Kodiak Sitka Blacktail Hunt

TravKatQ

WKR
Joined
Oct 1, 2017
Messages
553
Location
Coalinga, CA
My dad and I just booked our spots in 2019 for a Kodiak Sitka Blacktail hunt with Ninilchik charters for the week of thanksgiving. Looking for any info on hunting this time of year and what to expect or if anyone has used Ninilchik charters before and any tips for this style hunt... It’s going to be a long couple of years waiting for this trip and can’t wait as this will be our first time hunting up North! Thanks, Travis


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209hunter

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 4, 2014
Messages
287
Subscribed. Im doing a similar hunt with a different charter service November of this year, cant wait! Would also love to hear some advice from people who have done this type of hunt
 

go4thegusto

WKR
Classified Approved
Joined
May 16, 2012
Messages
3,030
Location
Fargo ND
Rifle or archery?

We have hunted late October and used Fawn bleat calls and a Montana decoy. Works really well. Get tight to high cover and find a lane they will funnel through and start calling. We had a high success rate of bucks coming in. Bring a predator call for fox. Durable pants or gaitors, there are thorned shoots that are like blackberry shoots that will snag and grab your pants. Kuiu Guide pants are excellent. Good rain gear. Oh...start getting pumped. Kodiak is one of my favorite places on earth. I can't wait to get back there. Good Luck
 

Jordan Budd

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Staff member
Joined
Aug 8, 2012
Messages
2,743
Location
NW Nebraska
I was there right after thanksgiving through December 7 this last year. I filmed a rifle hunt in Larsen Bay. This year was a little different I guess because they hadn't had much snow and it wasn't really that cold, so the deer didn't really come down like they usually do. A bunch of deer were on the very tops of the ridges off the coast.

Hunting wise, we just glassed a ton. It's really hard judging the terrain and approaches because it's so brushy... so a hillside that looks grassy and easy to go up might just be covered in salmon berry bushes and will try and wreck your day. And it's a lot steeper than it looks too. Seems like it was a lot harder to figure out the spot you were trying to approach up there as opposed to most places in the states I've hunted.

Gear wise here's what I took:
Aerowool bottoms and top - tried and true base layers for me, no complaints
Sitka timberline pants - also tried and true for me in late season weather, held up well in the brush and nice in the snow
Sitka heavyweight core hoody - good fleece, got it wet a few times and dried out fairly quickly in the house
kifaru lost park parka - Definitely a go to for me in that type of weather... I would definitely stick to synthetic insulation in that weather
sitka jetstream jacket - I wore this a whole bunch. Really nice to have that durable soft shell fabric when your hiking through brush and you don't really need a rain jacket. Stickers and such don't snag on it nearly as quickly as a fleece or the merino is seems like. Plus its a descent wind blocker and water resistant. Any type of softshell would do the same as this I believe.
sitka cold front jacket - This thing was a game changer for me... it blocks the wind like nothing else I've ever used and kept me really dry and warm. I did a review on the set that should come out soon if your interested. Also took the pants, and they were great for the boat and four wheeler rides, but when we were hiking they were just too much.
sitka storm front pants - I did rip a whole in the butt of them the first day I used them. Must have been from the alders but I'm not 100% sure. Just patched it with tenacious tape and away I went. Other than that they did great.. hard to walk in but that's about all rain pants I think.
OR gaiters - definitely get some good gaiters... I'd recommend over the calf ones for this hunt.
Kenetrek 1000g insulated boots - I probably didn't need this much boot, but I don't have an "intermediate" insulated boot as of right now. These did fine, they didn't leak. Bring a backup pair of boots for sure
Micro spikes - when that grass on the hill sides gets slick you about can't climb it and slipping is extremely easy to do. We just had the slip on micro spikes and they worked wonders. Definitely recommend that.
rain cover/trash bags/dry bags - take them for all kinds of things.
gloves - I brought a couple pairs of insulated gloves and a pair of mechanics type gloves. Your definitely going to want them when hiking around... even when your not in the thick brush there's pokey little freaking plants everywhere on the ground.

That's all I can think of for right now. Just plan on wet, humid, wet, cold, wet and wet.
 

BuzzH

WKR
Joined
May 27, 2017
Messages
2,229
Location
Wyoming
My dad and I just booked our spots in 2019 for a Kodiak Sitka Blacktail hunt with Ninilchik charters for the week of thanksgiving. Looking for any info on hunting this time of year and what to expect or if anyone has used Ninilchik charters before and any tips for this style hunt... It’s going to be a long couple of years waiting for this trip and can’t wait as this will be our first time hunting up North! Thanks, Travis

I went on the exact same dates in 2006 with Ninilchik and had an absolutely wonderful trip...probably one of the best hunts I've done in Alaska. We hit awesome weather, in the week we hunted I wore a rain jacket about 3 hours of one day. The "bad" day we had weather wise, we shot sea ducks and did some fishing. My buddy and I were able to take harlequin, buffleheads, and oldsquaws and later in the afternoon caught all the halibut we could handle, pacific cod, and yellow eyes. We also soaked a bunch of crab pots too...well worth it.

