Which week for Sitka in SE AK?

[bowhunter15]

Planning a trip to the ABC area next year for an alpine hunt. My only main consideration is that I'm back in time for whitetail opener with a couple days to scout, so last week of August would not be ideal, but also not out of the question.

Outside of that, what are the main considerations for picking a week? Is the velvet typically full size by Aug 1? Will brown bears be concentrated lower certain times for various salmon runs? Is the hunting pressure better or worse certain weeks? Any significant difference in range of weather? Or is any week during early-mid August equally likely to produce a great experience? Any timeframe best for trying to add combo fishing if we tag early?

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[slvrslngr]

Bears will be in the creeks eating fish most of the month of August. Bucks will be in the alpine until the end of the month or until their velvet comes off, so mid month you should still find them up high. There’s plenty of places to hunt so I wouldn’t be too worried about pressure, get away from town and you’ll find plenty of deer. And yes, get a fishing license, the coho will be in as well as plenty of Dolly Varden and pinks. Just be aware of the bears. Sounds like a fun trip!

 

[dieselchessy]

Look into the regs. I don’t hunt the ABC’s but south on POW non-resident (non-subsistence qualified) can’t hunt federal lands (tongas forest) until the 16th.
You have to reference the state game regs, and the federal subsistence regs.

https://www.doi.gov/sites/doi.gov/files/uploads/2018-20_wildlife_regs_book_final_web.pdf

 

[DawnPatrol]

Jealous of your trip. IMO, on a nice day, Southeast is the best place on earth. If you go to the ABCs for a week in August, you might get one nice day

It's been a few years, but I hunted blacktails in August on southern Baranov several times. In fact, it's where I killed my first couple deer and became instantly addicted to big game hunting.

Slvrslngr's advice sounds right. Bucks should be in velvet, in the alpine, throughout August. Get away from the obvious areas and population centers and you should be good.

Not sure where you are going, how much experience you have, or how you plan to access, but some of that country is incredibly steep and rough. Google earth makes things look possible that just aren't (i.e. that stuff that looks like a grassy slope is actually 15 foot tall impassable alder thicket filled with bear beds). Just getting into the alpine was sometimes a big challenge, and there were places we wanted to hunt but could never get to. I guess what I'm trying to say is, really do your e-scouting on how you are going to access the spots you intend to hunt. Maybe you have this all nailed down, if so sorry for the lecture.