Kodiak 2023
Contributors to this thread:Mule Deer
From: BlacktailBob
20-Oct-23
Off for three weeks at the Buckshack tomorrow. Had a couple of guys there last week. They each killed bucks. Say the wind only blew to 120 mph, so not even close to record setting. They also said a few deer around, so maybe the hunt will be better than what I had anticipated for 2023.
From: Straight Shooter
20-Oct-23
Great pic, I was just talking with my buddy today about your place, good luck!
From: kakiatkids
20-Oct-23
Can't wait to hear how you do.
From: Treeline
20-Oct-23
Good luck, Bob!
From: yeager
20-Oct-23
Have a great hunt and stay safe…….can’t wait for a recap!
From: ND String Puller
20-Oct-23
That shack must be one hell of a bunker! Kind of an engineering marvel when you think about it! “Sponsored by Liquid Nails” ;) Good luck Bob, looking forward to the recap as well!
From: AKmtnhunter
20-Oct-23
I won’t be too far from you. Fly out Sunday for 11 days. I’d love the forecast to stay true, it would be a welcome change from last years experience. Best of luck!
From: pav
22-Oct-23
Kodiak is a true adventure...good luck Bob!
From: Bou'bound
22-Oct-23
Paul Wishing bob Good luck on Kodiak is like wishing Rembrandt good luck with the painting lol
From: Mad Trapper
22-Oct-23
Good luck Bob!
From: westgak
22-Oct-23
Good luck! Dreaming of hunting there soon.
Looking forward to a recap.
From: SBH
22-Oct-23
Have a great trip Bob. Looking forward to hearing about your hunt.
From: Shug
22-Oct-23
Have a great trip
From: Chief 419
22-Oct-23
I’ll be on Kodiak Nov. 1st. Good luck Bob!
From: t-roy
22-Oct-23
Good luck, Bob, and you as well, Randy!
From: TEmbry
22-Oct-23
Good luck bob! Put down a few bucks! It’s been two years since I’ve shot one and I’m getting antsy!
From: BOWUNTR
22-Oct-23
I wanna go.... Good luck Bob. Ed F
From: Bowboy
22-Oct-23
Good luck Bob!
From: Rut Nut
22-Oct-23
Good luck Bob! Hope Bou didn’t just jinx you! ;-)
From: Ron Niziolek
22-Oct-23
Good luck Bob!
From: longsprings
24-Oct-23
Cant wait to hear how you did.
Be safe
From: goelk
24-Oct-23
Be safe and good luck
From: BOWNBIRDHNTR
24-Oct-23
Dang that view looks familiar! Wyatt and I hope to go back in a couple years. Looking forward to hearing how the hunt goes. Sounds like there were plenty of bears around last week!
From: Beav
24-Oct-23
Good luck! Look forward to a recap.
From: Beendare
24-Oct-23
I was supposed to go with buddies but had to bail on them….its my wifes 60th so I will be here for her first birthday since her 40th.
I almost made Kodiak…but it would have been cutting it close…..and no room for weather delays which is inevitable.
From: axle2axle
24-Oct-23
Looking forward to this one...Kevin
From: Thornton
12-Nov-23
Somebody's bow is here at the Best Western on Kodiak with Sitka bags.
From: BlacktailBob
24-Nov-23
Deer numbers continue to be way down. I think I saw 3 mature bucks for the time I was there this year. I'd say the ratio is 25 to 1 regarding does and young bucks to mature bucks. Based upon my observations, its very bad. In south central Alaska, we have had the most snow since the late 1950's or early 1960's this early in the winter. Its not looking good for the winter of 2023/2024.
From: midwest
24-Nov-23
Sad to hear that.
From: BlacktailBob
24-Nov-23
Yes, sad indeed. At 68 years old, sorry timing to have deer numbers so adversely impacted by climate. If only the climate would warmup a few degrees, for say five years, maybe I'd have a chance to kill a few more bucks. The way it has been, cold hard winters for the past five years have decimated the deer herd.
From: Zbone
24-Nov-23
Thanks for sharing Bob, I remember previous stories about youenz hunting out of the Buckshack... What's the history behind the Buckshack? Thanks...
From: BlacktailBob
25-Nov-23
Not sure what you mean by "history behind the Buckshack?" Just a place I found and bought years ago and have managed to build a small cabin there with the help of friends. Hunting was initially very good. On typical days you could expect to see 20 to 25 mature P&Y bucks each day. Sitting on the deck with 15 power binoculars on a tripod, you could often spot as many as 100 deer around the bay. As I said previously, this year I saw 3 mature bucks in about 2 1/2 weeks and didn’t kill a buck. Pretty sad.
From: axle2axle
25-Nov-23
Tough break Bob...sorry to hear things have degraded to this extent. I've got lots of great memories from the two trips I've made to the Buckshack in the past...and both were nothing like you have described. During both of those trips...although the first one was cut short by a negative bear encounter...we were covered up with bucks. I'm guessing I'm not as picky as you are...at selecting bucks to kill...but you couldn't swing a dead cat without hitting a good buck any of the days we hunted during my time there. Hopefully something changes soon to reverse the conditions driving mature buck numbers down in that area. And wishing you the best of luck for the rest of your hunting season. Kevin
From: midwest
25-Nov-23
Negative bear encounter? We need more details, please!
From: Pete In Fairbanks
25-Nov-23
But wait.... didn't a ton of Bowsiters tell us that there was absolutely no reason to reduce the Bag Limit and that the Board of Game should reconsider their reckless indifference toward NR hunters? How can that be?!! I'm shocked...!
Pete
From: Matt
25-Nov-23
Pete, if the Board had made any mention of populations in their decision to reduce the NR bay limit, your comment would make sense. But they didn’t, and we both know the decision was political and not biological. It was purely bowing to resident sentiment that NR hunting pressure was increasing and diminishing their outdoor experience.
From: BlacktailBob
25-Nov-23
Pete, I read your book while at the cabin this year. Great read, very entertaining, and speaks volumes regarding a life full of hunting adventure and accomplishment. Congratulations on the book.
From: ki-ke
25-Nov-23
Agreed. Pete’s book is a very entertaining read
From: TEmbry
25-Nov-23
“It was purely bowing to resident sentiment that NR hunting pressure was increasing and diminishing their outdoor experience.”
I’ll play along…. Why is this a bad thing even if it were 100% true? (I agree biological concern for the species wasn’t why it was cut down).
From: Matt
25-Nov-23
"I’ll play along…. Why is this a bad thing even if it were 100% true?}
Pete's implication was that the decision was because of biological concern, which was 0% true.
But to your point, lots of Alaska residents benefit economically from non-resident hunters and to allow resident recreational hunters and outfitters to drive policy to the detriment of other resident businesses and their employee's economic well-being strikes me as bad policy. Put another way, while a state's mandate is to manage wildlife for the benefits of its residents, that shouldn't be exclusive the interest of resident hunters and outfitters.
From: Chief 419
28-Nov-23
I just returned from Kodiak and saw very few deer. Hunted the Larsen Bay area and everyone else we talked to had the same results. I’d give Kodiak a pass for the next few years.
From: Potro
29-Nov-23
Very sad news. I was thinking in try for a sitka deer in 2024 in Afognak Island Sounds like I better wait for a couple of years
From: Pete In Fairbanks
30-Nov-23
Matt,
So you were at that BOG meeting? If not, I'd be curious to know how you have any idea of what Board Members discussed, much less thought!
To those of you who bought my book.....Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it. I occasionally re-read portions of it and ask myself: "I'm kinda surprised I did that and didn't die!"
Pete
