I’m posting a story written by one of my clients, John Bermen. The story was published in the Alaska Professional Hunters Magazine in March, 1989. This bear was and still is the largest bear that I have ever guided on. It was also the largest bear taken by a guided hunter in 1988 and received the first place award from Safari Club International, scoring 29 5/16 SCI points. I received a .270 Remington Model 700 mountain rifle from the FNAWS Association for guiding the hunter on “The Outstanding Animal of the Year” for 1988. That’s the rifle where I had the stock cut down for my wife.
What I find so aggravating about hunting for a 10’ bear is I hunted brown bear for myself eight different times and never killed a 10’ bear. Then Brent and I formed AAA Alaska Outfitters and I guided on a 10’+ brown bear the first three springs and the fall of ’89. Four 10 foot brown bears our first five years in business and I wasn’t hunting any differently than I did my last four personal hunts. I even hunted in AAA’s areas on two of my hunts. To this day I still don’t understand that. That being said, I hope you enjoy John’s story about a great bear.
John Bermen and me with his 10'5" massive brown bear taken in 1988 at our Cold Bay area.
Brent and me at one of our earlier Foundation for North American Wild Sheep Conventions.
We called this camp "Alderville". It was 3 miles inland. We air dropped the tents and back packed everything else in and then had to pack everything, including the tents, out at the end of the season.
John's a happy hunter showing the bear's enormous paw.
John back at our main camp on the shore of Cold Bay.