Kodiak Sitka Blacktail Hunt - Adventure

Joined
Dec 31, 2018
Messages
66
Location
Athol, Idaho
Kelly and I just got back from our DIY Kodiak Sitka Blacktail hunt on the southwest end of the island. What an adventure and successful hunt. Here is a day by day account, and a bunch of photographs.

Day 1: We flew with Andrew Airways – They were very helpful for us first timers to Kodiak. I identified several locations to hunt on the southwest end of the island. We rented some gear and brought a bunch of our own. We got dropped at our first choice hunt location. Then quickly set up camp and got a short hike in to familiarize ourselves with our new surroundings, and plan the next day’s hunt. We didn’t see any deer but there were tracks everywhere.

Day 2: Checked the garmin inreach for a weather forecast…light rain and wind. Off we went in rain gear, packs, and rifles to climb the nearest peak at about 700 feet elevation. Glassed maybe 20 minutes to find several deer and one nice buck. Determined him to be a heavy horned 8 point. “Game On.” Was starting to rain and the wind was blowing in from 1200 at maybe 20 mph. A headwind with a bump off the slope at 400 yds is a hard one to trust. So closed the distance to 260 yds with a crosswind. Dialed a minute of elevation (200 yard zero) and held 2 minute of right wind on my 300WM. Broke both front shoulders, maybe went 40 yards downhill. Took about 2.5 hours to take pics, skin, quarter, bone and cape. Kelly and I split the load as each can carry and were back to camp in under 2 hours.

Day 3: Stayed in camp, was heavy rain and wind all day. Kelly was very anxious to get out and hunt her buck.

Day 4: Overcast and calm winds and no rain forecast. Glassing right out of camp at daybreak we see 2 does and a buck. We’re headed up that way. About half way up the mountain we spot a 10 point buck sky lining in a saddle about 259 yds uphill. Perfect….find a spot for Kelly to get prone, damn too much brush and dry grass. Stack both backpacks together to make a 2 feet high rest. Dialed a minute on her scope, she settles into those backs, hand on the scope, using a kneeling ‘free recoil’ position. Breath squeeze the shot. Frontal shot right in the neck, dropped in his tracks, never moved. By far the longest shot and biggest buck my wife has taken. Perfect 10 point buck, very symmetrical. Was a very nice day on the top of the mountain.

Day 5: The wind is howling, like 40 mph with gusts on the ridge at 60 mph. We take a long hike and find a small brown bear hiding in the alders trying to get a nap at 350 yds. Got some pics and video of him. We look for some refuge from the wind to do some glassing and see 4 smaller bucks on a protected hill and watch for an hour, it was fun. Then a Silver Fox appeared at about 160 yds, I dropped the 140 gr Accubond from Kelly’s gun and replaced with a 144 gr FMJ, and one shot done. I was especially thrilled to get the fox that was a near prime pelt. Love fur… probably from my trapping days.

Day 6: Another nice day headed to the top of the mountain and the area we saw the bucks the previous day, to hopefully harvest one meat buck. Just as we topped out and through a little crease in the ridge. The buck was standing at 40 yards. Bang dead. Another skinning and quartering party, and back to camp for some evening drinks. We felt good.

Day 7: Well the day had some light rain so we stayed in camp to turn lips and ears, and flesh capes, and salt. Prepared the fox pelt for a full mount. It took all day.

Day 8: We had a 12 noon pickup time for our flight out. But unknown to us Kodiak had been fogged in for 5 days and only a select few where flying, most grounded. So I called Andrew’s every hour with our weather update, and get flight status. Hoping, we took our camp half down. Then the 1 pm call, Dean is on his way, be ready. He has a small return flight window. He arrived 50 minutes later in the turbine beaver for a fun and thrilling ride back to Anton Larson Bay boat launch. Great adventure and fun hunt. Alaska has been very very good to me.

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Kelly's buck. 259 yd shot with 260 remington
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Kelly's buck, perfect 10 point.
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Kelly's buck with us both.
 
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Smokeslider

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Dec 17, 2018
Messages
177
Location
OR
great pictures. I don't know how long it would take me to figure out what that fox is while I was looking at him but probably longer than he is willing to stand there.....
 
Joined
Oct 13, 2014
Messages
369
Location
OMAHA NE
Fox...one thing we did not see when we were there. I was really bummed. Really great trophy to take from Kodiak.
The bucks are fantastic! I am going to need to go back very soon.
 

GrabRack

FNG
Joined
Nov 17, 2019
Messages
19
Very nice! My fiancé and another couple were there for a week camped out in teepees for a week early in September and had an incredible time too. The trophy herd was outstanding this year, best of 3 trips I've made. Just wish the salmon had cooperated more.
 

Kmk343

FNG
Joined
Aug 4, 2020
Messages
10
Looks like an awesome hunt! Nice deer, I'm sure there is plenty of incentive to gut deer and hurry along with bears of that size around.
 
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