Kodiak hunt report... Bowsite style
Mule Deer
Contributors to this thread:
Ok... after reading all these outstanding hunt/pic reports I figured that since I took a thousand photos I'd give it a try... here we go.
This Sitka Blacktail hunt did not come to fruition until the end of July. I had planned on drawing a Wyoming elk tag for this September and put all my eggs in that basket... well, I didn't draw. I also applied for a slam dunk Kaibab deer tag and didn't draw that either. All my other applications were long shots. No tags except for an over the counter deer tag here in Arizona. So, I started thinking about Kodiak Island... the stars were lining up. I had a clear schedule being an unemployed bowhunter with no tags. Kodiak has had a string of mild winters and reports that deer numbers were high. Alaska G&F is going to double license and tag prices next year. I had a willing an able hunting partner... I actually booked the flight, bush flight, hotel, Sat phone.... in a couple hours. We were going...
First things first, I had an Az deer tag to fill. I found some bucks close to home and filled my tag within the first hour on opening morning. This is my second Coues deer so I was determined to shoot the first P&Y candidate. I just moved to Arizona and have the rest of my life to shoot a bigger one. Ed F
My partner, Tom, is relatively new to bowhunting and he retired a few days before we were to leave. Tom had never hunted Alaska before and was all fired up about this adventure. We flew straight to Kodiak city without a hitch. The weather window for our bush flight was looking good. We purchased our tags, food and then prepared our gear for the flight out the following morning.
We flew to a lake on the south end of the island. My #3 spot. There were other groups of hunters at my #1 and #2 spots. We set up a comfortable camp with blue skies overhead.
Tom was excited...
That afternoon we hiked up to a saddle near camp and saw quite a few bucks... things were looking good.
There were basically four small mountain ranges that were within hiking distance from our camp. The following morning I opted to shoot for the furthest mountain with good weather. I figured that we could hunt the closest mountain when the weather wasn't that good. It was a long ass hike to the base of the mountain. We made it to the ridge with very few deer spotted. The wind had picked up considerably.
Tom had first shot. We spotted a few bucks but conditions were tough. Tom made a couple unsuccessful stalks. After a long day we started to head towards camp. When we got to the bottom of the hill I spotted a bedded buck. The spotting scope revealed that it was a 3x3 with eyeguards. Tom opted to watch me stalk the buck. I stalked right in on him and shot him in his bed with a heart shot. He only went 15 yards. We took care of the buck and hiked back in the dark arriving after midnight.
The next day we hiked up to the saddle near camp. We were beat from our first day. There were about 15 bucks in the bowl on the other side....
We put a plan together but the odds were against us with so many deer in the bowl. The deer ended up busting out of there. We made our way up the ridge to the top and peeked over the other side. There was a single buck bedded in a good spot for a stalk... Tom was up to bat.
He snuck right in to 25 yards and the buck jumped up... game over. A nice 3x3 with eyeguards and a 3" abnormal point. We broke the deer down and were back to camp at dark. A celebratory toast was in order. Ironically (Bowsite thread) we had a bottle of Crown Apple... cheers
Dinner.... venison backstrap, potatoes and onions... Oh my.
...and congrats on the buck!!
The following morning we called for a meat pickup. The fee is minimal if they are flying in the area. We scheduled our hunt for 10 days so meat care was critical. I use a method to sink the meat in the lake which is cooler than the air temps. Plus there's less odor for the bears.
I don't know how to add video so you can cut and paste the link to see how we take care of the meat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhVcA9WBpnw&feature=youtu.be
Congrats to both of you on your first bucks! Keep it coming!
The next morning we hiked up to the saddle by camp. There were less deer than the previous day and no bucks I wanted to stalk. We saw a group of 9 caribou on the other side of the bowl. Tom ended up making a stalk on a buck and it ended up not working out. Fortunately, the caribou made a 180 and started heading right for him. He ended up missing the biggest bull.
We hiked up to the top and peeked over the other side where Tom shot his buck the day before. There was another buck bedded in almost the same bed. We had seen this buck the day before. He was the biggest buck we had seen so far. I figured that if Tom could kill a deer on that hillside, I could too.
I picked some landmarks and snuck right in above him. He was still in his bed and had no idea I was there. It was a steep shot so I took 15 yards off and shot him in his bed. I ended up putting a second insurance arrow in him and he was finished... More whiskey...
