Calder Mountain Lodge

[Junder28]

Ok so I’m looking to take a stab at a diy spring black bear hunt in southeast Alaska and thought that an island hunt would be such a cool adventure. The plan is to take my dad and a buddy and attempt to get tags. If one of us gets a tag we will all go and help with the hunt but also be able to fish while we are there. I’m not opposed to using a guide but the guided hunts seem very expensive which would be a big ask for my dad. So I found Calder Mountain Lodge and they seem to provide travel from Petersburg to the lodge and food a boat and fishing supplies for the week for $2,800. Now that doesn’t include tags but that seems reasonable and I think the adventure and experience of the boat hunt spot and stalk with the fishing would be amazing. I am told the draw odds are around 50% so I hope at least one of us would pull one. I wanted to hear some opinions on this type of hunt as well as an experience with this lodge would be helpful.

 

[Blind Squirrel]

Ok so I’m looking to take a stab at a diy spring black bear hunt in southeast Alaska and thought that an island hunt would be such a cool adventure. The plan is to take my dad and a buddy and attempt to get tags. If one of us gets a tag we will all go and help with the hunt but also be able to fish while we are there. I’m not opposed to using a guide but the guided hunts seem very expensive which would be a big ask for my dad. So I found Calder Mountain Lodge and they seem to provide travel from Petersburg to the lodge and food a boat and fishing supplies for the week for $2,800. Now that doesn’t include tags but that seems reasonable and I think the adventure and experience of the boat hunt spot and stalk with the fishing would be amazing. I am told the draw odds are around 50% so I hope at least one of us would pull one. I wanted to hear some opinions on this type of hunt as well as an experience with this lodge would be helpful.

That’s about half the price of several guided hunts in BC, if that’s worth considering. No, not the exact same hunt though.

 

[Boar]

I am also looking at this lodge. And eagle lodge. Does anyone have any recommendations?

 

[David Gough]

Hunted Calder Mountain Lodge in 2021. Had a great experience and there's plenty of good fishing nearby. I booked with them again for our spring 2025 hunt.

 

[Boar]

Hunted Calder Mountain Lodge in 2021. Had a great experience and there's plenty of good fishing nearby. I booked with them again for our spring 2025 hunt.

Did you see a lot of bears? Good size bears? Were you competing with other hunters?

 

[BrooksRanger]

I can’t say with certainty, but based upon my experience hunting there. It would be very unsurprising if you weren’t “competing “with other hunters. There are many people who own boats and travel throughout the islands, looking for bears at that time of year. In addition due to, the Internet several well-known TV personalities have made it very easy to learn logistics of hunting in this area; consequently, there are many more hunters, and than you would believe trying to get bears in this area.

 

[David Gough]

Did you see a lot of bears? Good size bears? Were you competing with other hunters?

It was a slow week for bears when we were there. A cold front came in and the bears didn't come out as much. I missed a nice bear and when I was checking for blood to make sure it was a clean miss I went into the forest. Significantly warmer, so didn't blame the bears for what they were doing. First bear of the trip I told my buddy we should hit it with the boat it was so big.

Yes, other hunters were around. Usually just saw other boats from Calder Mountain.

I've heard the fishing is better at Calder Mountain than Green Rocks, but I've never stayed at the other lodge.

 

[HNTR918]

Thorne Bay Lodge on POW is fantastic and half the price.

 

[Coveyleader]

The real question is, do you still have to draw a tag to hunt with them? That end of the island gets pounded, you will not be alone. I'd even go as far to say you didn't have a slow week, it's just the bears just aren't there like they used to be.

 

[BrooksRanger]

The real question is, do you still have to draw a tag to hunt with them? That end of the island gets pounded, you will not be alone. I'd even go as far to say you didn't have a slow week, it's just the bears just aren't there like they used to be.

Amen to that. I went back to that area last Spring after a few years away.
I couldn't believe how few bears I saw. I was literally going to sleep watching them behind my tent at night a few years earlier. So many bears it was like Disneyland. I was passing left and right because an even bigger one might show up. (I never did harvest one and that was by choice, not lack of opportunity.)
Fast forward to last year, and I saw less than a handful over seven days and they were all really young juveniles. I'm happy that they have a draw for Nonresidents, but honestly think it would help out the population to have a draw for Residents as well. Shooting bears on the beach takes absolutely zero skill. Zero. Might as well try to encourage people to only harvest large bears and leave the sows and juveniles for later.

 

[Coveyleader]

Thank your uncle Randy.

 

[Coveyleader]

Amen to that. I went back to that area last Spring after a few years away.
I couldn't believe how few bears I saw. I was literally going to sleep watching them behind my tent at night a few years earlier. So many bears it was like Disneyland. I was passing left and right because an even bigger one might show up. (I never did harvest one and that was by choice, not lack of opportunity.)
Fast forward to last year, and I saw less than a handful over seven days and they were all really young juveniles. I'm happy that they have a draw for Nonresidents, but honestly think it would help out the population to have a draw for Residents as well. Shooting bears on the beach takes absolutely zero skill. Zero. Might as well try to encourage people to only harvest large bears and leave the sows and juveniles for later.

What’s crazy is thinking where you’re at! It’s not like it’s easy to get there yet it’s shot out.

 

[David Gough]

The real question is, do you still have to draw a tag to hunt with them? That end of the island gets pounded, you will not be alone. I'd even go as far to say you didn't have a slow week, it's just the bears just aren't there like they used to be.

Are you talking POW? We had tags for Kupreanof.

 

[Coveyleader]

Are you talking POW? We had tags for Kupreanof.

I was talking about 2021. If you go with a guide, you can avoid drawing the tag. I was wondering if that was the case. Actually, its probably best you don't answer.

 

[David Gough]

I was talking about 2021. If you go with a guide, you can avoid drawing the tag. I was wondering if that was the case. Actually, its probably best you don't answer.

The differential cost between DIY and a guide is quite large, even multiples. Prices most out.