This black bear hunt in Prince William Sound, Alaska, is priced right, and there are no extra charter flights. You can take a commercial airliner into Valdez, Alaska, where the outfitter meets you and takes you by boat to the hunting area. You'll stay on the boat for seven nights, glassing from the big boat and also taking a skiff ashore to hunt likely areas. The outfitter also offers a combined black bear/brown bear hunt -- call for prices.

"My area is great for seeing a lot of black bears," the outfitter said. "We see bears every day. I don't kill sows, I don't kill small bears. Just big boars. There's no shortage of bears, and so I don't think there's a reason to do a 1x1 hunt except for my first week when the bears are a little harder to see. My hunt is ideal for two buddies or a guy and his wife or a father and son. I do my hunts by myself. I have one guy who helps me, but I do about 75% of the guiding by myself on all my hunts."

Virtually all bears in this area have black pelts. "I've seen one glacier bear out of thousands of bears I've seen," the outfitter said.

Typically bears taken on this hunt will run between six and seven foot square. You'll hunt two to three hours out of Valdez by fast boat. Fishing is usually excellent, but the outfitter does not fish. You may fish off the boat if you like, but he recommends hiring a charter after your hunt. Charters may be booked on the spot at the Best Western in Valdez for world class salmon and halibut fishing.

Fall hunting is also good. Sept. 6-12 would be a good time for a fall hunt. Licenses and tags are sold over the counter.

Full in 2011 except for a single 1x1 slot April 25-May 4.