This old boy commands a lot of respect!

He was tagged and collared way back in 1981 by ADF&G. It was one of their first bears they ear tagged and collared with a transmitter as they started their research program back then. They lost track of him in 1985 when his transmitter quit sending signals.
The old boy was 38 years old when my longtime client and friend Danny Childers and myself were fortunate enough to cross path with him the night of Sept. 16. We stalked within 15 yards to get a closer look. It was a great moment to be this close to such an impressive and tough looking bear. We decided to take him and Danny took the old boy down.
It was quiet the surprise at the ADF&G lab when they realized who this old boy was who lived so long passed his time. On record it was the oldest brown bear taken in unit 4 and for that matter in SE Alaska. 

Thank you.