Rhino Hunter
Well-known member
Fortunately I hit it farther back than I wanted and I have great taxidermist. The mount came out great!
Kodiak Blacktail Hunt
- Thread starter Ryan91027
- Start date
Fortunately I hit it farther back than I wanted and I have great taxidermist. The mount came out great!
Thats good, since its on the general permit, ill keep an eye out for one. I dont even need to bring anything extra
As far as foxes go, there is only one species - the red fox. The "silver" fox is simply a color variation of the red. Foxes on the island range from blonde to the already mentioned silver (which has black fur and silver guard hairs). A large caliber rifle isn't necessarily a destroyer of small animals - it all depends on the bullet used and the velocity of the bullet. In a 270, I'd expect less damage from something like a Barnes or Accubond than from something like a Ballistic Tip.
Rhino Hunter
Well-known member
You are correct. They are the "same species", but they are know and referred to by two different names. My apologies for mis-leading anyone.
I used a 270 bullet...grain that is. LOL.
That's a question for the lodge you'll be staying at. Is your air taxi to/from the lodge covered by your lodge fees? Is so ask them or ask who they use for air taxi service and contact them. Other than air the only option would be to hire someone with a boat to get it to Kodiak. I can't see where that would save you anything over flying it back. Check with air taxis in Kodiak to see what a one way flight would run. A 206 would be cheaper than a Beaver.
Rhino Hunter
Well-known member
The boat we lived on for a week was docked in a native village. We asked our big game transporter if he needed any meat. He suggested that we donate what we didn’t want to the village elders because its difficult for them to hunt/fish like when they were younger. That’s what we ended up doing with at least half of our meat from eight bucks. It was much appreciated.
Ive been talking to the transporter, and they provide a vhf radio so I will have a form of communication while hunting.
I know kodiak is very steep, are there a lot of shots taken at an extreme angle? does it effect the shot very much, I had heard most shots on koidak were 150 yds and that doesnt seem like angle would effect it that close. South Florida is extremely flat so I dont have a place to practice these kind of shots.
I know kodiak is very steep, are there a lot of shots taken at an extreme angle? does it effect the shot very much, I had heard most shots on koidak were 150 yds and that doesnt seem like angle would effect it that close. South Florida is extremely flat so I dont have a place to practice these kind of shots.
Rhino Hunter
Well-known member
If you shoot based on your horizontal distance to the animal you will be fine. In other words, not the ranged distance from you to the animal (hypotenuse), use the horizontal distance (like the base of a triangle).
glass eye
Well-known member
Locking tag will be mailed to you. Buy it with plenty of time for it to arrive in the mail.
So I wouldnt be able to buy a second or third tag while on the hunt? I would have to buy them months before so they would have time to ship, im pretty much the farthest you can get from alaska in America
glass eye
Well-known member
Call around Larsen Bay and see if they are sold there, I would imagine that they are.
If the lodge doesn't sell licenses or tags, you would have to travel to Kodiak City to buy more tags. Mail times (in transit) vary immensely. We've received 1st class mail from PA in 2 days (rarely), but usually figure on 5 - 7 days for 1st class to or from the lower 48. Priority mail to the lower 48 is a joke. Usually 4-5 days from mailing to delivery. I was typing when glass eye replied. You might find an outlet for tags in Larson Bay, but I'd ask before getting there.
I asked the lodge if they know of anybody who sells tags in larsen, he hasnt responded yet. Just looking at the map, there doesnt seem to be any stores in larsen. Im assuming that I would able to buy a tag in kodiak or anchorage. If I some money left over before the hunt, ill pick up another tag, but if not, I can just fish after tagging out.
glass eye
Well-known member
You need locking tag
I have done more research and watched more videos, and I am leaning towards getting rubber boots. There seems to be more marsh than I originally thought and if I have to cross any deep water, I can take the boots off or use Gary's duct tape wader tip. I have been looking at xtratufs, LaCrosse, and some other brands, around 140. I am a bit worried about the lack of ankle stability. Are there any boots that have good ankle stability, or any tricks to help while hiking steep terrain in rubber boots?