When we arrived back at camp... it started to rain, and rain, and blow, and blow harder, and rain buckets... for 2 1/2 days. Did I say whiskey...
Here's another video to cut and paste...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfiWKQ_hCVc
Oh yeah, we saw a few bears. Actually bears were on our carcasses the day after the kill. We didn't have any bear problems.
We had three good hunting days and killed three bucks. We would be tagged out in no time... When the weather broke we got after it again. Tom had several good opportunities and did not connect. I stalked what I thought was the biggest buck we saw but got winded. For the next few days we gave it hell. Tom is looking for an arrow sponsor.... Anyways, I think we spent one more day in the tent because of the weather. On day 10 of our 10 day hunt I called the flight service and requested to get picked up a day later.... no problem.
On day 10 we hunted a different mountain and it was loaded with deer... herds. I bet we saw 50 bucks. Tom had a shot at a good one and I stalked that bigger buck but no other opportunities. Too many deer.... The last day we headed over there and I glassed the very top and it was covered with deer. This was the only time we split up. Tom headed for the saddle and I headed for the top. I was almost at the top when I sat down on a small saddle to glass. Just as I sat down I saw a buck bedded... 25 yards away. This deer was sleeping and the wind was howling. He was a smaller 3 point last day buck. I knocked an arrow and shot him in his bed. 3 deer all shot in their beds. I was a long ways from camp. Anyways, I arrived right at dark just in time for dinner and a whiskey nightcap.
Another video...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7R0LJKCVHY
The next morning we packed up camp and waited for our ride. Our bush pilot told us we were lucky that he was able to pick us up because it was supposed to blow 100 mph that afternoon and we would have been stuck for a few more days.
This is a video of our ride in.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUroziTBEMM
Oh man ! This gets my blood pumping! What a trip! Congrats to both of you guys. I can't wait for my trip next year. Thank you for posting! Hunt
Thanks much Ed! Great story on an awesome adventure! Fatty was a pretty good buck I think? (don't know much about those sitka deer....) Looked great to me! Congrats to your partner. Some meat in the cooler and an empty quiver.... many times that's a fun hunt!
Ed, What did you take with you for "bear repellent" besides the perimeter fence? gun? spray? both?
Awesome Ed. I was going to use your dunk the meat method but I ended up with a 3' deep x 59 yard long pile of snow left over on the other side of the lake I camped on. Very convenient.
Great hunt! You had some fantastic highlights. Getting three Sitka Blacktails on one hunt is big time success! Enjoy! C
Great hunt guys! Big congrats to both you. This hunt is on my 5 yr bucket list.
Excellent adventure Bowuntr! Congrats to you and Tom!
Nice work Ed! You are living my dream :)
Looks like you guys had some great weather too.... Hard to find up here, so they say!
That's a great story of a great adventure. Thanks for sharing. Now you have me wanting to try the CR apple.
"Ed, What did you take with you for "bear repellent" besides the perimeter fence? gun? spray? both?"
Jake, we both had handguns and we borrowed a couple cans of bear spray from the transporter. The metal boxes we also borrowed from the transporter for keeping our food dry and safe about 100 yards from camp. The last time I was on Kodiak we had two bears in camp... I wanted to avoid that! We didn't see a bear near our camp this time. Ed F
Ed, a great successful hunting story with a little humor added it. Nice. Paul
Awesome buddy. Just what I needed before I leave in 3 weeks
Congrats again Ed! Sounds like there's plenty to go around up there and you didn't wack them all. Can't wait!
Really enjoyed your story. Congrats on a great hunt. I started the Crown Royal Apple thread and some of the peanut gallery commented that it was not a man's drink. I think your story should set them straight!
The apple is sweet, in more ways than one. An interesting tale.... When we set up our camp there was a waterproof bag containing an assortment of things. Inside the bag there was a simple note saying "take what you need and leave something for others". There was some stove fuel, freeze dried food, camp items... and a bottle of Pendleton in the bottom of the bag. I told Tom that we wouldn't need that. Wrong... we celebrated a lot.
I really don't drink much... but find it comforting at the end of a hard day on an adventure like this. I also use it for bear protection.... A Tylenol PM, ear plugs and a whiskey nightcap, I'm sleeping like a baby and let Tom stay awake on bear patrol. Tom caught on real quick and mirrored my bear watch system. A bear would have to be on top of the tent before we realized what was going on. Ed F
Congrats Ed! That hunt is on my bucket list too. I just got back from Kodiak on a Goat hunt and we only saw a few deer, including one that was on the very top of the mountain about 100yards from goats! Mike
Great hunt...looks like fun, congrats!