My buddy and I each shot 2 bucks, but we could have shot another 1 each. IMO, I think 2 is more than enough. Our strategy was to shoot the first solid buck we saw, just in case the weather turned to chit. Then, hold out for a better buck and fill out on one of the last days if we didn't find a monster. The bucks we shot were all solid for sure. They are bigger bodied than most give them credit for. Packing a boned blacktail with head and cape is about all I wanted in particular in the country we shot them in. The mild weather had them higher than normal and we didn't see many deer at all near the beach, and no bigger bucks. All were about 2/3 of the way to the ridgetops.

Honestly, the toughest thing about that hunt was trying to decide whether to fish, shoot sea ducks, or hunt blacktail...one of the most enjoyable weeks I've spent hunting.

IMG_1577_4_1.JPG


438.JPG


Fish:

IMG_1600_1_1.JPG


Fowl:

IMG_1604_2_1.JPG
 
OP
TravKatQ

TravKatQ

WKR
Joined
Oct 1, 2017
Messages
553
Location
Coalinga, CA
I went on the exact same dates in 2006 with Ninilchik and had an absolutely wonderful trip...probably one of the best hunts I've done in Alaska. We hit awesome weather, in the week we hunted I wore a rain jacket about 3 hours of one day. The "bad" day we had weather wise, we shot sea ducks and did some fishing. My buddy and I were able to take harlequin, buffleheads, and oldsquaws and later in the afternoon caught all the halibut we could handle, pacific cod, and yellow eyes. We also soaked a bunch of crab pots too...well worth it.

My buddy and I each shot 2 bucks, but we could have shot another 1 each. IMO, I think 2 is more than enough. Our strategy was to shoot the first solid buck we saw, just in case the weather turned to chit. Then, hold out for a better buck and fill out on one of the last days if we didn't find a monster. The bucks we shot were all solid for sure. They are bigger bodied than most give them credit for. Packing a boned blacktail with head and cape is about all I wanted in particular in the country we shot them in. The mild weather had them higher than normal and we didn't see many deer at all near the beach, and no bigger bucks. All were about 2/3 of the way to the ridgetops.

Honestly, the toughest thing about that hunt was trying to decide whether to fish, shoot sea ducks, or hunt blacktail...one of the most enjoyable weeks I've spent hunting.

IMG_1577_4_1.JPG


438.JPG


Fish:

IMG_1600_1_1.JPG


Fowl:

IMG_1604_2_1.JPG

BuzzH, Looks like you guys had a great time for sure! I cant wait! Thanks for the info. We are planning on just 2 solid bucks as well and hope our weather will be similar to yours, that’s the only thing that scares me but then again it could be bad weather earlier in the year as well from what I have read. Thanks.


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OP
TravKatQ

TravKatQ

WKR
Joined
Oct 1, 2017
Messages
553
Location
Coalinga, CA
I was there right after thanksgiving through December 7 this last year. I filmed a rifle hunt in Larsen Bay. This year was a little different I guess because they hadn't had much snow and it wasn't really that cold, so the deer didn't really come down like they usually do. A bunch of deer were on the very tops of the ridges off the coast.

Hunting wise, we just glassed a ton. It's really hard judging the terrain and approaches because it's so brushy... so a hillside that looks grassy and easy to go up might just be covered in salmon berry bushes and will try and wreck your day. And it's a lot steeper than it looks too. Seems like it was a lot harder to figure out the spot you were trying to approach up there as opposed to most places in the states I've hunted.

