Kodiak Blacktail Suggestions
Mule Deer
Contributors to this thread:
Myself and a couple of other Bowsiters are looking at going to Kodiak in 2018. Looking at going unguided but obviously utilizing an outfitter for lodging and logistics. Looking for do's, dont's, tips and suggestions regarding all of it.
I know many of you on here have done Kodiak numerous times and I respect your input. Feel free to reply or send a PM. Appreciate the suggestions.
You might consider doing a search on Bowsite....lots of good threads on the topic.
Contact Blacktailbob he'd be you best info for Kodiak.
If you want to do a camp, tougher but you get to hunt less pressured areas, there is an outfit that will rent you a complete camp.
Another suggestion for getting in touch with BlacktailBob. Good luck!
cnelk's Link
Im one of the 'other bowsiters' Anyone ever hunt with Raspberry Island?
http://huntraspberryisland.com/
I have opening for one early spot this year, then open for subsequent years. November spot is taken for several years. I'm only renting the cabin to two groups per year from now on.
Late November is our timeline. Most of our elk and deer hunting is over.
Late November is not a good choice. Very limited daylight to work with and weather can be pretty bad. If you go in late November I'd either be on a boat or a lodge.
The best dates on Kodiak is the last week of Oct and first week of Nov
Well, maybe those arent the best dates for the guys going
To each his own. Big Dan is absolutely correct.
Lets see the first time we went up on that date we killed number 1 & number 2 in P&Y then four years later we tied the WR and shot 5 in the top ten any one can go when ever they want. but the end of pre rut and the first week of the rut worked out for us
I am taking Bobs and Dans advice and going October 27- November 4! Can't wait! Hunt
Good luck Hunt!
Maybe you'll get the new #1 & #2
Brad . Thanks should be a good time ! I am sure that Mr Towle will keep you posted! Hunt
Anyone ever do a boat based hunt?? Outfitted not guided??
Cnelk... It's hard to tell if your being sarcastic or not! Bob is the man I would listen to him
Have done the boat hunt. Went the first week in November - rut was going hard and the bucks were really chasing hard. Worked out pretty well. They dropped us off on the beach in 2's or 3's and we hiked up to the top of the ridges. Most of the deer were running around up high and it was a lot of fun. You need to be in pretty good shape and know how to break down a deer quickly. Bears were still out and about and the days were getting short. Having the boat was helpful to dry wet clothes and hunt different spots around the bay.
Next trip will be an early hunt - August or early September. Get dropped off and backpack hunt.
It would suck to go on a hunt and have snow up to your chest and the wrong kind of boots and not see 10 deer! ;0
Guess going late can be good along the shore if there is snow, but not my cup of tea.
When I went on that boat hunt, there were 6 of us and we were averaging around 10 bucks spotted per day per in different areas around the bay.
Next trip would like a bit of a different experience to hunt them more like mule deer above treeline as well as having some silver's running...
You should come down here and kill some blacktailed pigs. I won't even charge you, or Brad. #1 and #2 in Oklahoma, just waiting for ya. Yeehaw!!
I know, I know... it's not near the view. :)
Embry Interested! What week would be best? :)
Any week/end from now until April! I don't do any late November hunts for hogs, the s--- is too deep then. I mean I'm too deep in the whitetail hunt. :)
This is why the really good guys stop giving advice
Submission deleted, no dog in fight. :)
When I was was up there, we used Homer Ocean Charters. You stay on a nice boat and are taken to the island to hunt each day on a zodiac. If the hunting is not good in a particular area, you pull up anchor and go somewhere else. We were treated like kings and saw a ton of deer; even killed a few.
Darren
Check to see if remote gov cabins can be rented. Take plenty of arrows for fox, etc. When I hunted in 98 I was told that it was open season on reindeer if my memory serves me. Kodiak I cool.
Personally I would stay well away from the "government cabins."
The areas around them are some of the most overhunted areas on Kodiak. Second in crappiness only to the areas along the road system!
Pete
Pete is absolutely correct with his comment regarding "Government Cabins'. This is especially true if they have been hunted by a group or groups of rifle hunters before you get there.
Get yourself a really good tent and talk your flight service into taking you someplace they don’t want to go and you'll have a good hunt. That, or look into someplace that costs a bit of money. Not just my place, because I'm rented up for a couple of years. But at least one of the Native Corporations has cabins for rent. There is good hunting available.
I'm pondering going on a boat hunt with a friend Joe- he has had some bowhunting gurus such as Noska, Hoffman, and Jimmy- hope he calls me up on the "friend" trip for December.
I will agree on the Government Use Cabins, BUT.........that is what I used when I went 7 years ago. You could tell the area around the cabin had been hunted hard, VERY skittish deer! As a result, my bow never came out of it's case after the first day. We had a hard enough time getting within rifle range of deer before deer blew out. The cabins are very convenient and we had a successful hunt, but when deer were busting when we were still 200+ yards away it was kind of a bummer.
December is too late to do a good bow hunt. If all you want to do is shoot deer off the beech with a rifle, have at it. Very little daylight and bucks will drop their antlers when the hit the ground.
Bad pic good deer!
Bad pic good deer!
Bob is correct, as usual! I did get lucky in December this year shot a pretty good one. Saw lots of deer/bucks but had to hike in away from other hunters. Putting a "Rut-hunt" together for 2018.
Beautiful buck. I bet you didn’t see many like that one. Congratulations.
That is an awesome Sitka! Not many 4x4 bucks running around up there. Congrats Tim.
Bob no sir he was by far the best buck I saw. I broke Treeman's heart when I shot this one, he'd already helped me drag the first one! LOL Thanks Zackman!
FANTASTIC BUCK Bpm!!! Congrats!
We hunted last few days of October and first few days of November many years ago. That time of year was recommended because the tall grass is usually laying down due to the frost so visibility for finding the deer is better. If you go later weather can be more of a factor with transportation. Earlier you have to deal with the vegetation and maybe more bears. I would look up Rick at Alpine Cove in Deadman Bay for a cabin rental. Super nice guy. We did have a super storm blow through. Not sure what the wind speed was but it was unhuntable. Guys across the bay had their tents blown to pieces. There was a boat hunt that pulled into the bay to get out of the wind. Don't think I would have enjoyed bobbing up and down like a bobber in that storm.
Tim, that deer is a stud. Congrats!
Roy's son Justin Roth killed this nice buck in Roy's Saddle last year.
I have one spot open for anytime from August - the first week of October open for 2018.
Bob, is that a deer taking the picture of just a hunter with a deer hat on??
Funny. I didn't notice what you saw and had to look at it a while to notice those ears.
I think his sister took the photo and was wearing a deer hat at the time. Good one though.
LOL!
Here I thought Paul was the only one who employed other animals as guides......... heheheh....