Kodiak blacktails

[AK Troutbum]

Just got back from a Kodiak goat/deer hunt. We saw a few goats but they were not an area where we could have retrieved them if we killed one. We ended up taking 8 deer between the 4 of us. All in all a very enjoyable hunt with some very nice, unkodiak like, weather.

 

[RosinBag]

Sitka Blacktails are one of the best looking deer out there....Congrats.

 

[garrenj]

Best eating too...Nice work.

 

[luke moffat]

Great stuff troutbum. Them Kodiak deer this time of year are AMAZING tasting for sure. You have a pile of good meat there indeed. What timeframe were you down there for?? I was down there 12 days, but only saw about 10 deer in that time and didn't take any. Just helped bag 4 mountain goats, so sounds like between the two of us we took care of some deer and goats. Congrats on filling the freezer with some tasty critters!!!

 

[AK Troutbum]

Great stuff troutbum. Them Kodiak deer this time of year are AMAZING tasting for sure. You have a pile of good meat there indeed. What timeframe were you down there for?? I was down there 12 days, but only saw about 10 deer in that time and didn't take any. Just helped bag 4 mountain goats, so sounds like between the two of us we took care of some deer and goats. Congrats on filling the freezer with some tasty critters!!!

Thanks Luke. Sounds like you guy's did very well for yourselves indeed. Congrats to you too. I just got back Sunday evening, we headed down on the 3rd and came back on the 14th. The first place we hunted was definitely more conducive to goat hunting and we didn't see any deer, or any sign for that matter. The second place we hunted, we saw 3 goats, and about 40 or so deer. The decision to go to the second place was made strictly to deer hunt, and to try to put a dent in the freezer. As much as I love moose, and it is our mainstay, It's really hard to beat those blacktail for table fare. Man, that new Kifaru DT1 kicked butt. It exceded my expectations for sure. Thanks for the recommendation.

 

[luke moffat]

Great to hear man!! Yep used the DT1 for my first goat hunt with the Mrs. then my buddies came down for the 2nd hunt and I let one of them run a DT1 (the other buddy already had a DT1) and I ran my T1. All great packs that make the loads a little more bearable for sure!! I hear ya on the blacktail is top tier table fair indeed. Sounds like I just missed ya in Kodiak I was down there the 4th-16th. Looking forward to getting some blacktails myself here next month on Prince of Wales to finish out the season.

 

[chiefhoyt]

I cannot wait to chase those beauties some day. great looking buck

 

[Jon Boy]

Sweet lookin bucks!

 

[MJ from Oregon]

Fantastic!

Can't wait to make it back to Kodiak.

 

[Becca]

Awesome job Troutbum! Looks like you enjoyed some nice weather while you were there too...nothing like 60 degrees and sunny in Kodiak in October Enjoy the blacktail, and let me know how you fix it...we are hoping to restock next month in Prince of Wales, and I am always looking for new ideas!

 

[Zackman]

Nice bucks!

I was there two years ago and am planning a trip for two years from now. How was the deer population? Were there many mature bucks running around? And, if you don't mind, were you on the north or south side of the island?

Congrats again

 

[AK Troutbum]

The deer population is definitely down. We had a record snow year last winter and a big winter kill. I've heard reports of 30-50% winter kill. I think those numbers reflect different places on the island. I know that the northern part of the island was hit harder than the southern part. We were hunting the southern part. I didn't see very many mature bucks, and probably only saw about 8-10 bucks total.

 

[bowuntr]

Very nice.... congrats. Ed F

 

[Nick Muche]

Awesome! Congrats! POW next year for me and a buddy, 10 days in November. Any pointers?? Will be bow hunting.

 

[luke moffat]

Awesome! Congrats! POW next year for me and a buddy, 10 days in November. Any pointers?? Will be bow hunting.

Nick, I'll let ya know. Going down to POW for the 2nd year in a row next month for a week. I'll let ya know how I do. Got 4 deer tags to burn this year unlike last year when I only had one.

 

[AK Troutbum]

The last time I deer hunted POW was in '05. We rented a truck/camper and spent 2 weeks driving all around the island. We saw tons of deer, but could not put antlers on anything. Believe it or not, we saw well over 100 deer in that 2 week period in Nov. and not a single buck.

 

[AK Troutbum]

How did you do down there last year Luke? Also, how did you hunt it?

 

[luke moffat]

There was 3 feet of fresh snow everywhere, all the logging roads were closed to anything but a snowmachine (which there are probably 3 on the whole island) and even the main roads between towns/villages where closed due to all the snow. Anyways only able to hunt 3 of the 5 days and I filled my last deer tag and my buddy got 3 so we still got all we wanted, it was just a different than norm trip to POW I am told. Hoping for no snow on this go round.

 

[gunner]

Great photos troutbum. looking fowerd to my hunt I leve tomorrow for POW.
Good luck on your trip luke.

 

[Maxhunter]

Congrats! I went in August!