Fit is important - as much for guarding against blisters as ankle support. Try some different boots on & walk around the store for awhile. No its not the same as climbing hills, but you should be able to determine if the boot is too loose. Pick up a couple of elastic ankle supports to give your ankles more support. Just be aware that due to the tightness of the supports, circulation may be hindered, resulting in cold feet.
buffybr
Well-known member
I just saw this thread, and although I'm a little late, I'll add my 2 cents.
I hunted Sitka deer out of Larsen Bay the first week of December last year. There was only about 30 residents in Larsen Bay when I was there. No stores where you could buy anything. There were two Lodges operating when I was there. Larsen Bay Lodge and Kodiak Charters who I was with. Kodiak Charters have two houses in town where their hunters stay. I went alone and stayed in one house with 4 hunters from New Hampshire. Our house had 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a kitchen, living and dining area, a washing machine and dryer, and a shed where we hung our deer.
Kodiak Charters are transporters only. They they take you across the bay in the morning and pick you up in the evening. They have their favorite places to drop you off, but they cannot tell you where the deer are. Even if they see a deer on the shore, they cannot point it out to you.
Like any flying, as the number and weight of baggage increases, so does your cost. I flew Alaska Airlines from Denver to Seattle to Anchorage, then Air ANC from Anchorage to Kodiak. Spent a night in Kodiak then Island Air from Kodiak to Larson Bay. I bought my deer and fishing licenses at a sporting goods store in Kodiak.
A non-resident can buy up to 3 deer licenses and fishing licenses for 1 or more days. I only bought 2 deer licenses and multiple days fishing license, but only fished 1 day. Talk to your outfitter before you buy your licenses, as it is difficult to fish more than one day, and if you only buy a 1 day license, you need to specify what day it will be good. When I was there, both buck and does were legal and you could shoot one or all in one day, but like others mentioned, the antlers come out last, and any meat left out overnight may not be there the next morning.
When I was there the deer could be found anywhere from the beach to the top of the mountains. Early in the mornings we could see deer in the grassy openings above the brush line. I was lucky and shot my buck on the beach the first day, after I had climbed up through the brush and had come back down to wait for the boat.
Although I did climb up through the brush and hunt the next two days, I did not fill my second tag. On my second day I did see a buck with larger antlers than the one that I shot, but I blew the stalk, then heard one of the other hunters shoot so I helped them pack that buck out. On my third hunting day I went up the mountain with two of the other hunters and we saw a dozen or so deer, but nothing that I wanted to shoot, so again I helped them pack out the buck than one of them shot. The 4th day I went fishing, and the 5th day we cut up our deer as we were supposed to fly back to Kodiak on the 6th day.
I did not take a cooler as Terri at Kodiak Charters had told us that they supply waxed cardboard fish boxes that we took our deer meat and fish home in. I was able to get my deer antlers, cape, most of the deer meat, and my halibut and cod fish in one box. The deer meat that I didn't take home, I donated to one of the Lodge staff.
I think that both Lodges work with Island Air as there were hunters from both Lodges on the flights that I was on to and from Kodiak to Larsen Bay. Charter flights for only one or two hunters would be very expensive. Our departure from Larsen Bay was delayed one or two days due to bad weather. Luckily, one of the other hunters that I was in the Lodge with was able to text Alaska Airlines and change our flights out of Kodiak and Anchorage so we weren't hit with extra charges.
Like others have posted the mountains on Kodiak vary from STEEP to VERY STEEP. If the ground is frozen, snow covered, or the grass is wet, the slopes are VERY SLIPPERY. Trekking poles are a definite help as is good ankle support and good boot tread. In my opinion, gaiters are a must, although I only had one creek that presented a problem. I wore my 8" Danners. Too much insulation is not good for climbing.
I brought my 4" S&W 629 but left it in the Lodge. I hunted with my Stainless Weatherby Vanguard in .308 Win which was fine for the deer and would have been for a fox if I had wanted to shoot one. Luckily, the only bear sign that I saw was tracks in the snow. Rain gear, pants and jacket, is very important. I wore my Cabela's "Dry Plus" jacket and pants which are soft and quiet over Sitka un-insulated jacked and pants over long under ware, and I was plenty warm.
