Kodiak Island Hunt Report - Deer/Ducks/Fox & Fishing

I've been asked to write up a short story about our trip to Kodiak Island in November 2016. This whole thing started in 2011 on a Halibut Charter with Ninilchik Charters out of Anchor Point where my dad and I saw the captain's old, faded and tattered photo album of past charters & hunts they had done. After paging thru pictures of fish, crab, ducks and deer aboard their vessels that was all it took to plant the seed. I'm the kind of guy that really enjoys the planning and logistics it takes to hunt remote areas as well as researching of the best gear, outfitters, transporters ect. This one would prove to be quite the challenge no doubt.

While starting my research I found out the deer population fluctuates drastically based on the winters on Kodiak. We had originally talked about going in 2014 but due to some severe winters in 2011 and 2012, the deer population was way down on the island. We decided to put the Kodiak hunt on hold and plan for something else which ended up being the 2014 Float Hunt in the Brooks Range. After mild winters in 2013 and 2014 we decided to put Kodiak on the books for 2016. We wanted to pay homage to the Charter service we originally got the idea from so we chose Ninilchik Charters. They do a Vessel based hunt where you sleep and eat on board one of their large 53' boats using it as a sort of floating lodge. They are unguided transportation services only. We would be on our own for hunting but we would have a warm place to dry out, eat and sleep away from the giant bears roaming the wilds. I had done quite a bit of research on Ninichik Charters and even went as far as contacting a few of their past clients to just talk about the hunt and conditions aboard. They had mostly positive things to say and proved a valuable asset in our planning. A few things that would prove a challenge on this hunt would certainly be the weather, Meat care, multiple remote transportation services, no showers and the logistics to get 6 guys and all their gear to a remote village to meet the boat and back again.

With a transportation provider picked out we set out at putting a group together. Its was rather simple to get 6 guys to raise their hands for this type of adventure so the group consisted of my dad, my little brother, my buddies Justin & Trevor and my Brother in law who resides in Homer Alaska. We filled the boat so it would be only our group of 6, and the (2) Captains aboard. Since we wanted prime rut dates we chose Nov 5-11 for the hunt. The weather is the biggest concern this time of year but the deer hunting is primetime.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Kodiak Island Hunt Report - Deer/Ducks/Fox & Fishing