POW: What to expect and tags to buy

[Felix40]

Some of you may remember a thread I started a couple months ago about how to experience Alaska on a bit of a budget. Well the decision has pretty much been made for mine and dad's first trip up there to be on POW. Dad is a pilot so his main goal is to get to fly in a bush plane and see some sights. I am a hunter/angler and my main goal is to kill some stuff.

Neither of us knows anything about Alaska except what I have read and am reading. I would be comfortable getting dropped in the Rockies for a week but Alaska scares us both a bit since its foreign. The tentative plan right now is to get dropped at Black Bear Lake where we would have use of the FS cabin for a week or more but to backpack the ridges and alpine as much as possible.

So here are my questions/concerns etc for you guys who have been to the island.

1. What tags to buy? I know there are some fish in the Black Bear Lake so fishing will happen. Deer seems like a no brainer if we get there around the nonres opener. Bear (I know I would have to draw)? Would they be up this high or mostly along the coast? Wolves?

2. Thoughts on using the FS cabins?

3. If anyone knows about this area what do you think about hunting from this particular cabin and the area around it?

4. Can we expect to see other folks out hunting like you do in Colorado for example?

5. Im reading a couple books right now but any other recommendations for good reads on the subject are appreciated.

I appreciate any responses pm or otherwise. Just keep in mind that we are fairly capable guys but Alaska seems like a foreign country to both of us.

 

[Ray]

The black bears are by drawing only now for NR unless you use a guide. I read some place that there were under drawn permits in one of those units this year and ADFG was trying to sell them. Might be for unit 1 and not 2 on POW.

Wolf season won't be open until December, so deer is all there is. There is not a NR deer season. Its also bucks only.

The cabins are pretty awesome. The sign up website lists all it does NOT have. After October 1, it becomes walk in to the office to see if the lake is frozen, so most use is in the summer or fall before then. For the stove oil, you need to talk to the flight service to see if they will sell you a jug or two. I would guess that they are used to doing this for passers through.

You will not typically see people at these types of places as there is no road system to get them into the area. There might be a trail into this lake but few folks will be out there during the fall. This cabin is only reserved for a couple weeks and some weekends right now so it may not get much use and be a pretty decent place to hunt. Thick rain forest down low. Be sure to have a map and know how to land nav without land marks in steep terrain.

It will be cold and damp, which is what makes the oil stove heated cabin worth it for most folks that aren't use to being cold and wet all day long.

 

[Felix40]

Thank you for the advice. I actually knew bear is draw only and I see now that resident and nonresident deer open the same day. I guess the question I was trying to get at with the bear was if it would be worthwhile in the area we have picked to wait until bear season is open. From a few things I've read it sounds like we won't see a lot in the high country but I will cry if they are everywhere and I didn't bother to apply for a tag.

Don't know why I threw wolves in there. I guess I just assumed the season was more generous similar to parts of Idaho.

 

[realunlucky]

What did they raise the non resident deer tag to? I really want to chase these deer some day

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[Felix40]

If I read it right it's $85 for the hunting license and $150 for a deer tag. Bear is $225

 

[realunlucky]

Oh I thought I read somewhere Alaska doubled non resident fees. Maybe it's not effective till next year

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[Ray]

Oh I thought I read somewhere Alaska doubled non resident fees. Maybe it's not effective till next year

All fee increases for R and NR start January 2017. The increase in prices will appear on the drawing supplement coming out in November 2016.

 

[Nick Muche]

Go in August once the NR season opens, focus on deer up high and fishing, have a blast. At 450$ for a black bear tag, plus drawing, I wouldn't waste my time (though they are some of the biggest black bears around...). Use the cabin, spike out from there. Bring good rain gear.

 

[Felix40]

Im going to bump this back up just for grins. Im still really curious about how much pressure there is on the island. If we camp a mile and a half and 2200 feet above the nearest logging road is that going to be far enough to avoid most folks?

 

[Beendare]

Im going to bump this back up just for grins. Im still really curious about how much pressure there is on the island. If we camp a mile and a half and 2200 feet above the nearest logging road is that going to be far enough to avoid most folks?

Nick gave the answer I would have word for word.

The alpine areas on POW are little pockets...with the less accessible being the better ones, IMO. You typically have to bust brush to get to those. I would bring some of those thick plastic [chemical?] gloves if I went again because of that Devils club. FWIW, Once off the roads, I haven't seen another hunter in 2 separate trips.

 

[Felix40]

Thank you for the insight. I appreciate it.