I booked a cancellation hunt with Jason Zins of Hosted Hunts. It was an Alaska Brown Bear and Mountain Goat combination hunt and I only had 5 weeks to prepare for the hunt.
We were delayed in Cordova for 2 days due to weather, but they got us flown into the base camp as soon as it was feasible. The base camp was 3 tents on the edge of a lake – a large one for the 2 guides and packer and 2 smaller ones for me and the other hunter. The food at the base camp was great – homemade meals which had been frozen and were re-heated for each meal. We hunted bears by boating to different areas on the lake or river using inflatable boats with outboard motors.
I took a brown bear on the 3rd day of the hunt. Not a giant, but representative and with a beautiful silver tip coat. The goat hunt required hiking up to a spike camp – not very far as the crow flies, but very strenuous – especially for a 62 yr old that did not have adequate time to get in shape. The goat hunt was probably 4 of the hardest, most physically demanding days of my life, but we were able to connect on a nice billie. The guide and packer were very helpful and understanding of my physical limitations. They were both young, fit and used to mountain travel – I’m sure I tested their patience but they never showed any indication of it. I’m not sure I will ever do another goat hunt, but I am really glad that I did this one. It is without a doubt one of the most memorable hunts I have ever done.
Jason, thank you for your help in making it happen. I look forward to hunting Alaska again – for moose, caribou, and interior grizzly.
-Jeff Foland
