Kodiak blacktail bow hunt

[Highcountry]

Didi anyone see the Bowhunter magazine show on sunday night?
I was at the in-laws flippin through the channels and landed on it. It just happened to be about bowhunting blacktails on kodiak so I decided to watch. I dont know what time of year it was, It was during the rut so maybe mid nov?, but for the first few days there was no snow, the last few days they were there it snowed like crazy and they ended up getting stuck for like a week until the pilot could come back for them. Anyway, both guys limited out, 3 good bucks each with their bows. The interesting part was the hats the guys wore while hunting. The hats looked home made and were mabe to resemble a does face and ears, almost looked like mickey mouse ears. I had to keep watching, one of the hosts said that a long time local told them about it, it seemed to attract the younger bucks, and at the same time it seemed to make the bigger bucks interested. The bigger bucks would come in close and hold some what still while these guys drew and shot their bows, it was strange but it seemed to work. Maybe the hat thing is common knowledge, but it is new to me. I am trying to put a trip together for next (07)november up there. Good luck Moosie and IB!!!

 

[IdahoBugler]

Funny you mentioned that Highcountry. Because I'm almost finished with my first ever deer hat. I wanted to watch that but I never got too. I thought it was done airing on the outdoor channel. I even got a hold of Dwight Schuh about getting a rough copy and he said it wasn't available and that I would have to wait until it came out on dvd.

My hat looks as dumb as there's so I hope it works. I'll post some pics when I get a chance before we leave. There was also a feature story in the last Bowhunter Magazine with pictures of the hats.

Thanks for the kudo's and I'm sure some pics will be up when we get back.

 

[TBinKodiak]

I doubt you'd need the hat. Most of these deer have never seen a human before so you can literally walk right up to them. I walked up to a little buck last fall so close I could have punched him in the face. Did the same thing to a doe 2 falls ago. It was tempting, but I figured the little buggers would kick me or something. As far as hunting, take your time with the shot because they aren't going anywhere. If they've been hunted they can be a little jumpy but you'll still be able to get off 2 or 3 shots before they run away. Whitetails they ain't, but they are still fun to hunt.

 

[1_pointer]

mtmiller thought he'd just mosey down the hill for a close shot too... I think not being able to see over the grass was a bigger problem than a spooky deer.

 

[TBinKodiak]

The grass, alders, and salmon berry brush are always a problem. The good news for IB and Moosie is the leaves are off the alders and salmon berry brush and the grass is pretty well knocked down. Also the southend is a little more open than the northend too. Pretty lazy hunting if you ask me....

 

[IdahoBugler]

The grass, alders, and salmon berry brush are always a problem. The good news for IB and Moosie is the leaves are off the alders and salmon berry brush and the grass is pretty well knocked down. Also the southend is a little more open than the northend too. Pretty lazy hunting if you ask me....

Perfect!!!!!!!!!!! That's the only way I hunt.. The only thing I really hear is that shooting in the 40-50mph can do some funny things to your arrows.

 

[1_pointer]

IB, you guys going archery only or will you be packing a rifle as well?

 

[IdahoBugler]

IB, you guys going archery only or will you be packing a rifle as well?

I'll be taking my bow and Moose knuckle will be taking a rifle. If push comes to shove and when Moosie is done with his 3 deer in 3 days, I'm not going to be afraid to put one down with the rifle. Then from there I can try and get one with a bow.

 

[Dinkshooter]

Does the hat attrack bears as well?

My brother just got off Kodiak last week. It seems all he did was try to avoid bears all the time, 4-5 a day. But he said it was a awesome hunt.

 

[IdahoBugler]

Does the hat attrack bears as well?

My brother just got off Kodiak last week. It seems all he did was try to avoid bears all the time, 4-5 a day. But he said it was a awesome hunt.

That's sounds fun. How did your brother do? Do you have any pics?

 

[Dinkshooter]

He shot one............................then a bear decided it was his. Then he missed 2 more(archery). Not sure why he missed, he is usaully cool under pressure. The guy he went with said the year before they only saw 2 bears the entire trip. They were in a different area this year.

No pics, I won't see him til January when we go to Salt Lake to donate our money to the big raffle.

