Sitka Blacktail 2022

[ehuffaker]

I am planning a trip to go hunt Sitka Blacktail this year around the first of November. Trying to get as much info as I can. From what I have gathered is the best places to hunt are Kodiak Island or POW. Does anyone have any experience with both of them and if so which one would you recommend to a rookie hunting in Alaska?

 

[Bighorse]

How are you accessing the country? Is cost a concern? Will you be hiring at transporter for air charter or boat?
POW is the closer option coming from down south and that's a nice feature. POW can be accessed via truck and ATV more readily if you ferry up from Bellingham or drive through Canada. You will be flying into Ketchikan and going via either ferry or airplane to POW. From there you will still need transportation into the more remote zones of the island to get quality hunting. POW is a thick jungle environment and you will be still hunting timber and calling with a fawn bleat in muskegs. I'd recommend Ketchikan to Coffman Cove and having someone already lined up for facilities and transportation.
Kodiak, and a remote drop camp is a cool option too! Going up geared up for the cold and nasty conditions and hiring a Beaver drop is a cool wilderness hunting trip. Both are what I call lots of camping with a little hunting in November. Weather delays are likely.
If you're asking which area provides better deer? I have no freaking idea! Both islands are massssssivvvve! The habitat and population dynamics are mysterious. Consider yourself fortunate to find yourself in the moment when you're packing a rifle with a few unnotched tags in your pocket staring at a tangle of AK bush, you've arrived! I've killed massive Sitka deer in both locations and a few others on Revilla, Etolin, and Baranof too. Big deer are where you find them.

 

[wildwilderness]

I have hunted both, though POW was for black bear.

Is this a DIY trip? If so I would recommend August on Kodiak- way more daylight, no bear issues, easy to spot deer in summer coats, high in the alpine, great camping weather.

If it’s guided/boat based then Nov, may be ok

 

[kwackkillncrew]

i didnt draw anything so we will be on the south side of kodiak october 27-nov4 this year. First time doing this hunt but should be a great time.

 

[Traindriver]

I have hunted both, though POW was for black bear.

Is this a DIY trip? If so I would recommend August on Kodiak- way more daylight, no bear issues, easy to spot deer in summer coats, high in the alpine, great camping weather.

If it’s guided/boat based then Nov, may be ok

Could I ask a dumb question? Why is there no bear issues in August?

 

[kwackkillncrew]

That's assuming you are hunting in the alpine and the bears "should be" down low eating salmon in the rivers.

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