Kodiak High Country Camp/Food?

Steve O · Jan 6, 2016

I hunted Kodiak in November about 10 years ago out of a cabin. We saw a few bears.

I'm going to be up in the alpine in August. I'm assuming MOST of the bears will be low, but wanted to ask you more experienced Sitka hunters how you set up camp above timberline. Typically I set up a suspended cache in a dry sack away from camp for my food in bear country but don't see that as an option.

Bear fence?

Keep the food in your pack?

Don't worry about it?

What has worked for you?

go4thegusto · Jan 6, 2016

We were there early and saw lots of bears, in fact 13 day one. All were low eating salmon. Nothing came near us up higher. My last few trips we used a 2 D cell electric fence and carbon golf shafts with the ribbon line around camp. Very light and keeps the worry down.

We put the meat in bags right on the rocks by the lake where wind would sweep scent away from bears. Worked that time...
One tip is we made brush camo bags. The Ravens are really sharp and will spot your meat bags if white and bloody.

duchntr · Jan 6, 2016

Bring a bear fence, I have a really big one that encompasses my big tipi and my meat cache. Yes the majority of the bears will be down on the fish, but I still saw a sow and cub up high on the flight in and a lone bear that came and checked my camp out in the middle of the night. IMO I'm not going to go out of my way to hide or hang food because I have dead deer hanging, use common sense and be bear aware. If your worried about dead deer in camp, some transporters will come out and pick up your meat for $$ of course, but may be a good option if temps are too high. Last 2 august hunts I was on it was a real choir keeping meat cool, so be aware of that before you drop deer on the first day of a 5 day trip.

Steve O · Jan 6, 2016

Makes good sense, thanks. I have a fence, just wanted to make sure I wasn't being overly paranoid. Definitely planning for meat care. I'm actually more worried about losing the capes than the meat. Do you fly in with salt? Do you save the velvet? Injection?

AK Troutbum · Jan 6, 2016

I've never hunted Kodiak that early, but did do my earliest goat/deer hunt on the rock this last Sept.4th. We were anywhere between 2500'-4000' up and only had one bear encounter in 9 days. I always take a fence. I always take plenty of salt also, and cache it at the drop off.

Kevin Dill · Jan 8, 2016

Part of your answers will probably be determined by how you're getting into the alpine. I assume aircraft...but Super Cub, Cessna, Maule or Helio-C? Weight allotment very tight? I spoke to Bob N about taxidermy stuff (cape and antlers) last summer. In warm weather you've probably got 2 days with no salt or injectables...saving cape and velvet means get it flown out asap after kill. With salt you can extend the cape time. Velvet is critical, and the only sure way to save it is through injection. Needles, syringe and a bag/bottle of preservative....

Buzz me if you have specific q.....

Kodiak · Feb 8, 2016

I never had any problems with them in the August. The creeks are so full of humpys they usually don't have much else on their mind. That said ,we would usually keep a pretty clean camp. We would cook and stash food and trash well away from where we slept. I have had more problems with bears since I have been in Wyoming than I did when I lived on Kodiak. If you are hunting the south end of the Island where you might be hunting at lower elevations due to the lack of trees, just make sure you are well away from the creeks.

Broomd · Feb 11, 2016

I hunted there this year same time as AKtroutbum..we didn't see a single bear and we covered some ground. Our pilot hadn't seen one up high for weeks.
We did use a bear fence, but it was more for peace of mind than anything. We kept goat meat and deer meat about 150 yards from our camp, and meat was bear-fenced once we harvested it.

We've hunted there in late October/early November for deer down low when bears were unbelievably thick--near Larsen etc,--and it really took all of the fun out of it.
So...late August and early September it is for us for deer (and goats should we pull those tags.)

Steve O · Feb 11, 2016

Thanks all. I will probably take my fence just to be sure, I should be pretty light on the way in anyway.

Beendare · Feb 17, 2016

I like those alpine hunts....those deer stick out like a turd in a punch bowl. Earliest I've gone was about Aug 8th and those bucks will still be floppy tipped.

