Alaska Spring Black Bear Hunt By Boat PWS

[Behlftball]

I'm planning to go to AK this spring and go black bear hunting off a boat. I have a Hewescraft 210 Searunner (23'8") and will be driving up from WI.

I am wondering if I should go from Valdez or Whittier. My guess is that Whittier is more protected with the islands, but also has more pressure being an hour from Anchorage.

Can anyone offer any advice?

 

[kwackkillncrew]

from glenallen to whittier is another 6-7 hours of drive time. glenallen to valdez is 2 hours. how long are you planning on hunting? There are companies that rent boats out of both of those harbors. Cant imagine its more cost effective to drag a boat up from cheese country. Also since more people go out of whittier, the boat trailer parking can get filled up and you wont be able to park you truck/trailer. Do you have any experience boating in the oceans up here? PWS outta whittier can get wild with all the glacier winds coming out of the bays and meeting in the blackstone/culross/portwells area. What month are you planning on hunting? Both areas can get dumped on with snow and it takes a while for the bears to come out. Only a few big bays to get into out of valdez before you hit the big water. I see quite a few bear hunters in the coves/bays out of whittier when we are out shrimping. Have seen a few bears but never really wanted to shoot one in the spring.

 

[Yukon Cornelius]

Yeah…I do not see how hauling a boat that big up is cost effective at all. Also, you shouldn’t be able to shoot from the boat.

Do you have experience in the salt? With the tides?

 

[skipper907]

I would just go to Valdez. No reason to drive all the way to Whittier

 

[Behlftball]

Hi,

Good points, but I need to explain a bit more. My wife and I have a place rented in Seward for 6 weeks over the summer, so I will be leaving my truck and trailer in a secured lot in Anchorage for about a month and flying in between trips and then hauling the boat back in August after either deer hunting in PWS or doing the Haul Rd caribou hunt.

I'm aware that you can't shoot from a boat in the PWS. Im planning to get a Zodiak to get to shore.

I don't have much experience in the salt or with the tides. I know the tides are some of the biggest in world at 20+ feet and you have to be very careful. I do have extensive experience on the Great Lakes which can get nasty very quickly.

My plan is to go out mid-May and hopefully beat the rush before Memorial Day weekend. Is the lot in Whittier at risk filling up before Memorial Day? I'm aware that we could get a weather issue where we have to wait a few days for safe passage. I spoke to the biologist earlier this week and understand the winter weather/snow greatly affects the bear hunting and timing.

Are the passages safer/calmer at slack tide? Are the winds or glacier winds predictable or forecasted?

Is Valdez a better option in regards to a first time boater in the PWS in regards to weather and safety? (Looks like quite a bit of Native Lands close to Valdez also).

Thank you for any and all advice.

 

[kwackkillncrew]

You will probably be ok pre memorial day weekend for parking. Mid May could be pretty early if the sound get hit with alot of snow. Since your boat will be in amchorage , I'd say your better off going to whittier and not hauling it to valdez. Be aware that you will need to get out outta whittier city limits prior to hunting. The glacial winds are not really predictable using windy or other weather apps. Tide alone won't blow up the seas, but tide mixed with winds can make things wild. The boat/Trailer parking is about a .5 mile away from the actual launch.

13 miles out from whittier can get pretty nasty until you get out of the confused seas

I dont think i will ever drag my boat to valdez. I have PTSD from seeing a guy tow his boat up the long lake hill. I was coming down the hill from valdez and he was coming up the hill. I watched the tounge of the trailer come up above the truck bed, the boat went backwards down the hill and then flipped over and went over the cliff edge, never to be seen again. Rumors are, it is still falling and hasnt hit the bottom.

Sent from my SM-S921U using Tapatalk

 

[Behlftball]

You will probably be ok pre memorial day weekend for parking. Mid May could be pretty early if the sound get hit with alot of snow. Since your boat will be in amchorage , I'd say your better off going to whittier and not hauling it to valdez. Be aware that you will need to get out outta whittier city limits prior to hunting. The glacial winds are not really predictable using windy or other weather apps. Tide alone won't blow up the seas, but tide mixed with winds can make things wild. The boat/Trailer parking is about a .5 mile away from the actual launch.

13 miles out from whittier can get pretty nasty until you get out of the confused seas

I dont think i will ever drag my boat to valdez. I have PTSD from seeing a guy tow his boat up the long lake hill. I was coming down the hill from valdez and he was coming up the hill. I watched the tounge of the trailer come up above the truck bed, the boat went backwards down the hill and then flipped over and went over the cliff edge, never to be seen again. Rumors are, it is still falling and hasnt hit the bottom.

Sent from my SM-S921U using Tapatalk

Thank you for your response.

I feel like, and I could be certainly very wrong, if I leave from Whittier with good seas I should be able to make Culross Passage or turn around and make it back to Whittier. And kind of vice versa returning. It seems like coming out of Whittier I should know around Point Pigot if I should turn around or not.

That drive to Valdez is unbelievably beautiful. I have an F350 at least so the tail isn't wagging the dog, but some of these setups I see with boats and trailers make me quite nervous.

 

[kwackkillncrew]

Thank you for your response.

I feel like, and I could be certainly very wrong, if I leave from Whittier with good seas I should be able to make Culross Passage or turn around and make it back to Whittier. And kind of vice versa returning. It seems like coming out of Whittier I should know around Point Pigot if I should turn around or not.

That drive to Valdez is unbelievably beautiful. I have an F350 at least so the tail isn't wagging the dog, but some of these setups I see with boats and trailers make me quite nervous.

You're not wrong, thats a good plan. Feel free to pm if you have any specific questions.

Sent from my SM-S921U using Tapatalk