Bear Viewing Excursions in Alaska

[tee_harbor]

I ran across this article at work and thought it might be of interest to any concerned tourists interested in a bear viewing excursion but unsure about their safety.

 

http://www.wildlifenews.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=wildlife_news.view_article&articles_id=438

 

I like this trend. I know the university here in Juneau also does some guiding training as well for things like ice climbing. It can only strengthen the industry to have safe tours which don't lead to scary headlines right before *your* trip.

[PennyAgain]

However I've seen plenty of bears in Alaska (maybe too many) and have never paid a penny to do so.

 

I appreciate the worth of trained guides, but do no like the tours that many of the cruise ships promote that are just plain over priced.

[greatam]

I have to laugh that the "tour education" is in Kodiak. The first thing the tour operators in Kodiak need to be is HONEST and UPFRONT. A large majority of the bear tours out of Kodiak are in the KATMAI. They fly from Kodiak to the Katmai, as the bears are too hard to find in Kodiak.

 

I have spoken to quite a few people that think they are going to see "Kodiak bears", supposedly the largest and most fierce. Unless you go to Munsey's "bear camp" which is a 3 day or longer trip, you most likely will fly to Katmai. Operators in Kodiak have far less knowledge of bears in Katmai than Homer operators who are there every day.

 

I have been to Kodiak twice-once for a fishing trip for DH and once to Munsey's bear camp. If I had never seen a lot of browns, I would have been impressed. But since I have been to Hallo Bay more than once, Brooks once and a very lame trip with Emerald Air, I could have saved a LOT of money. Anyone on a cruise ship looking for bears needs to realize that the bear trips in Kodiak are not REALLY in Kodiak. JMHO

[Pssunshinegal]

I have to laugh that the "tour education" is in Kodiak. The first thing the tour operators in Kodiak need to be is HONEST and UPFRONT. A large majority of the bear tours out of Kodiak are in the KATMAI. They fly from Kodiak to the Katmai, as the bears are too hard to find in Kodiak.

 

I have spoken to quite a few people that think they are going to see "Kodiak bears", supposedly the largest and most fierce. Unless you go to Munsey's "bear camp" which is a 3 day or longer trip, you most likely will fly to Katmai. Operators in Kodiak have far less knowledge of bears in Katmai than Homer operators who are there every day.

 

I have been to Kodiak twice-once for a fishing trip for DH and once to Munsey's bear camp. If I had never seen a lot of browns, I would have been impressed. But since I have been to Hallo Bay more than once, Brooks once and a very lame trip with Emerald Air, I could have saved a LOT of money. Anyone on a cruise ship looking for bears needs to realize that the bear trips in Kodiak are not REALLY in Kodiak. JMHO

 

Excellent post Greatam. When I was reading the article, I was thinking about the conversations I had with several people at Hallo Bay about coexisting with the bears and why we (those who go with HB) feel so safe being so close to the bears. What they are just getting around to with their program at Kodiak is how Clint and Simyra have lived for years.

 

Janice

[greatam]

What they are just getting around to with their program at Kodiak is how Clint and Simyra have lived for years.

 

Janice

 

Thanks

 

It is so neat, although so spooky, to wake up in the morning, look out that tent flap and see BEARS laying around on the grass. They feel safe and certainly are not a threat so long as you OBEY the rules of the camp.

 

One morning, I had to pee really, really bad. Two yearling cubs laying within 15 feet of my tent. I knew Mamma had to be around someplace. What to do, what to do??? You know that bucket for trash??? Never did tell Simyra, but cleaned the bucket really well.

 

I must have watched those cubs through a peep hole for at least 20 minutes until Mamma showed up and away they went. What a thrill!!!

[Pssunshinegal]

Thanks

 

It is so neat, although so spooky, to wake up in the morning, look out that tent flap and see BEARS laying around on the grass. They feel safe and certainly are not a threat so long as you OBEY the rules of the camp.

 

One morning, I had to pee really, really bad. Two yearling cubs laying within 15 feet of my tent. I knew Mamma had to be around someplace. What to do, what to do??? You know that bucket for trash??? Never did tell Simyra, but cleaned the bucket really well.

 

I must have watched those cubs through a peep hole for at least 20 minutes until Mamma showed up and away they went. What a thrill!!!

 

Just talking about me makes me want to look into going again next summer. I really wish that the polar bear trip to Churchill wasn't for so long because I don't think that I could do that long. I have talked to her about splitting it between two people because she has to guarantee so much to be able to hold the slots and she agreed that it was a good idea. So many go are professional photographers and it is life their sitting and filming for 12+ hours a day for 8 days in a row.

 

I didn't have to use the trash can, but I did barely hang it out the door in the middle of one night because I couldn't get beyond bears to go to the latrine.

 

Janice