Keith Lusher 06.30.25
A Wisconsin hunter has officially claimed the world record for the largest grizzly bear ever killed by a hunter, taking down a massive boar in Alaska that measured an astounding 27-9/16 inches according to Boone and Crockett Club standards.
Brian van Lanen shot the enormous grizzly near Norton Sound, Alaska, in September 2024 during a combination moose and grizzly hunting expedition. What started as a selective hunt for trophy animals turned into a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with a bear that hunting experts describe as truly exceptional.
The record-setting hunt began when van Lanen and his guide Lance Kronberger spotted a large bear working along a riverbank. As they moved closer to assess the animal, a second massive boar appeared, triggering a territorial dispute between the two giants. When one bear began chasing the other away from a prime fishing spot, the hunters realized they needed to act quickly before losing sight of their quarry.
At 400 yards, van Lanen took his shot with a .338 Lapua Magnum rifle. The bullet rolled the bear onto its side, but the wounded animal headed for nearby alders. Several follow-up shots were required before two final shots near the riverbank brought down the massive grizzly for good.
The ancient boar showed clear signs of its old age, estimated to be between 20 and 25 years old. Battle scars covered its massive frame, its bottom lip was completely split in half, and its teeth had worn down to mere nubs from decades of survival in the Alaskan wilderness. These physical characteristics indicated the bear was near the end of its natural lifespan.
Boone and Crockett scoring is based entirely on skull measurements, not body weight or overall size. After the mandatory 60-day drying period, official measurers confirmed the skull scored 27-9/16 inches, surpassing the previous hunter-killed record of 27-8/16 inches set by Brian Park in 2018. The new record beats the old mark by just one-sixteenth of an inch.
Remarkably, this achievement represents only the second-largest grizzly skull ever recorded by the Boone and Crockett Club. The overall record remains with a 27-13/16 inch skull discovered by Gordon Scott in 1976, found as remains from a bear that had died naturally.
Van Lanen, who had been selectively hunting grizzlies since spring 2024, emphasized the importance of his relationship with his guides. He credits Lance Kronberger and the team at Freelance Outdoor Adventure as essential partners in achieving this milestone, describing them as brothers rather than simply professional guides.
The record was officially confirmed at the 32nd Big Game Awards Judges Panel and represents the largest hunter-killed grizzly since the Boone and Crockett Club began maintaining records in the 1920s. The skull is currently on display at the Wonders of Wildlife Museum in Springfield, Missouri, where it will remain through July 26th.
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