Gear wise here's what I took:
Aerowool bottoms and top - tried and true base layers for me, no complaints
Sitka timberline pants - also tried and true for me in late season weather, held up well in the brush and nice in the snow
Sitka heavyweight core hoody - good fleece, got it wet a few times and dried out fairly quickly in the house
kifaru lost park parka - Definitely a go to for me in that type of weather... I would definitely stick to synthetic insulation in that weather
sitka jetstream jacket - I wore this a whole bunch. Really nice to have that durable soft shell fabric when your hiking through brush and you don't really need a rain jacket. Stickers and such don't snag on it nearly as quickly as a fleece or the merino is seems like. Plus its a descent wind blocker and water resistant. Any type of softshell would do the same as this I believe.
sitka cold front jacket - This thing was a game changer for me... it blocks the wind like nothing else I've ever used and kept me really dry and warm. I did a review on the set that should come out soon if your interested. Also took the pants, and they were great for the boat and four wheeler rides, but when we were hiking they were just too much.
sitka storm front pants - I did rip a whole in the butt of them the first day I used them. Must have been from the alders but I'm not 100% sure. Just patched it with tenacious tape and away I went. Other than that they did great.. hard to walk in but that's about all rain pants I think.
OR gaiters - definitely get some good gaiters... I'd recommend over the calf ones for this hunt.
Kenetrek 1000g insulated boots - I probably didn't need this much boot, but I don't have an "intermediate" insulated boot as of right now. These did fine, they didn't leak. Bring a backup pair of boots for sure
Micro spikes - when that grass on the hill sides gets slick you about can't climb it and slipping is extremely easy to do. We just had the slip on micro spikes and they worked wonders. Definitely recommend that.
rain cover/trash bags/dry bags - take them for all kinds of things.
gloves - I brought a couple pairs of insulated gloves and a pair of mechanics type gloves. Your definitely going to want them when hiking around... even when your not in the thick brush there's pokey little freaking plants everywhere on the ground.

That's all I can think of for right now. Just plan on wet, humid, wet, cold, wet and wet.

Jordan, thanks for the heads up on the country! I have been studying maps and watching vids from others and can tell the country looks deceiving. I have been told the brush can get thick in some places. Thanks for the gear list. I have quite a few items already that you listed and this gives me a good plateform to work from. Also interested in the cold front jacket so looking forward to your upcoming review on that! Another question I have is traveling with all your gear, how do you go by traveling with your pack and optics? I’ve heard from others to carry your optics and expensive items with you as a carry on and check everything else? Do you recommend any good durable bags for this kind of trip? Thanks, Travis.


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OP
TravKatQ

TravKatQ

WKR
Joined
Oct 1, 2017
Messages
553
Location
Coalinga, CA
We have hunted late October and used Fawn bleat calls and a Montana decoy. Works really well. Get tight to high cover and find a lane they will funnel through and start calling. We had a high success rate of bucks coming in. Bring a predator call for fox. Durable pants or gaitors, there are thorned shoots that are like blackberry shoots that will snag and grab your pants. Kuiu Guide pants are excellent. Good rain gear. Oh...start getting pumped. Kodiak is one of my favorite places on earth. I can't wait to get back there. Good Luck

Thanks for the info! I’m beyond excited to get there!


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Jordan Budd

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Aug 8, 2012
Messages
2,743
Location
NW Nebraska
Jordan, thanks for the heads up on the country! I have been studying maps and watching vids from others and can tell the country looks deceiving. I have been told the brush can get thick in some places. Thanks for the gear list. I have quite a few items already that you listed and this gives me a good plateform to work from. Also interested in the cold front jacket so looking forward to your upcoming review on that! Another question I have is traveling with all your gear, how do you go by traveling with your pack and optics? I’ve heard from others to carry your optics and expensive items with you as a carry on and check everything else? Do you recommend any good durable bags for this kind of trip? Thanks, Travis.


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I have a huge cabela's roll top waterproof dry duffel bag that I put most everything in. Depending on the pack and how much stuff I bring kinda depends but I usually go right up to 50lb on my checked bag. Then I'll have a carry-on as my backpack or little duffel bag with optics and some clothing packed low profile, then my "personal item" which is usually my little Antero backpack with camera gear. I have to carry a ton of stuff because we are filming and such so I'll probably have a little more stuff than you, but it's hard to go on a hunt under 50lbs for me. Especially a cold weather one where your taking 2 pairs of boots, extra clothing, etc. Sometimes I'll only have one carry on backpack, but on longer trips I usually have that duffel bag I check, a small carry on duffel and my carry on backpack.
 

BRWNBR

WKR
Joined
Feb 11, 2015
Messages
740
Some areas on the west side of Kodiak suffered some
Bad winter kill last winter and had tough falls this past season. Not much snow down there right now so hopefully those deer can squeeze out a couple good winters before you show up. It can change week to week down there. If an area gets hammered by other hunters prior to you being there the deer hunting will be a little different. They will move out of an area after pressure. You’ll still have Deer just not as much as normal or prior to hunt pressure that’s the beauty of being able to fish crab and shoot ducks. If the deer aren’t cooperating something will be!
 

209hunter

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 4, 2014
Messages
287
Tons of helpful info right there! Thanks for taking the time Jordan, cant wait to see the film!
 
OP
TravKatQ

TravKatQ

WKR
Joined
Oct 1, 2017
Messages
553
Location
Coalinga, CA
What’s everyone experience or tips for shipping meat and horns back?


