Hunting Trophy Alaskan Brown Bear

Gary "Butch" King - Master Guide, has been outfitting Alaska Brown Bear hunting trips on the Alaska Peninsula since 1971. Our clients have received the "First Place Brown Bear Award" in both 2010 and 2011.  Butch King's hunters have put more Alaskan Brown Bear on the first page of the Safari Club International Book of World Records than any other outfitter in Alaska history.  This may be why Safari Club International named Gary "Butch" King, its North American Professional Hunter of the Year. 

The Best Brown Bear Hunting Area in the World

In what Butch describes as a short 40 year career, his clients have twice taken the NUMBER ONE Alaska Brown Bear for the Safari Club International Record Book.  Since then, we have tied and then beat our first World Record on more recent hunts, an unpresidented achievement in Alaska history. As of this writing, our clients have taken FIVE of the TOP TEN Alaska Brown Bear in SCI Record Book.  Over the years, we have keep detailed records on several hundred of our Guided and Outfitted Alaska Peninsula Brown Bear hunts.  From these records come what we call "TEN FOOT CLUB".  Currently, there are 128 Members in our Ten Foot Club, who have taken bear that squared from 10'-0 to 11'-6". We have added 32 new members since 2006, including five during the past season. 

Our Brown Bear hunting clients have been awarded this "FIRST PLACE" Alaska Brown Bear numerous time, including for the 2010 (pictured) and the 2011 APHA-SCI Awards.  This is strong evidence that we are not over hunting our concessions and that our guided hunts continue to produce the largest trophy Brown Bear in the world today. 

Visit our AWARDS PAGE to share a lifetime career of guiding sportsmen in Alaska.

Guided and Outfitted Alaska Brown Bear Hunts:

Our professionally guided and outfitted hunts are conducted in the finest trophy Brown Bear county in the entire world, in the Alaska Peninsula Wildlife Refuge and adjacent State lands that we have hunted for decades.  These State and Federal hunting areas are mandated to be managed for trophy brown bear, by the Alaska Department of Fish & Game.  This means highly restrictive regulations that allow a hunter to take only one bear each four years and during very limited hunting seasons. However, no permit drawing is require for Brown Bear in our area.  That only happens in Alaska where the hunting pressure is to high for the wildlife resource available.  Why try to draw a permit in an over hunted area, when you can just sign up a go in an area with abundant wildlife.

During the summer months we guided sport fishing on many of the same rivers that we hunt our bear during the fall seasons. Having all of our airplanes, jet boats and other equipment located at our spacious lodge, right in the middle of the hunting area gives us extraordinary ability to support our hunts.  This has contributed greatly to the success of our hunters. Living at Wildman Lake Lodge, in the heart of the bear area, gives us a huge advantage.

Both Spring and Fall hunts are available at Wildman Lake Lodge. Our spring bear season is open for sixteen days in May, on even numbered years.  Catching these huge brown bear emerging from hibernation is one of Alaska's ultimate experiences.  This is when the hides are most prime and the old mature male are thinking about girls and often make fatal mistakes. Although the season is a little shorter, the hunting time each day is much greater due to the midnight sun that occures in the spring.  The fall season is open for twenty-one days in October, on odd numbered years.  This is when the bears are more concentrated along the salmon streams.  We generally see more bear on a fall hunts and therefore have a higher success on taking bears for our hunters, however the older smarter bear are generally more elusive and travel by the cover of folage or darkness.

Whether you choose spring or fall, Wildman Lake Lodge has all the right equipment to access all corners of our vast hunting concession.  Mostly we operate our aircraft on large tundra tires, but in the case of a cold snowy spring, we are ready with ski equipped aircraft to transport you safely and efficently into the remote Aleutian valleys where the big bears are just emerging from hibernation.

According to our records of bears taken over the years, the average number of days hunted, is 5.5 on bears averaging 9.4 foot.  We schedule our hunters to spend 10 day with us and feel that this is a sufficent amount of time to take your trophy brown bear.  However, if more time is needed to find the trophy you desire, your hunt may be extended, within the perameters of the hunting season, on a guide available basis for our nominal daily rate of $750.00.  Wolves may be taken when encountered during your bear hunt for a trophy preparation fee of $250.00.

After arriving at Wildman Lake Lodge and settling in to one of our comfortable guest cabins, you will enjoy a hearty lunch, endure a pre-hunt briefing and be given an opportunity test fire your rifle at our 100 yard range. Then each hunter and his gear is flown to different spike camp where they will hunt, one on one, with their personal guide for the trophy desired. Two on one camps are available on request for Father/Son or Husband/Wife hunts.  Our hunt concession managers require "low impact camping" so we leave no trace.  In our spike camps we use only the finest all weather tents and highest quality camp gear available.  You will sleep on sturdy cots, with comfortable pads to assure you are rested well for each hunting day.  Tents, complete with storm vestibule for gear storage, are large enough to stand tall and walk around in.  We don't serve you freeze-dry food or military rations, so often associated with Alaska hunts.  Our lodge chef sends vacuum packed pre-cooked entrees, real bacon and eggs, bread, butter, home-made cookies and everything your guide will need to make every camp meal a special event.  Camps are checked often and moved to fresh areas as needed to assure each hunter the best chances for a successful hunt and a quality trophy. Our staff includes some of the most experienced guides and pilots in Alaska, most having worked with us for several years. We use only professional licensed guides experienced in the Alaska outdoors and Alaska big game hunting, including the situations the arise in the field such as: judging trophies, butchering, skinning, fleshing and taking care of your trophy as well as the necessary duties around spike camp.

Gary "Butch" King, is Alaska Master Guide #97, and a commercial "Alaska Bush Pilot" who has operated hunting lodges and guided sportsmen on the Alaska Peninsula since 1971.  Butch and his wife Kathy own and operate Wildman Lake Lodge on the remote Alaska Peninsula where they spend the spring, summer and fall seasons.  Assisted by Lodge Manager, Logan Canton, and Head Guide Jesse Gallagher are at your service, with many years of experience on the remote Alaska Peninsula.  Wildman Lake Lodge is world renown for first class, professionally guided and outfitted trophy hunts for the Alaska's largest  Brown Bear and huge trophy Moose.  Wildman Lake Lodge is Alaska's premier hunting and sport fishing lodge, offering big game trophy hunts, summer sport fishing and fall wing shooting packages for individuals, couples, families and corporate groups.

 2012 Testimonial from Jim Gresham of Houston:  

Butch and Kathy:
Thanks for a great Alaskan adventure. Everything was "First Class" including your staff, accomodations, food, and the hunting environment. I experienced everything the Alaska peninsula could throw at us including snow, rain, wind, river crossings, wild plane rides, 20 hour days, 3.5 mile one way bear stalks, that  ended in a great trophy bear. Rob was an exceptional guide and I would hunt with him again. Will did an outstanding job in the kitchen with "World Class" food in the Alaska wilderness. I hope to make another trip to Wildman's Lodge in the future with family on the cast and blast trip. Hope the weather improves for the hunters you have in camp. I will check your web-site for updates when I get back to Houston. Look forward to seeing you at the shows next year.

Jim Gresham - May, 2012