Someone earlier mentioned an inflatable kayak. Our transporter dropped us off at a different location each day, and I didn't see any place where a kayak would be beneficial. Much of the shorelines are 100' or so cliffs, so you have to be careful where you bring a deer down.
I hunted Sitka deer out of Larsen Bay the first week of December last year. There was only about 30 residents in Larsen Bay when I was there. No stores where you could buy anything. There were two Lodges operating when I was there. Larsen Bay Lodge and Kodiak Charters who I was with. Kodiak Charters have two houses in town where their hunters stay. I went alone and stayed in one house with 4 hunters from New Hampshire. Our house had 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a kitchen, living and dining area, a washing machine and dryer, and a shed where we hung our deer.
Kodiak Charters are transporters only. They they take you across the bay in the morning and pick you up in the evening. They have their favorite places to drop you off, but they cannot tell you where the deer are. Even if they see a deer on the shore, they cannot point it out to you.
Like any flying, as the number and weight of baggage increases, so does your cost. I flew Alaska Airlines from Denver to Seattle to Anchorage, then Air ANC from Anchorage to Kodiak. Spent a night in Kodiak then Island Air from Kodiak to Larson Bay. I bought my deer and fishing licenses at a sporting goods store in Kodiak.
A non-resident can buy up to 3 deer licenses and fishing licenses for 1 or more days. I only bought 2 deer licenses and multiple days fishing license, but only fished 1 day. Talk to your outfitter before you buy your licenses, as it is difficult to fish more than one day, and if you only buy a 1 day license, you need to specify what day it will be good. When I was there, both buck and does were legal and you could shoot one or all in one day, but like others mentioned, the antlers come out last, and any meat left out overnight may not be there the next morning.
When I was there the deer could be found anywhere from the beach to the top of the mountains. Early in the mornings we could see deer in the grassy openings above the brush line. I was lucky and shot my buck on the beach the first day, after I had climbed up through the brush and had come back down to wait for the boat.
Although I did climb up through the brush and hunt the next two days, I did not fill my second tag. On my second day I did see a buck with larger antlers than the one that I shot, but I blew the stalk, then heard one of the other hunters shoot so I helped them pack that buck out. On my third hunting day I went up the mountain with two of the other hunters and we saw a dozen or so deer, but nothing that I wanted to shoot, so again I helped them pack out the buck than one of them shot. The 4th day I went fishing, and the 5th day we cut up our deer as we were supposed to fly back to Kodiak on the 6th day.
I did not take a cooler as Terri at Kodiak Charters had told us that they supply waxed cardboard fish boxes that we took our deer meat and fish home in. I was able to get my deer antlers, cape, most of the deer meat, and my halibut and cod fish in one box. The deer meat that I didn't take home, I donated to one of the Lodge staff.
I think that both Lodges work with Island Air as there were hunters from both Lodges on the flights that I was on to and from Kodiak to Larsen Bay. Charter flights for only one or two hunters would be very expensive. Our departure from Larsen Bay was delayed one or two days due to bad weather. Luckily, one of the other hunters that I was in the Lodge with was able to text Alaska Airlines and change our flights out of Kodiak and Anchorage so we weren't hit with extra charges.
Like others have posted the mountains on Kodiak vary from STEEP to VERY STEEP. If the ground is frozen, snow covered, or the grass is wet, the slopes are VERY SLIPPERY. Trekking poles are a definite help as is good ankle support and good boot tread. In my opinion, gaiters are a must, although I only had one creek that presented a problem. I wore my 8" Danners. Too much insulation is not good for climbing.
I brought my 4" S&W 629 but left it in the Lodge. I hunted with my Stainless Weatherby Vanguard in .308 Win which was fine for the deer and would have been for a fox if I had wanted to shoot one. Luckily, the only bear sign that I saw was tracks in the snow. Rain gear, pants and jacket, is very important. I wore my Cabela's "Dry Plus" jacket and pants which are soft and quiet over Sitka un-insulated jacked and pants over long under ware, and I was plenty warm.
Someone earlier mentioned an inflatable kayak. Our transporter dropped us off at a different location each day, and I didn't see any place where a kayak would be beneficial. Much of the shorelines are 100' or so cliffs, so you have to be careful where you bring a deer down.
