I drew a late-October Kodiak bear tag.

[PRSHunter]

Basically as the title states, I drew a Kodiak bear hunt in late October. I just booked/reserved my beaver float plane for my hunting party of 3.

I kind of drew this tag by accident, not really knowing where the hunt was even back in December when I put in for my lottery tags, but now the realization is setting in that I don't really know how to find/where to find bear this time of year and on this island.

I'm not asking for anyone's spots. Especially since my zone might not be your zone you've hunted in the past. But I'm curious, generally speaking, what's the strategy for finding bears Oct 25- Nov 2 on Kodiak? Sea level eating fish? Up high building dens? In the berries somewhere? Stalking humans lol?

Any other tips you'd send with a first time bear hunter?

 

[skipper907]

send me a pm on what tag you got. I maybe able to help

 

[PNWGATOR]

77 TMK is the answer…

 

[PRSHunter]

77 TMK is the answer…

For close encounter black tail....maybe ....lol

Honestly I've had to question whether or not my choice of 7mm Rem Mag is enough for grizzle bear on that island.

 

[TaperPin]

Salmon runs on Kodiak can be comical - the smallest 1’ wide creek 4” deep will have misguided salmon trying to swim up it - easy meals. However, when the salmon runs are done they are done. You really need more specific information since runs vary by area, but any of the locals from your pilot to others can tell you if that time of year has any late runs.

Bears do run toward gunshots for the gut pile. Lol

https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static-sf/Region2/pdfpubs/kodiak.pdf

 

[skipper907]

For close encounter black tail....maybe ....lol

Honestly I've had to question whether or not my choice of 7mm Rem Mag is enough for grizzle bear on that island.

I would strongly suggest something bigger than a 7rem. more along the lines of a 338win or 375H&H or ruger

 

[19hunt92]

PM me if you are going to be around the red lake area, been deer hunting there recently and can provide a little insight.

 

[PRSHunter]

Salmon runs on Kodiak can be comical - the smallest 1’ wide creek 4” deep will have misguided salmon trying to swim up it - easy meals. However, when the salmon runs are done they are done. You really need more specific information since runs vary by area, but any of the locals from your pilot to others can tell you if that time of year has any late runs.

Bears do run toward gunshots for the gut pile. Lol

https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static-sf/Region2/pdfpubs/kodiak.pdf

A further thought here based on your bears running towards gut pile comment - would it be safe to assume if we (my partners going with me on this hunt in support) bring along black tail tags and get a deer or 2 down... should we hunt those gut piles afterwards for my bear tag?

 

[PRSHunter]

PM me if you are going to be around the red lake area, been deer hunting there recently and can provide a little insight.

I am not going to be near Red Lake area, but if you have any tips on finding the deer I'm all ears. Though I hold the bear tag, my hunting partners will be getting deer tags as well.

 

[TaperPin]

A further thought here based on your bears running towards gut pile comment - would it be safe to assume if we (my partners going with me on this hunt in support) bring along black tail tags and get a deer or 2 down... should we hunt those gut piles afterwards for my bear tag?

I’m not the guy to give good advice for hunting bears - that was just an observation.

 

[bpurtz]

If your hunting buddies can't find any Sitka Blacktail to kill, maybe just bring a few packs of bacon for breakfast...

 

[PRSHunter]

If your hunting buddies can't find any Sitka Blacktail to kill, maybe just bring a few packs of bacon for breakfast...

I've heard they're like squirrels out there....so if my hunting partners can't find any black tails, perhaps I'll offer up my partners for bait.

 

[BRWNBR]

Oct they can be anywhere. Digging roots mostly. The bigger bears are typically nocturnal and you can’t a glimps of them early and late. Most bears you see are usually 3 years olds that are stupid. Don’t shoot a baby bear. Residents do it all the time. See a big head and go wow boom. But if it looks like it has a big head…it don’t.

