Uganik Lake, Mush Lake on Kodiak

[Greyinggrayling]

Hello all,

Location: Alaska, Kodiak Island
Hunt: DB224 Kodiak brown bear, Uganik Lake area
Season: Fall 2023

Here’s the situation: it looks like we are not going to get the cabin on Uganik Lake for the fall 2023 brown bear hunt and will be tent camping. Deer hunters have the cabin heavily locked up for the season on recreation.gov.
(I do not mind deer hunters. We will be hunting deer as well, and everyone has an equal opportunity to reserve the cabin. Just describing the situation).
Those of you who know the area…is it better to make camp on Uganik Lake even though there will (likely) be multiple camps of deer hunters there, or is Mush Lake a good alternative? Are there areas around Mush Lake that would make a good camp area? Can a Beaver land on Mush Lake and get close enough to the shore to unload gear?
Any info you can provide would be very welcome!
(Cross-posting to Bear forum and Alaska Outdoor site also)

 

[rickiesrevenge]

Mush lake is plenty long enough to land on. Who are you flying with? My experience has been that they are very aware of where they'll land and where spots to camp are. I'd recommend giving your pilot a call to talk.

 

[Greyinggrayling]

Mush lake is plenty long enough to land on. Who are you flying with? My experience has been that they are very aware of where they'll land and where spots to camp are. I'd recommend giving your pilot a call to talk.

Island Air will be our transporter. I’m sure they know that area like the back of their hands. I will give them a call.
I have been studying on OnX and trying to figure out the area and alternatives if needed. I know there are camping spots on the northwest side of Uganik Lake, but that is on the opposite end and opposite side of where we want to be for brownies.

 

[Blockcaver]

I flew with Island Air in 1986 and we hunted Uganik Lake. Good camping there near the where the river runs into the lake. .

 

[Greyinggrayling]

I flew with Island Air in 1986 and we hunted Uganik Lake. Good camping there near the where the river runs into the lake. .

We are looking at the southwest side of the lake. Closer to the inlet and closer to prime bear habitat. Across the lake from the cabin so will be out of each other’s way.

 

[Beendare]

Never a good idea to be dropped in the same spot as other camps….your pilot will typically have backup spots.

Its worth noting, its best to be prepared for alternate spots, pack accordingly.

.

 

[Greyinggrayling]

Never a good idea to be dropped in the same spot as other camps….your pilot will typically have backup spots.

Its worth noting, its best to be prepared for alternate spots, pack accordingly.

.

Normally this would be the rule. However, a little more information:

1. Uganik Lake is the only lake that can be used in the unit due to time of year and freeze-up. The only other one nearby (Mush Lake) is out due to potential for freezing, according to the pilot.
2. Very few camping spots available due to steepness of the terrain on each side of Uganik Lake. Only the inlet end and outlet end are hikeable and have areas that are amenable to setting up a camp.
3. The opposite end of the lake from the cabin has a guide camp, so there are potential occupants on each end. The location we picked out was selected by the pilot and makes sort of a triangle with the other two camps.
4. Our tag is for this small unit only and we cannot hunt outside the boundaries.
5. We will be bringing an inflatable boat and small motor so we can get away from others during the day. The lake is 3 miles long.

 

[kwackkillncrew]

i dont think grayling has to worry about blockcaver since he was there back in 1986

 

[Yoteassasin]

Nothing much about the high country but I filed a few tags hunting around the old CIP cannery in uganik bay like 20. Years ago . It’s still my favorite place I. The world I’ve ever been

 

[DMurphy]

Island Air will be our transporter. I’m sure they know that area like the back of their hands. I will give them a call.
I have been studying on OnX and trying to figure out the area and alternatives if needed. I know there are camping spots on the northwest side of Uganik Lake, but that is on the opposite end and opposite side of where we want to be for brownies.

Curious how this went for you. We are planning a trip to Kodiak in 2025 and are considering a flight to the alpine to avoid the hike in and allow for more supplies than could fit in a backpack.

 

[Greyinggrayling]

Curious how this went for you. We are planning a trip to Kodiak in 2025 and are considering a flight to the alpine to avoid the hike in and allow for more supplies than could fit in a backpack.

Went well with Island Air. Unfortunately there were no other accessible float plane areas to land other than Uganik Lake that time of year, but they were able to recommend alternative camping sites on the lake. Definitely worth the money to fly in GOOD gear. If we could have flown in on the other side of the unit, we would have been away from other people and had less scent blasted all over God’s creation.