Brown Bear Help

[Abel]

#3947

So my first time on this forum, spend most of my time on the Alaska Forums, but I need trad bow specific advise here…..

I’m doing a Brownie hunt on Kodiak this spring (I live here), and determined to do it withmy recurve. Have a guy I trust, and is crazy enough to back me up with a big gun.

I’m shooting a Samich Sage that I love, 55lbs at 28″ and I draw to 28. I was throwing Goldtip Carbons with 100gr G5’s, well that ain;t gonna cut it on this hunt, so I decided to move to wood, never shot wood arrows, this is what I ordered after my reading and researching.

doz cedar 75-80 spine arrows

Ace Straightener

Taper Tool

Woody Weight Test Kit

Field Point Test Kit

I’m hoping to get it tuned and be able to push at least 650grains total weight. broadheads I’m looking at either 2-300grain Tuffhead single bevel or teh Grizzlys.

Sounds like a good starting point? O, ya, I know my limits, 25yds max.

[David Petersen]

#25365

Welcome, Abel. Might you happen to know my blood brother Mark Richards from any of those AK forums? As co-chair for AK BHA he’s in Fairbanks right now (lives in the bush) testifying at the wildlife commission meetings, which sound like a downright colorful zoo-full of human variations. 😛

I don’t know squat about what it takes to kill bear, though I’ve seen my share of grizzly/browns in AK and can appreciate the wall of bone you’re up against if the arrow finds a scapula or heavy front rib. I’m hoping Ed Ashby might chime in here, as he’s killed darn near everything with trad gear. Or Don Thomas, who has killed browns and guided others for many more kills.

My opening opinion is that you are on the right track with the broadheads but I’d try to get total arrow weight up to around 800 (I shoot that for elk and generally shoot plumb through, bones and all, with 300 Tuffheads), and would forget the woods and go with carbon. Reasons why include the great ease with which you can swap heads and change head weight with carbons, which will save time and money when putting together your arrow system, and their greater resistance to breakage behind big heavy heads. If you do decide to go with the woods you’ll find that the fairly narrow spine range, compared to carbons, will dictate the head weight, which is going at it backwards. In either case I’d consider an aluminum sleeve extending from behind the head back 4″ to help prevent breaking should you hit heavy bone. The idea is to build an arrow that will hold together and penetrate, no matter the obstacles, deep enough so that you don’t have to use the backup gun and spoil the memory of the bowhunt. As Doc Ashby says, there’s no such thing as overkill in bowhunting … especially when your prey can turn around and knock your head plumb off with a swipe of paw. Kodiak, that’s one heck of a place to live!

[Abel]

#25390

I think I know him, well know him online anyway. i don’t get up around fairbanks to much, well ever. It’s a lot further than most would think.

[sinawalli]

#25403

Abel wrote: I think I know him, well know him online anyway. i don’t get up around fairbanks to much, well ever. It’s a lot further than most would think.

Well, don’t know much about killing bears either other than you need a big pair of *alls as well as big arrows! I would want a anti aircraft gun backing me up! All the best, and welcome here!

[Author]

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