 

[TBinKodiak]

Snow on the ground this morning and temps still in the low 20s. My guess is some of the bears will be heading up the mt for a nap soon. Always bears out (even in Jan & Feb) but there should be a few less when IB & Moosie are up than when your brother was.
Still good to remember that once a deer is on the ground it needs to be taken care of before going after another one. Two reasons, it may not be there when you come back or worse it may be there with company.
That goes for camping too. If you plan to have meat in camp more than about 3-4 days you WILL have bears in camp. If you have to DLP a bear, don't take "trophy" shots with it. F&G kinda frowns upon guys standing over the bear with their rifles and big grins on their faces (as do most sportsmen). Record the kill site with pics and take the skull and hide to turn over to F&G. There are almost 3 times as many Browns/Griz on Kodiak (the size of Conneticut) as there are in the entire lower 48 so keep your eyes open, use common sense, and you probably won't have any problems.

 

[Dinkshooter]

The deer was long gone before he went after other deer. He was there for 10 days.

He shot it about a hour before dark. Started blood trailing and a bear showed up right away, on top the ridge sniffing the air etc. He decided to pull out and try in the morning. To late. Bear was laying on top of the deer all morning.

He did take the shotgun back in a few days later to try and get the rack, but again there was to many bears to deal with.

 

[TBinKodiak]

Yeah they can get pretty thick in places. He did the right thing by pulling back, no need following a blood trail in the dark. Probably best he left the rack too since the red tape can get pretty thick with bringing out the antlers and no meat.
Dinkshooter, I hope you didn't think I was implying your brother did anything wrong by my post. I was just trying to give advice to IB and Moosie. You can still do everything right and still have bear problems. I have a good friend that had to DLP one this fall after they had a deer down. They were cutting up a buck when a bear popped out 50 yards away downwind. They fired 3 warning shots and hollered at it but it still came. They moved away from the meat but the bear just didn't want them in the area and charged. They shot it at 7 yards. This guy spends tons of time out in the bush every fall and has had 200+ bear encounters, this one is the only one that turned sour.

 

[Dinkshooter]

"Dinkshooter, I hope you didn't think I was implying your brother did anything wrong by my post".


Not at all. I just didn't think I was clear enough the first time.

Always like reading information about those bears you guys have up there. This September in AK was my first real time in grizz country. It sure changes things. I was babbling like a school girl when walking on alder choke trails with big tracks on them .

 

[Dinkshooter]

Cool story about your buddy. 1 out of 200 is not to bad.

I read some where, that since they have been keeping track, more people have been killed by sled dogs than grizz in AK. Do you think this is true?

 

[TBinKodiak]

I think the average is like one person killed every year or maybe every other year. I want to say maulings are like 6-8 a year but some of those are black bears. The average for Kodiak, which has the highest density of griz in the world, is 1 every other year and I believe one death in the last 70 years. Don't quote me on those figures though. Kodiak bears are pretty well behaved as far as griz go. I've seen over 40 and have never had a problem. I know a husband and wife were killed up in ANWR this summer. Sleeping in the tent with a 44 next to them. Never fired a shot...
IB, Don't read any bear mauling books before you come up. And for the love of God don't let Moosie, unless you like to cuddle.... hump

 

[AkBearHunter]

LOL.........thats great advice TBinKodiak! I told my buddy that was coming up from Georgia not to read any of the "Alaska bear tales" books until after we hunted. Probably a good thing too as we had a pretty good sized interior grizzly walk around our tent the last morning of our trip. Even with the 375 H&H parked right next to me and fully loaded I still sleep pretty light.

 

[IdahoBugler]

IB, Don't read any bear mauling books before you come up. And for the love of God don't let Moosie, unless you like to cuddle.... hump

No bear mauling books for me but I just watched a video on cabelas where they shot a big boar and a sow charged them that they didn't see. They ended up shooting her. It was pretty cool video. Moose knuckle likes to cuddle anywhere. You should of seen him and Browtine cuddling in New Mexico. When I got up and lit the fire because I was cold they were warm as can be, spooning. hump

 

[TBinKodiak]

Here's a coincedence. I just talked to the guys wife that had the DLP earlier this fall. I guess he arrowed a Brown last night. She didn't know much other than it wasn't as big as he'd hoped for but it has great fur. Good to hear because I know he's been chasing them with a bow for the past 5 or 6 years. He's drawn back on a 9 footer and an 8 footer but wasn't able to get shots. I'll have to give him a call tonight and get the low down.