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go4thegusto

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May 16, 2012
Messages
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Fargo ND
What’s everyone experience or tips for shipping meat and horns back?


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We put the antlers right in our rolling duffels with our clothes and flew them home. Meat is always a personal thing based on cost and need. We shoot a lot of game at home so the cost benefit was not as high. There is a men's homeless shelter in Kodiak that was absolutely thrilled to get some meat from us. That opened up some cooler space to take the prime cuts home and fill in the rest of cooler space with seafood which we can't really get at home in that quality.
However the last time I was there you could fly 3) 70 lb bags. Game has changed on that now. Limited to 2) 50 lb bags and a possible 3rd with a pretty high charge.
 

Zackman

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 31, 2012
Messages
212
Location
California
I've done this hunt 4 times before. I love Kodiak and will go until I die (and then have my ashes spread there!). Having done multiple styles of hunts on Kodiak, the boat hunt is my favorite. I love the fact that I can get dry at night. If I am not wrong, I believe the Ninilchick boat is aluminum on the inside. I could be wrong and they have updated their boat. If it is metal, be prepared for some difficulties drying out completely at that time of the year. Otherwise, staying dry and warm on the boat, with a nice cocktail at the end of a long day on the island, is heaven!!!

The gear list above is great. Look at that for help. Having been there through high and moderate populations, I would reserve my expectations for the weather I receive on my given week, and the deer that present themselves to me. However, if both of those things line up, it can be incredible!!!!!

Kodiak hunts offer the best adventure per dollar hunt in the world right now. That is no joke. Have a great trip and good luck! The only problem with Kodiak, as I tell anyone I take up there for the first time, is once you go, you will want to go back again and again!

Zack
 

weatherbow21

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Joined
Sep 10, 2014
Messages
225
My wife and I had our honey moon on Kodiak this past fall over thanksgiving week, I've been to write up a story but haven't got around to it and probably won't at this point. We had a great time, I would absolutely go back and encourage everyone to try this hunt at least once. We hunted with Kodiak Adventure Lodge, I won't shit mouth them, but I wouldn't go back with them, if anyone reading this is considering going with them feel free to PM me.

I would plan for rain every day, we brought two sets of rain gear but were really lucky and didn't get a lot of rain. It doesn't get that cold there, but we planned for the worst and brought a lot of layers, that said cold wasn't an issue for us.

We each killed two bucks a piece, like someone else said they planned to shoot the first decent buck they saw which is what we did and I would recommend the same as weather (wind) plays a huge role on kodiak and in our case our transporter was the one who got to make the call on if we were allowed to hunt that day. Getting meat back was no issue, we cut and wrapped our bucks (that was really nice) and froze the meat in waxed boxes to check on the airline. Horns went is a separate box, so we had 4 boxes of meat (50lbs each) and 1 box of horns and it was no problem at all.

Personally I wouldn't bring a bow, not that I like easy hunts but I think it would be pretty tough hunting, at least where we were hunting on the island. We really didn't see a lot of deer, I've read reports of people seeing loads of deer and basically having your pick of bucks but that wasn't the case for us at all, we killed the only four bucks we had opportunitys at and none of them would have been in a good spot to stalk with a bow. If this was a hunt you get to do regularly then it would be really fun with a bow, but for me I might only do this hunt once in my life (hopefully I'll go once more) and selfishly I would want it to be successful in terms of killing.

I will tell you the country there is very deceiving. Pictures and even glassing into areas it looks fairly open but the brush is pretty thick hunting from the beaches like you will be. Some spots the alders are really thick and although they wont have leaves they will hide deer really well. On top of that the grass there is crazy tall and thick, a pain to spot deer in at times and even to walk through. Some areas will have like muskeg, soft squishy uneven ground that you'd think you can run across but it can take some time to get through.

We never saw a bear the whole week we were there.
 

Jon Boy

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May 25, 2012
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Paradise Valley, MT
What’s everyone experience or tips for shipping meat and horns back?


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We took our meat and antlers to Kodiak Smoking and everything was neatly packaged to ship back with us. The guys doesnt speak very good english but he is very thorough and will take good care of you. Everything was turn key and packed perfectly for taking back with us on the plane.
 

weatherbow21

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Sep 10, 2014
Messages
225
Ninilchik charters should have the answers for you on meat, I know we saw people who hunted with them with wax boxes like ours at the airport in kodiak, so they should have you covered.
 
Joined
Apr 12, 2013
Messages
81
Location
Western Washington
My cousin moved to Sitka and he's been trying to get the deer hunting dialed in the last couple years. I am hoping to make it up in 2019 or 2020 to hunt with him.
 
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