed it above, you can link to it here . You can ask their opinion of the hunt or other questions via email at awalk@walksautoservice.com.

Charlie Rush, who owns and operates Carpet Discount Warehouse, in Charlotte, NC has hunted Kodiak Island and the Alaska Peninsula, taking two brown bears with us. The last one was this monster (Also pictured with his grandson on his business website.) taken at our Wolf Lake camp on the Alaska Peninsula. The skull measured 28 10/16 and won the

2008 award for the largest SCI skull taken that year. Charlie plans to return to Kodiak in 2012 to try for an even larger bear. Charlie sent us this picture of his wife, Roz, posed in front of the bear. If you would like to ask Charlie some questions about his hunt, you may email him at rozzierush@gmail.com.

Patrick Sikorski met us at the annual Safari Convention and said he wanted a brown bear and didn’t care how hard he had to work for it. We put him in a spike camp with Cody Cowles and he got to go home with this beautiful bear and two wolves.

Bob Cowell met us at the Dallas Safari Club and said that he wanted to come on a moose and a brown bear hunt on the Alaska Peninsula. Well he did both. Bob hunted during the spring season and was guided on his brown bear hunt, by Lyle Becker and he took home a nice bear. Look at the size of that paw. Here is Bob by the lakeside, with the camp broken down, awaiting pickup. Bob and Lyle, back at main camp, having a celebratory cigar. Check out our moose info to see Bob’s moose.

Alaska Peninsula Moose hunt

Moose hunting on the Alaska Peninsula is much like hunting anywhere in Alaska, except for the competition. Due to the remoteness of our location, very few residents hunt there, making the selection of good trophies more opportune. This area has been classified as a Trophy Moose Area by the State of Alaska, so moose under 50" cannot be taken. The average moose is around 59", but they may be taken anywhere from 50" to75" in this area, with our average at about 65". All hunting is done by fair chase, with boats and aircraft to transport meat and trophy back to the main camp. Spike camps are used to get clients closer to known game areas and are constructed with the local weather and your comfort in mind. September temperatures vary from 35 to 55°F.

Ugashik Moose 1 client : 1 guide 10 hunting days Season: 09-10 through 09-25

Barbara Baldauf, along with the rest of her family, from Saginaw, Michigan has taken the time away from their family business of Saginaw Control and Engineering to hunt with us many times over the years taking bear, moose, and goat. Barb is pictured here with her moose of 68-inches. Her husband, Dave, Gus and Koreen Lamoureux, assisted Barb in getting her moose. To hear some of their hunting stories or ask any questions about our camps and our hunts you can email them.

Tom Wyles of Tomahawk Log and Country Home in Tomahawk, Wisconsin has been hunting with us many times on Kodiak Island. Tom decided he wanted to hunt moose with us and that meant he was finally coming to the Alaska Peninsula. Tom was guided by Gus Lamoureux, with Roger McCarty acting as packer. They took this beautiful 66-inch moose on the 4th day of the hunt. Tom can be reached for questions regarding both of our camps at cwyles@tomahawklog.com.

Tom Wyles and packer, Roger McCarty, with Tom’s moose

Rick Voth of Walla Walla, Washington came on his moose hunt and brought his son along as companion and packer. Rick was guided by Glenn Bohn and took home this very nice moose.

Bob Cowell met us at the Dallas Safari Club and said that he wanted to come on a moose and a brown bear hunt on the Alaska Peninsula. Well he did both. Bob was guided on his moose hunt by Gus Lamoureux and got this beautiful 68-inch moose.

Mike Weber was referred to us by Mike Ritter, Sr., another client, and they came together on a moose hunt. Mike was guided by Glenn Bohn and got to take home this very nice moose.

Mike Ritter, Jr is generally an archery hunter, but decided to take this monster moose with his rifle. Mike came to us from Indiana where he and his father run Great Lakes Heating, Air Conditioning & Electrical Inc. Mike also got a huge wolf while hunting his moose.

Nolan Crowther was on a Kodiak Island Brown Bear hunt with us when he decided he wanted to come to the Alaska Peninsula for a moose hunt. Gary Keen guided Nolan to this nice moose.

Tim Cummings is usually very busy with his full service electrical business, Cummings Electrical, Inc., but while at the Dallas Safari Club Convention he decided to come on a moose hunt with us. He got this very nice bull on the third day of his hunt. Tim was guided by Gus Lamoureux and assisted by Chris Osbekoff. The moose had the last laugh. What they couldn’t see when stalking and shooting him was that he was standing in six inches of water. The fun was definitely over and then the work began.

We do not conduct Wolf specific hunts, but if you are in possession of a wolf tag, while hunting another species, and the opportunity presents, you may take a wolf at no extra charge.

Patrick Sikorskii, while on his Alaska Peninsula Brown Bear hunt, got this beautiful wolf; actually, Patrick got two wolves.

Mike Ritter, Jr took this huge wolf while on his Alaska Peninsula Moose hunt.

Mike Barron didn’t get to connect with an Alaskan Brown bear when he came up on his archery hunt, but he did get this nice wolf. Just peeled off the hip boots for a few minutes.

Ugashik Lake Bear Camp

Our main or base camp consists of six buildings; one is the main cabin with the kitchen and eating area. Two other buildings are each divided into two rooms with bunks in them, one is a storage building, one is a shower and outhouse the remaining one is another outhouse. The bunkrooms are all carpeted with twin size beds and kerosene heat.

We have other accommodations that include cabins, wall tents, Bomb Shelters (tent), and small pack tents.

Wolf Lake is nestled at the base of a small hill in a mountain valley near the confluence of three streams. This location is ideal for spotting bear as they emerge from their dens in the spring and as they begin denning in the fall. You can see the cabin on the shore.

A closer view of the Wolf Lake cabin.

Some of our spike camps are metal frame wall tents. These give you standing room. They are provided with cots, Therm-a-Rest pads, pillows, tables, stoves and food.

Inside wall tent.

Spike camp tent. Harry Scharfenburg poses outside the tent he hunted his Alaska Peninsula Brown Bear from.

Lyle Becker (guide) shows off the pancake and egg breakfast made in the Bomb Shelter spike camp.

Alaska Peninsula Several Scenic

Bruins on the berries, a sow and cubs. In the fall, Alaskan Brown Bear can frequently be seen foraging on the berry patches in between hearty meals of salmon from the rivers.