 

[Greyinggrayling]

Depending on where you go, there may be deer hunters already out there running off the bears and deer. You think you are flying out to a pristine isolated area and may find you have to get away from people.
Deer hunters (including your buddies) are walking-stalking-scent-spreaders during bear season.
You may read the bears come to shots and gut piles, and they might, but we found that was not the case. We hunted over two freshly dropped gut piles for over a week and never saw a bear on either pile. My husband and I happened upon our bears coming into our camp (one on day two, one on the very last day).

Hunting Kodiak is not textbook. Hop off a plane, go set up camp, hike up a hill, glass and shoot, done. If you have that expectation in mind you are likely to be disappointed.
Have an agreement with your buddies on how they are going to hunt deer while you are hunting bear. These two activities can be complimentary or they can be caustic.

 

[Greyinggrayling]

RE where the bears are…
Everywhere and nowhere, often at the same time. This doesn’t help, I know, but it’s accurate.
There were a few salmon still running when we were there Oct28-Nov 7. But the bears were done fishing. They were heading upward and inward. The deer were starting to head down, but not really hanging out low. So, I guess you can say both were at mid-level. This was inland, not coastal.
We did not shoot any deer, but other parties before us did and they found them mid-level.

 

[PRSHunter]

RE where the bears are…
Everywhere and nowhere, often at the same time. This doesn’t help, I know, but it’s accurate.
There were a few salmon still running when we were there Oct28-Nov 7. But the bears were done fishing. They were heading upward and inward. The deer were starting to head down, but not really hanging out low. So, I guess you can say both were at mid-level. This was inland, not coastal.
We did not shoot any deer, but other parties before us did and they found them mid-level.

I reached out to make a plan with the 3 other guides in the area I'm hunting, and they said similar. Basically told me to treat this bear hunt as a goat hunt. Get up high and put in the work, they recommended.

 

[Greyinggrayling]

I reached out to make a plan with the 3 other guides in the area I'm hunting, and they said similar. Basically told me to treat this bear hunt as a goat hunt. Get up high and put in the work, they recommended.

Careful what you say to guides when you are out there. When we went out, the other resident tag holder was there and he told us about an issue he experienced. The local guide approached him and asked where he was going to be the next day so he and his client wouldn’t be in his way. The resident hunter told the guy where he was going to be set up because he saw a nice boar there and intended on taking it. The guide said ok and left. The next day, the guide and his client came in on top of them and shot the boar.
Most guides are not like this. I suspect this was an employee of the outfit, not the head guide. But, mums the word no matter who you run into out there. Pretty much true anywhere you hunt, actually.

 

[dhatter9]

 

[PRSHunter]

Careful what you say to guides when you are out there. When we went out, the other resident tag holder was there and he told us about an issue he experienced. The local guide approached him and asked where he was going to be the next day so he and his client wouldn’t be in his way. The resident hunter told the guy where he was going to be set up because he saw a nice boar there and intended on taking it. The guide said ok and left. The next day, the guide and his client came in on top of them and shot the boar.
Most guides are not like this. I suspect this was an employee of the outfit, not the head guide. But, mums the word no matter who you run into out there. Pretty much true anywhere you hunt, actually.

This scenario would have irked me to no end.

Thankfully I've had 100% opposite the experience so far. ADF&G gave me the contact names of the guides operating in my area this fall and I called every one of them. I learned where they are permitted to guide, and nicely enough where I am planning to hunt they are not allowed to go with their clients. The three guides all truly appreciated my call to them, since I was basically asking for a Gentleman's handshake to stay out of each others' way, which requires gentlemen on each side of the handshake. I made friends with 2 of the 3 guides, exchanged Garmin inReach contacts, and received ample advice on how to hunt my area and what to look for. I spoke to each of them for over an hour, and stay in contact regularly to this day when I have a random question pop in my head. Heck - one of them even offered to borrow me a rifle and stay at their property lol. Very nice fellas.

 

[Greyinggrayling]

Most of the island’s guides are pretty friendly. There are a couple guides on this forum that are regulars on the “other” forum and they do not hesitate to give advice and pointers.
There are bad actors in every profession. I don’t hold it against them.
Maybe tell them where you will be, but you saw nada.