Unimak?

[Raghornjp]

What’s the good, bad, and the ugly on this hunt?
Transporters ?
Gear?
Etc etc
For a spring hunt

 

[Scottf270]

Gotta draw tag first. Rod Schuh guides and will transport I believe. Weather can be crappy. It's a long way down there and expensive to get too.

I tried a second time this year to draw the tag as a nonresident. Struck out .

 

[Raghornjp]

I drew the tag
Just gathering info to put a plan together

 

[Mtncowboy]

The good, the really good, GIANT bears What a grand adventure!

 

[johnnycake]

There is no such thing as having too much rain/wind gear when hunting that chunk of the state.

 

[CGSwimmer25]

No transporters. Only the guide that’s gonna charge an obscene amount of money for a twenty minute flight into an area you can’t choose because he’s not gonna put you anywhere near his guided areas. Good luck

 

[Mtncowboy]

I drew the tag
Just gathering info to put a plan together

That's AMAZING! Congrats I hope you post a write-up here for all of us to enjoy!

 

[Scottf270]

Congrats on drawing the tag. Not to be a smart a**, but shouldn't you have a plan before you apply for the tag?

I see guys every year draw great tags and then bombard the forums with questions about how to even get to or hunt the tag. Do they just apply based on others input with no research or plan going in?

I know this may sound like sour grapes since I didn't draw,( My plan was to pay Rod Schuh 30 grand). I just wonder how many great tags are drawn and hunted half a** or not at all? Rant over.....hope you have a good hunt and post a recap.

 

[Raghornjp]

Play was to apply for a outstanding tag with a 1.1% draw odds of getting one.
Tag is for 24 which gives a little time to get the specifics together on gear and transportation.
I live in AK and have multiple contacts here to assist with working the needed details out and am more than comfortable going self guided.
I am just asking for any first hand knowledge of the island itself and transportation to/from the island.

 

[jd270win]

I did the fall hunt on Unimak 17 years ago. It is pretty straight forward, but expensive. Ravn (and possibly Alaska Airlines on a limited basis) to Cold Bay, and then onto the island with Rod. He charges a premium price, but is also very good at flying in a very tough environment.

He was very straightforward about not putting us on top of his guided clients, which was understandable. It is a large island, with lots of bears.

The best situation in the spring is to set up inland of a dead whale, spot bears coming and going, and pick your moment with a big one. That said, dead whales are probably a hot commodity for R&R…

Happy to answer any questions you may have. You have what is possibly the best tag in existence for a chance at a truly large bear.

 

[wyosteve]

Good to hear Rod is still doing bear hunts. I hunted interior grizzly with him before he started the Unimak hunts and took a great bear.

 

[Homer]

Congrats on drawing the tag. Not to be a smart a**, but shouldn't you have a plan before you apply for the tag?

I see guys every year draw great tags and then bombard the forums with questions about how to even get to or hunt the tag. Do they just apply based on others input with no research or plan going in?

I know this may sound like sour grapes since I didn't draw,( My plan was to pay Rod Schuh 30 grand). I just wonder how many great tags are drawn and hunted half a** or not at all? Rant over.....hope you have a good hunt and post a recap.

Alaska gives a fair bit of time to figure out logistics for hunts after the draw results come out. I’ve put in for a few hunts where I didn’t have the logistics dialed in when I applied but with a 1% chance of drawing it didn’t seem like a huge concern. Out of curiosity did you apply as a resident or non resident for unimak? I was under the impression it was basically a guaranteed draw for non residents.

 

[AKBC]

Alaska gives a fair bit of time to figure out logistics for hunts after the draw results come out. I’ve put in for a few hunts where I didn’t have the logistics dialed in when I applied but with a 1% chance of drawing it didn’t seem like a huge concern. Out of curiosity did you apply as a resident or non resident for unimak? I was under the impression it was basically a guaranteed draw for non residents.

The Drawing Supplement does not show separate resident/nonresident allocations for the Unimak tag (or many other either including some of the most sought after tags).

 

[Scottf270]

Non resident.

 

[Raghornjp]

There were 8 tags drawn and over 800 applied for the spring hunt
No separation between res and non that I can tell

 

[Raghornjp]

Friend has been applying for 14 years or so and has yet to draw

 

[Raghornjp]

It’s getting close now !
I have flights scheduled and most of my gear rounded up so it’s getting pretty exciting.

Logistically is a pretty hard place to get some kinds of supplies into.
Like jetboil fuel etc

 

[Raghornjp]

Hopeful that the weather cooperates and I can tell the difference between a big bear and a giant

 

[Nick Muche]

Have a great trip! Can you pass along any other information on what you have planned for logistics and cost of transporter?

 

[Scottf270]

Just got a letter from Rod at R&R. He is no longer leading hunts on Unimak as he was awarded 3 areas on the Peninsula and is limited to those areas.

His long time guide, Justin Dubay , is taking over the hunts on Unimak. I don't know if Rod will still fly other hunters or not.

Rod has been very successful on Unimak and Im sure he will do well on the Peninsula. He already had an area there he was hunting.