DIY POW Hunt Sept - Oct (Transporter / Boat Rentals)

[ARucker]

Hi everyone,
I'm planning a late Sept. / early Oct. hunt this year and I'm having a lot of trouble finding rentals and reliable transporters. Two of us will be flying from Seattle into Ketchikan and then are hoping to get an air taxi or transporter to fly us POW to pick up a boat and hopefully two kayaks. We'll be hunting on the eastern side of the island. We don't need anything fancy in terms of the boat, it just needs to be big enough to haul the two of us our gear, 2 kayaks, and meat back. Preferably a cheap skiff rental. The trip is mainly hunting, so we don't need a nice fishing boat and we'll be leaving it most of the day/trip. I've spent hours and hours emailing and looking up rental companies online and everyone seems to be booked.

I'm not opposed to being dropped off by boat with 2 kayaks either. Worst case I'm looking at a drop hunt and possibly bringing two collapsable kayaks. Any recommendations, info on rental companies, or links to trusted transporters you guys have used would be extremely helpful. Thanks!

 

[chucko]

Leave the kayaks at home- rent a truck-climb alot-you will be hunting pre rut-most of the deer you find will be in the subalpine Sept and Oct can be a tough time to hunt as they are spread out from the alpine to the beach

 

[Felix40]

I flew with family air when I went. They had pictures of kayaks strapped to the bottom of super cubs in their office. Might be worth asking them about.

 

[Johnny Tyndall]

This is a little confusing. Are you just trying to get from Ketchikan to POW and then pick up a boat and kayaks there? Ferry won't work? Can't find an air service that'll take you 9 months out? That's surprising, they do that flight all the time. Taquan Air had the FS contract when I was up there and was top notch.

I'm no blacktail expert, but I think @chucko above nailed it. No real advantage to boats over renting a truck and hiking a lot. POW is notable for having the most extensive road system in SE.

 

[LostArra]

I've taken Island Air from Ketchikan to Klawock many times. Fishing only, no hunting experience.

 

[AKDoc]

You're getting some right on responses from others, e.g., lots of logging roads and clear cuts, deer might be up high early season, etc.

I've hunted POW four/five times. We go late Oct/early to mid Nov, trying to catch rut. We take the ferry from Ketch to POW (and back), and use a 4wd vehicle on POW to drive the bazillion logging roads and also access some hikes to off-road areas. That has always worked for us.

I'm sorry I can't be more helpful regarding your boat rental question...never on my radar for those hunts. If kayaking/boating is a highly desired aspect of your adventure north, then perhaps calling some of the fishing Charters out of POW might give you some leads...IDK. If you're flexible about the boat hunt part...consider trying to rent a truck/4wd vehicle and drive the roads. Pros/cons to all options.

Best to you for your adventure. POW is a beautiful place...

 

[LoggerDan]

I’ve logged that island for quite awhile. If you are going for deer, than the kayaks are probably best left at home. Bucks aren’t really on the beach, not until winter starts hitting hard. You don’t nec have to get up to the alpine, good deer hunting is all around, but the numbers and quality are up higher.

if you are set on the boats and kayaks, keep in mind that the waters in SEA are pretty doggone treacherous. The tide shift is huge (20’) and the currents are extremely powerful and fast. That water takes people, expierenced people every year.There’s an outfit in Hollis that rents rigs. Be sure you always have a five gallon can of fuel. Watch how you drive on shot rock. The logging roads aren’t like in Washington or Oregon. Do you know exactly where you are going? Be sure to spend a little money in Craig; since Sealaska quit logging, that whole island is hurting and they could sure use some business. Bring lots of bug dope.

 

[LoggerDan]

Also, if you do manage to get a skiff, learn how to siwash anchor!

 

[ARucker]

Leave the kayaks at home- rent a truck-climb alot-you will be hunting pre rut-most of the deer you find will be in the subalpine Sept and Oct can be a tough time to hunt as they are spread out from the alpine to the beach

I'd really like to get as far away from the roads as possible. With the forest being a little denser than I'm probably used to, can you glass very well from high peaks/ridges? Or do you mainly focus on glassing lakes/shoreline?

 

[LoggerDan]

Muskegs.. on POW, you are never far from a road.

 

[ARucker]

I’ve logged that island for quite awhile. If you are going for deer, than the kayaks are probably best left at home. Bucks aren’t really on the beach, not until winter starts hitting hard. You don’t nec have to get up to the alpine, good deer hunting is all around, but the numbers and quality are up higher.

if you are set on the boats and kayaks, keep in mind that the waters in SEA are pretty doggone treacherous. The tide shift is huge (20’) and the currents are extremely powerful and fast. That water takes people, expierenced people every year.There’s an outfit in Hollis that rents rigs. Be sure you always have a five gallon can of fuel. Watch how you drive on shot rock. The logging roads aren’t like in Washington or Oregon. Do you know exactly where you are going? Be sure to spend a little money in Craig; since Sealaska quit logging, that whole island is hurting and they could sure use some business. Bring lots of bug dope.

