Sitka Gear Turkey Tool Belt

So who is hunting Alaska this year?

Well,

I'm sorta cheating, because I live in Alaska.


Deer season opened on the 1st, but I'm not really hunting deer yet.

I will be hunting Brown bear again starting Sept 15th. I like to hunt Brown bear by boat. My old 1976 24' Fiberform cabin cruiser is currently in the shop, getting a brand new Volvo/Penta (chevy 350) engine and duoprop outdrive combo installed. She should run like a brand new boat after this! :D

The plan is to simply run about 60 miles north of town, between Baranof and Chicagof Islands, and start cruising around looking for bear. When it gets dark, we stop and drop anchor in the nearest sheltered bay, and camp in the boat, as it has a stove and head. If the bears don't show up, we'll hike up some of the salmon streams looking for them. Naturally I'll be carrying my 416 Taylor. I'm using 325gr North Fork bullets, which the rifle pushes to 2500fps.

I haven't settled on a definite date for going Mt Goat hunting yet. I'll go whenever I'm done bear hunting. That involves little more than calling the local air taxi operator, and flying into one of a couple alpine lakes. Of course the last two times I did this, we didn't get a goat!
Sometimes it pays to be lucky. ;) Still, it's really just a matter of fly in, climb up, and either the goats are there while your there, or they're not. If they are a couple ridgelines over, your probably out of luck. :( Of course the weather plays a crucial role too. Last Fall, the first day I tried to fly in, the weather was bad, and the pilot had to return to town. The next day we made it in, and I spent that day glassing the goat. Had to wait till the next day to hunt, due to Alaska game rules about hunting the same day you fly in. Well, that night it stormed, and I awoke to 3" of snow. The goats were gone, or too well camoflauged to see. That hunt was done. If I had been able to get in on the original day, I would of had a goat. :(
 
BW...... I'm planning to Go next year.... 75% right now........ You got Extra room then ?~?~?~? :D :D
 
Moosie,

Unfortunately, S.E. Alaska doesn't offer much for the un-Guided non-resident hunter. :(

Obviously, Brown bear and Mt. Goat require a licensed Guide, and I'm not one. Other than those two animals, S.E. Alaska just has Black bear and Deer for the most part.

There is a drawing hunt for Elk on a couple islands, but the Elk hunting down in your area is probably much better. Same with deer. Our Sitka Blacktails are not much of a trophy, and hardly worth your time. There's a handful of moose around, in the areas I can reach by boat. But again, they're not the trophy's you'd find in the Interior and South Central areas.

I plan on hunting Black bears next Spring, in the same area that Big Sky hunted this Spring. In fact, I know the guy he hunted with, and look forward to actually meeting him soon. I may go this Fall, if the boats done in time, and my schedule permits. The Fall Black bear season, when hunting by boat, is a hard thing to time! When the season opens Sept 1st, the salmon runs are dying out, and you may miss the bears (on the streams) entirely. Then you have to hunt them up in the hills, and along the road system.

If somebody wanted to go along on a Brown bear hunt with me, and hunt deer rather than bear, that might be doable. There's plenty of excitement stalking around Brown bear country, backing up the actual shooter, even if your not bringing home the trophy! Plus, it can't hurt having a few deer gut piles, laying around to help attract (but not bait!) the big bears.

As far as Black bear hunting next Spring, I already have a couple guys with standing invitations. One went with me last Fall, and the "timing" issue kept us from connecting with a bear. :( They had to bail out of the Spring hunt this year, due to different, but valid reasons. So, they have first "dibs" again this Spring.

Most guys from the "lower 48" have visions of big Moose and Caribou, not mere Black bear, and I don't blame them. I can't help in those areas though. But, if your thinking Black bear like Big Sky, we should keep in touch.


BTW, my brother just moved to Boise, from Nevada. He doesn't hunt though. He works as a aircraft dispatcher at the National Fire (something) Dispatcher office there. I would like to visit him someday, maybe I'll see you then too.
 
BW, Ohhhhh I have envisions of AK, Not just the BIG GAME.... If you see my "TROPHY" wall, you will realise that I don't always kill the big un's :D

I have a Friend in Sitka AK that I will be heading to Next year. Ive talked with "Allen in AK" from this site about a 'Bou hunt. As far as BEar go..... AHhhhhhh I like hunting them !!! I know that the Sheep/goat deal and the Brown are off limits, But I am working out a deal in the future for a friend to get his Guide Deal.... That way a POOR boy like me could make it up there.... And if not... MAybe in 10 years I'll move there for a few years


Let's do Keep in touch. I won't post too much about it probably till later spring.... But Am Trying to get some ducks lined up for me. In like 3 weeks ELK Season (BOW) opens up here and Heck will be buisy for awhile..... I can only shoot a cow in the Bow season, But maybe I can Post a pic or two


Fire me your # some day BW and let me know when I can call.... [email protected]

I have a Buddy "BIRCH" on Kodiak Island... He is In with the Game/fish Dept or bioligist something or other there *SMILE* Here is a Recent Blacktail he shot............ Big for Blacktail standards I think ?~?~?~

birchdeer.jpg
 
My brother and I went on an unguided drop camp two years ago and we're going to do it again next year. We were up in the foothills of the Taylors (west of Iliamna). We did great on caribou but missed out on moose (primarily through inexperience and more than a little stupidity!). We have high hopes for next year!
While we were there, I made my all time best hunting shot (with a witness!). We flushed a ptarmigan and it flew up about 100 yards and landed with its head skylighted. I bet my brother the camp chores that I could take its head off with my .308. I will NEVER admit how much luck was involved in that PERFECT offhand head shot! :D Needless to say, we ate ptarmigan for dinner and my brother had to do the dishes!
I can't wait till next year!
Jim in AZ
 
Come Sept. 1st I'm headed back to Alaska for another 10 day moose hunt with my outfitter buddy. He said he knows where there are a couple of 70"+ bulls without collar burns! Wish me luck!
 
Well, I just got back from my sheep hunt. My buddy got a nice ram on opening day but little did we know he shot the only ram in the whole damn drainage. He gave me half the meat so thats not bad. other wise yup, I'll be hunting AK this year.

Brian, one of these days I'm gonna get down by you and hunt bear.
 
Sparkman will be in AK on Sept. 2nd, floating a remote wilderness river Sept. 5-17th hanging out in Fairbanks until the 21st. Hitting Anchorage at about NOON on the 21st, w/ a 45min. layover (plane change)on the way home.
The harvest menu to include Trophy Yukon Moose, Caribou, black bears, and wolves. I also got small game and fishing license for subsistance meals. I'll be sporting the old .375H&H for this gig. Sparkman375
 
Sparkie Dave ole buddy, best of luck in AK!!

I was wanting to borrow your rifle for elk hunting this year :(

Block that point !!!!!

Did you finally get all the details lined out? I still have the old 300 if ya wanna take a real gun. maybe ya could just shoot them critters from home :D :D

Again best of luck to ya, and please be careful .
 

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