Alaska hunt...

[Marcos Rodriguez]

Hello people! My question is what rifle and caliber do those who hunt in Alaska use or prefer to use? It's a doubt I have... Thank you

 

[BRICKBURN]

Depends what you are hunting and exactly where.

 

[Doug3006]

What will you be hunting? Big difference between a Sitka Blacktail and a coastal Brown Bear. Although since they both occur in the same areas, you might want a bigger gun than needed on the deer. A 375 H&H works everywhere on everything.

 

[freefall]

In 43 years I have used several calibers. A .338 Win mag seems to be a great all-round choice, and I would wager one of the more popular here.

 

[Mekaniks]

An all around, all weather .338 will cover you for just about everything.
If your looking at a big bear hunt you might step up up to a .375. Or a light weight sheep hunt maybe step down to a .270 or .284.

 

[mdwest]

Depends what you are hunting and exactly where.

This!

My wife and I hunted Kodiak for sitka deer a couple of years ago.. she took a .270 and I took a .308.. both were more than adequate for the task..

There was a small concern about brown bears.. all weren't hibernating just yet.. but I also carried a 10mm pistol on me for that (not the same energy delivery as a center fire rifle.. but if I were in a situation where my rifle was leaned up against a tree while I was field dressing a deer.. and a 10ft bear decided he wanted the deer more than I did.. I thought it prudent to have something on my person at all times)..

We also carried 12 ga shotguns.. we spent 50% of that trip hunting ducks...

It really just depends on the quarry... you might need a .22 for some things in Alaska.. and a 338 Win Mag for others..

 

[AES]

338 or 300 PRC should have you covered. Realistically, 300WM completely fine. Since I am a us resident, I also carry 10mm on chest for safety, in known brown bear areas.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

I live here. I have killed a lot of stuff with a Ruger M77 .300 WinMag. My current go-to is a Marlin in .338 Marlin Express; I have killed a bunch of caribou and moose with it. My daughter shoots a .308; she has killed animals up to an 8.5' brown bear with it. As others have said it depends on what you are hunting. Comfort with rifle, bullet construction, and shot selection are far more critical, IMHO.

 

[Ryan]

My go-to for years was a 30-06 for anything but brown bears, which I don't hunt. Rifles have been a Thompson/Center Encore and Ruger #1 in that. I have picked up a 7mm-08 Savage 10 in stainless a few years ago for caribou and deer. For brown bear the two most common rounds I know of friends using is the 338 Win mag or 375 H&H, though the 375 Ruger is getting popular too.

 

[112Savage]

In SE around Juneau most people used common cheap rifles/ ammo 308,30-06. Some had collectibles like Win ‘71’s in 348. Visitors and guides had big stuff like 338 WM, 375 H&H/Ruger. I knew guys going after black tails with everything down to 6.5 Grendel

as an anecdote I saw some HS age boys shooting a brand new Ruger American in 30-06 and being the only people at the range, I asked what they were going to hunt. They said they were going to admiralty island for deer. Admiralty island has the largest population of brown bears per sq mile of anywhere in NA

 

[Marcos Rodriguez]

Hi fellows!
Thanks for the answers!!!
The matter is, here, iin my country, sole people uses the 300 win mag and
they squint at the 308win which uses the same bullet but at a slower speed as if it isn't as effective at normal hunting range.
I see that beans are cooked everywhere! But that many trust (as also happens here) in the skill with the rifle and the comfort of use more than in the power of the shot
I use some times all the calibers named in this post, i love the 338win... but, my rifle and shot, ARE the 308win...

so far, it has shown me that what doesn't die with a 308 shot, doesn't exist, at least in medium game
Obviously, for bigger game, bigger rifle...

 

[Marcos Rodriguez]

Depends what you are hunting and exactly where.

Good words!...
I don´t know Alaska, but I have a couple of friends who dreams with this land, and they are preparing to a hunting trip here...

 

[WAB]

When I lived in AK I used a 7x57 for sheep and caribou, a. 300 H&H or .375 H&H for bear and deer (lots of bear where I deer hunted).

 

[CAustin]

Hi fellows!
Thanks for the answers!!!
The matter is, here, iin my country, sole people uses the 300 win mag and
they squint at the 308win which uses the same bullet but at a slower speed as if it isn't as effective at normal hunting range.
I see that beans are cooked everywhere! But that many trust (as also happens here) in the skill with the rifle and the comfort of use more than in the power of the shot
I use some times all the calibers named in this post, i love the 338win... but, my rifle and shot, ARE the 308win...

so far, it has shown me that what doesn't die with a 308 shot, doesn't exist, at least in medium game
Obviously, for bigger game, bigger rifle...

Shorty will do the job sir!

 

[BeeMaa]

I don't see Alaska much different than hunting anywhere else in the world, appropriate caliber for the game being hunted. Good plan is to start with a reputable outfitter and ask what he recommends.

The only thing I would say is keep the caliber to the more common ones in the event your ammo is lost. Newer and exotic cartridges are not typically found on the shelves in rural stores.

 

[Jaegger]

… allot of my military friends fortunate enough to get an assignment in the Last Frontier, I tried for decade = no luck & yes, I’m pouting !!

They all arrived w/ their lower 48 calibers in ‘06 & 300 WM mainly but most jumped to .338 WM as mentioned in numerous posts …

Happy Trails.

 

[TheGrayRider]

7 mm Remington magnum with factory ammunition is adequate. DIY, September 2019. Unit 18, lower Yukon Delta, Bethel, Alaska. Give Papa Bear Adventures a call. Best of luck, TheGrayRider.

 

[Jaegger]

View attachment 480964
7 mm Remington magnum with factory ammunition is adequate. DIY, September 2019. Unit 18, lower Yukon Delta, Bethel, Alaska. Give Papa Bear Adventures a call. Best of luck, TheGrayRider.

Good on Ya & thx for the tip!

A DIY Moose Hunt in Alaska only 2nd to a NZ Tahr & Free Range Stag Hunt where we helicopter in, hunt from the Top - Down & if I plan the dates right, great unspoiled trout fishing!

 

[C.W. Richter]

If you'd like to return to hunt AK, a 10mm semi or 454 casull ruger alaskan or eq. sidearm is strongly advised! 'Son just moved there and is favoring his 300 WM for more wide-open spaces on everything from deer to moose and black bear, but likes the 375 for big stuff in the thick. He recently had 4 coastal brownies walking around him while salmon fishing-luckily they ran away and the 454 wasn't required that day.) I'd use a big 338 for everything and a 416 in the thick. I just learned of this new personal bear deterrent (not a spray but a 1-shot bangstick that fires a non-lethal, exploding charge at the bear. sounds good. hopefully no misfires when you slip and fall!) Tell Sarah Palin we said hi!

 

[JimP]

I think that if I was worried about bears while fishing I would have a 12 ga loaded with slugs slung over my shoulder while fishing.

Very few people are efficient enough with a pistol to be able to place the bullets into the correct spot on a bear, and the last thing that one would want is a wounded bear close enough that you could use a pistol on.

It is as a guide I had up in British Colombia told me while I was on my grizzly hunt. He had a 44 magnum in a chest holster and I asked him what he planned on doing with it encase a bear charged. He calmly said that he planned on shoving the pistol into the bears mouth and pulling the trigger 6 times.