Thanks for all the info Dan. They kayaks were mainly to get from anchor/mooring bouys to shore and cruise inlets. We have a black bear tag too, and were planning on fishing a little if possible. I'll be there for 10-12 days. We do know exactly where we are going, but I don't want to post it... But it's about 4 miles from one of the forest service cabins between Hollis and Craig.

 

[ARucker]

Leave the kayaks at home- rent a truck-climb alot-you will be hunting pre rut-most of the deer you find will be in the subalpine Sept and Oct can be a tough time to hunt as they are spread out from the alpine to the beach

Any advice on spot and stalk and calling? Are the muskegs usually lower elevation?

 

[ARucker]

I flew with family air when I went. They had pictures of kayaks strapped to the bottom of super cubs in their office. Might be worth asking them about.

Thanks I talked to them today, they said they'll get back to me. I believe in some places you aren't allowed to do that anymore, but I could be wrong. Hopefully though!

 

[LoggerDan]

muskegs can be found at any elevation.. in your time frame, calling won’t be terribly effective, you might draw in does, but bucks aren’t apt to home in. Your bigger bears won’t be found out on the beach and tidal flats, at least in my experience.

 

[ARucker]

muskegs can be found at any elevation.. in your time frame, calling won’t be terribly effective, you might draw in does, but bucks aren’t apt to home in. Your bigger bears won’t be found out on the beach and tidal flats, at least in my experience.

Thanks!

 

[AKDoc]

Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. Here are two examples of POW muskegs, higher and lower elevations...


Regarding the OP's interest in black bears, I've hunted them for many years every spring on the snow slides in South Central Alaska, and I've been fortunate to have taken some...even a 7 footer. That said, THE BIGGEST black bears I've ever seen have been on POW!!

 

[ARucker]

Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. Here are two examples of POW muskegs, higher and lower elevations...
View attachment 518186View attachment 518187

Regarding the OP's interest in black bears, I've hunted them for many years every spring on the snow slides in South Central Alaska, and I've been fortunate to have taken some...even a 7 footer. That said, THE BIGGEST black bears I've ever seen have been on POW!!

Awesome, thanks for the photos! I'm getting excited. Draw was today, just happy one of us pulled a tag

 

[ARucker]

Hi everyone,
I'm planning a late Sept. / early Oct. hunt this year and I'm having a lot of trouble finding rentals and reliable transporters. Two of us will be flying from Seattle into Ketchikan and then are hoping to get an air taxi or transporter to fly us POW to pick up a boat and hopefully two kayaks. We'll be hunting on the eastern side of the island. We don't need anything fancy in terms of the boat, it just needs to be big enough to haul the two of us our gear, 2 kayaks, and meat back. Preferably a cheap skiff rental. The trip is mainly hunting, so we don't need a nice fishing boat and we'll be leaving it most of the day/trip. I've spent hours and hours emailing and looking up rental companies online and everyone seems to be booked.

I'm not opposed to being dropped off by boat with 2 kayaks either. Worst case I'm looking at a drop hunt and possibly bringing two collapsable kayaks. Any recommendations, info on rental companies, or links to trusted transporters you guys have used would be extremely helpful. Thanks!

Update. I ended up finding a 16' skiff through DJ's Rentals, but for how much I was going to use the boat/kayaks for the price I decided to do a drop-in hunt. I was able to find a ride on a boat with kayaks from Ketchikan to an area near where I wanted to go as well, but the drop-in hunt will be better for me. Coffman's Rentals was super helpful, even though they knew they weren't going to have me as a client. Talking to a lot of guides and you guys, it sounds like deer are going to be tough on POW in Sept., but I have a bear tag, so I'll try to fill that first. Thanks for all the help!

 

[LoggerDan]

Don’t get discouraged… the deer hunting is extremely easy. At least I thought so..now, finding a big dandy will be a little harder, but the numbers are there.

 

[dieselchessy]

I can’t imagine trying to climb off an anchored skiff into a kayak, and then from the kayak into a skiff in SE Alaska in the fall. Sounds like a good way to die.
Bears should be by the creeks eating fish that time of year. Shouldn’t be an issue to find one, but might be hard to find one not rubbed up.
Deer from the beach could work if there are muskegs or clear cuts near.
Make sure your schedule includes time to get your bear sealed. And figure out ahead where you plan to take it for sealing.