Congratulations to AAA Alaskan Outfitters and my former partner and longtime friend Brent Jones for taking APHA’s SCI “Top” two awards for brown bears in 2023 and to guide Troy Kitchel for guiding brown bear hunter, Lance LeFleur, on the animal that won APHA’s 2023 Outstanding Animal Award. This first place giant had a 30 6/16” skull! After all these years, AAA continues to take bears of this quality.
Hunter Lance LeFleur with his 1st place brown bear and the APHA’s 2023 Outstanding Animal of the year. This giant had a skull of 30 6/16” and squared at least 10’9”.
Lance’s giant bear is spread out at camp. From (L to R) is camp manager Chris Moore, Master Guide Brent Jones and Guide/pilot Riley Pitts using a 12’ two by four to show the width.
Hunter Michael Street with his massive 10’8” brown bear. It placed 2nd in the 2023 APHA’s SCI Awards with a skull size of 29 2/16”.
Brent and I started AAA Alaskan Outfitters and had our first season in the spring of 1984. That year we harvested the brown bears that took first and third place honors in the APHA SCI Awards. Brent guided the largest one which squared 10’10” with a skull of 29 5/16”. What a way to start! At that time there was no such thing as the “Outstanding Animal Award.” If there had been, AAA Alaskan Outfitters would have won with the bear that Brent guided on.
Brent and me with the first two brown bears that we harvested in the spring of ‘84, a 10’10” and a 10’2”. We received the 1st and 3rd place awards for these great bears.
George Caswell with his 10’10” brown bear. It took 1st place in the APHA’s SCI Awards with a 29 5/16” skull.
In 1987, APHA partnering with the Foundation For North American Wild Sheep came up with the APHA Outfitter of the Year Award. It was given to the outfitter for an animal that was taken the previous year that ranked the highest in the Boone and Crockett Record Book. FNAWS presented that outfitter with a rifle at the APHA’s Annual Convention.
In 1989, AAA Alaskan Outfitters received that award for a first-place brown bear that I guided hunter John Bermen on in the spring of ‘88. The skull scored 29 6/16”. My wife still has that .270 Remington Mountain rifle that they presented to me. I had the stock cut down and gave it to her.
John Bermen and me with his beautiful 10’5” brown bear. We received the 1st place brown bear award and the “ Outstanding Outfitter Award” in 1989 for this trophy bear with a skull size of 29 6/16”.
In 1993, AAA won again with a giant brown bear that our other partner Dan Schwarzer guided Randy Cain on in the spring of ‘92. It squared 11’3” with a 30 5/16” skull. It tied for the new SCI World Record with a bear taken on Kodiak Island by an Alaska resident that same spring.
Randy Cain with his 11’3” massive brown bear. The bear had a skull of 30 5/16” and was tied for the SCI World Record at that time. Our partner Dan Schwarzer guided Randy and AAA received the 1st place award for brown bear and APHA’s “Outstanding Outfitter Award” in 1993.
Sometime in the mid to late 90’s the APHA Board changed the award from the “outstanding outfitter” to the “outstanding animal.”
So, as I said before AAA Alaskan Outfitters has had a long history of taking giant brown bears. Thirty-nine years to be exact. It’s a shame the current US Fish and Wildlife Service didn’t use these high conservation ideas when choosing the new permit holders. It is a known wildlife management fact that killing these giant bears increases the overall population of brown bears. These bears are the highest contributors to cub mortality. Brent is currently in the appeal process for the guiding permit for AAA’s areas.
I hope the US Fish and Wildlife Service comes to their senses and not kill an era!