Ed - Outstanding! Congratulations on a great hunting adventure. You'll be my Alaska consultant whenever I get to that number on my bucket list.
Great write up Ed! Thanks for sharing
Scott
Excellent!! I leave the day after Thanksgiving for Kodiak. Getting short!!
Awesome as usual Ed. One more mild winter this year and I can't even imagine how good the deer hunting will be next fall. Congrats on 3 more dandies.
Congrats Ed. Thanks for sharing
Great adventure, Ed! The adventure itself is always good, but it's sweeter when you are covered up in deer. You guys did well, congrats!
Best Wishes, Jeff
Grats Ed! Good times!
I'm also going next year and can't wait!
Great advise from Blacktail Bob... go now, one bad winter can change everything... Ed F
Great job Ed, congrats!
DJ
Great hunt and recap!
Congrats!
Thanks for sharing. Great story. Hunted it in 2004 and would like to go back.
Awesome story!!!
Did it blow 100 MPH?
What a cool adventure! Congratulations and thanks for sharing!
Great story! Thanks for taking the time to share and congratulations on your successful hunt and adventure.
Congrats on a great hunt!
Good stuff Ed. Congrats again!
Neat adventure Ed. Thanks for sharing. Know your buddy that is new to bowhunting is really turned on now. Congrats on some nice trophies.
What an adventure. Great hunt. Thanks for the recap.
Thanks so much for the recap! Definitely one of my bucket list hunts. I talked to a guide that hunted Kodiak a lot and he said he always prayed for strong winds at night that way you couldn't hear the bears. Congrats on some nice bucks.
Congrats! Thanks for sharing!
"Awesome story!!! Did it blow 100 MPH? "
In Kodiak City it was blowing 40-50 when we left the following morning and I heard they cancelled flights after that and Andrews didn't fly at all that day. It blows a lot harder where we were hunting. I'll take the bush pilots word for it... There's nothing like using your legs to keep the tent from collapsing. Out of 11 hunting days we were in our tent for 3 1/2. Ed F
Ed, a huge congrats to you and Tom!!!
Great job with the story and pics!
Mark
Great story! Thanks for sharing.
Great story and pic's! Congratulations on an awesome adventure. You guys did well and got some great bucks!
Been a long time since my last hunt on Kodiak. Awesome place when the deer numbers are good!
Awesome write up Ed! Congratulations on a great hunt! Thanks for sharing it with us!
Great adventure ! Thanks for posting !
Awesome. Thanks for sharing!!
Congrats Ed. The second deer wins the award for the fattest wild deer I've ever seen or seen a pic of. I would have assumed big time bloat or (aside from the headgear) last trimester preggie if I didn't know better. Bet he ate great! What did you use for your nasty rain jacket/pants? Anything different you would bring next time?
That fatty died in sight, no bloating. We saw him the day before and knew he was bigger than all the others. He'll score in the mid 90's net as a forky. 3" of fat on his ass. I'd say they eat pretty good out there. We both use Helly Hanson Impertech rain gear. I'd bring better weather next time... Thanks everyone. Ed F
Thanks so much for the recap! Definitely one of my bucket list hunts. I talked to a guide that hunted Kodiak a lot and he said he always prayed for strong winds at night that way you couldn't hear the bears. Congrats on some nice bucks.
Congrats Ed on another great trip to Kodiak!
Its not much, but it sure beats a tent when the wind is blowing the rain sideways and bears are after your meat.
Epic adventure, my friend! Congratulations on some fine blacktails.
Great hunt, great story! Thanks for sharing
Really enjoyed this, Ed. Heck of a hunt! Thanks for posting
CONGRATS on the great bucks and trip!
Hey Ed did you rent the bear fence or do you own it?
Great pics, Ed. Thanks for sharing and congratulations!
I own the bear fence... we did rent the Kodiak Condo tent, cots, table, chairs and Sat phone from Kodiak Kamps. We were comfortable. Ed F
Great thread. Tghanks for sharing
Great pics and story. Definitely on my to do list.
Thanks for posting Ed. Congrats!
Congratulations & thanks for sharing!
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