I've seen your posts, admire your experience; you know AK.

Worst wind I've had in 4 trips up there was 90mph, Camp accordingly. Use the electric fence. We used those big drybags and sink our meat in the lake...works great. You will see bears up high, mostly travelling....where you don't want to see them is bushwhacking across those thick alder infested canyons as they bed up in those- huge scooped out beds- unmistakable.

The grass/bush can be 4' tall that time of year...shorter right up on the tops but pretty dense on the lee side of those hills. My last trip was Oct 2015...and though its between elk and whitetail season...Mid Oct is a crummy time for Kodiak deer hunting and fishing.

AK Troutbum · Feb 17, 2016

Beendare said:
Mid Oct is a crummy time for Kodiak deer hunting and fishing.

If you're speaking in terms of weather, I totally agree. As far as the deer hunting goes, I think Oct. can be one of the best times to hunt them.

Steve O · Feb 18, 2016

Bruce--your PM box is full.

Okbow87 · Feb 18, 2016

We were there for 6 days the second week of September this year. Got dropped off on an alpine lake above timberline and never saw a bear. We took only food that was in some kind of a sealed package like mountain housed or cans of beans. After cooking, we had a trash stash under some big rocks about 200 yards downwind from camp. No bear fence for us, but it was a trip planned 3 days before I flew up from Oklahoma after our pilot on the north slope cancelled on us last minute. Would take one for peace of mind next time.

Steve O · Sep 20, 2016

I just remembered I started this thread and figured I should report out. I ended up taking the fence and just kept the food in the Sawtooth sealed up in a couple dry sacks.

Meat care was pretty spiffy. On the other side of the lake I got dropped on was a nice thick pile of ice and snow. I took some zip lock manual vacuum seal bags and it all worked great in my little freezer. My original plan was to sink the vac seal bags in a dry sack/dive bag combo. I ended up with 55# of trimmed meat ready to go in the freezer.

The bears that were all supposed to be down low on the salmon streams did not get the memo. As we banked into the wind to land on the little lake I had selected for base camp, there on the next ridge was a big brownie. Not the most comforting sight! Had a good time with the bears and goats with no issues.

I ended up taking a nice buck. I did buy two tags so I could keep hunting, but got pretty picky and did more exploring for the future than anything. Looking forward to going back with my longbow.

AK Troutbum · Sep 20, 2016

Good job! When were you down there Steve?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Steve O · Sep 21, 2016

8-5/14. I was surprised only a very few of the smallest bucks were still in velvet.

wa hunter · Sep 21, 2016

great looking deer!!! i am heading up in a couple weeks and can't wait!!!!

LASTINLINE · Sep 24, 2016

stay away from the creeks lol. just got back staying on the Ayakulik at bare creek and red river area. we had bears visit us within a few hours. glad we moved our camp in a bit. locals say the salmon runs were way down this year and i herd about 2 complaints of food being raided at camps.id bring a fence for sure cause you never know.

wa hunter · Sep 24, 2016

LASTINLINE said:
stay away from the creeks lol. just got back staying on the Ayakulik at bare creek and red river area. we had bears visit us within a few hours. glad we moved our camp in a bit. locals say the salmon runs were way down this year and i herd about 2 complaints of food being raided at camps.id bring a fence for sure cause you never know.

thanks for the advise!!! we are renting two fences one for us and one for our game and food. figured better to be safe than sorry. how did your hunt go?

LASTINLINE · Sep 24, 2016

didnt get to hunt much. my brother got very sick on day 2 and we had to get out of the bush. i have learned alot from this trip and can give details and suggestions on this type of hunt through PM-S if someone has questions. i was thinking of starting a thread of its own to help the first timers. things i missed and got right.lol. and the some of the soap opera crap i delt with being there. there were also a few on this site who guided me and made things flow easier for a first timer on the Emerald Island.

Kodiak High Country Camp/Food?

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