What I learned my first Kodiak blacktail hunt

[Bigbrother803]

Leaving for Kodiak Monday. Trying to cyber scout some drop off points that look good on google earth and huntstand and neither are very clear. Is there a resource that has some terrain detail available? OnX?

 

[mcseal2]

We did not try E scouting much. So much depends on weather and where other camps are, we waited until we were in Kodiak and talked to our transporter and used their maps

 

[3Esski]

Google earth appears to have updated images, atleast for the area I am heading to tomorrow. Definitely different than they were about a week ago for me atleast.

 

[Revoa4]

Thanks for sharing this write up!

 

[nomad14]

Great write up, I hunt Blacktail in coastal BC, Canada always enjoy seeing other areas and tactics for a similar species.

 

[Kodiak06]

I wouldn't bother with a 10mm for those bears... Jason from Kodiak Backcountry Adventures is a great guy if ya ever need his services. Not sure if he's doing BT

 

[THellURider]

Thanks for sharing this info - headed up Nov 2024

We're headed up Dec 1 2024. Going off a boat though.

 

[mcseal2]

I’m headed back to try a boat hunt with some friends in November. Maybe I’ll have another article to share if it makes a good story.

 

[2STRO]

Cook tarp and Microspikes

These micro spikes are a must have imo. Went to Kodiak in November and wish I had them!

 

[mcseal2]

The microspikes I’d agree are priceless in that terrain. Next time I’m going to take a spare pair for the group just in case someone breaks or loses one.

 

[ChrisD]

For packs we had an Exo 3500 and 4800. Jeff used my Kifaru tactical frame and Nomad 2 bag I got for the moose hunt. Dean has a Seek Outside pack. All worked well. I'm a pretty big fan of my Exo and it's layout. I really like the dry bag feature. We used 42 gallon drum liners to put meat in packing it back to camp so we did not get the packs bloody. It was cold enough and the meat was in there a short enough time we didn't think it would hurt anything. That kept our packs from being bloody in brushy bear country. I used mine as my carry-on bag too, so I didn't have to worry about having a bloody pack for that.

We all had good game bags. Mine were Argali, some guys had Black Ovis. We built a meat rack to suspend quarters from and put a OneTigris 10x13 tarp over it to keep the meat well ventilated but dry. It worked out well.

Camp:

We buried our camp in the brush as much as possible for wind protection. We cut some brush to make things fit with the tools we brought. We had a Silky Bigboy saw, a Bahco Laplander saw, a Gransfers Bruks small forest axe, and a Cold Steel stainless kukri knife. Having that many tools made quick work of the job. I worked on the cook tarp with the kukri while the other guys used the saws and axe to set up the main camp and pound stakes. We also had a Russian military titanium shovel for digging catholes. The brush we cut we stacked in the gaps around our perimeter for additional wind protection.

We took 3 tents for 4 guys. We had a 6 man Cabelas Alaskan Guide Instinct tent that's approximately 10'x10' with room to stand in it. 2 guys slept in it, and we all kept our duffle bags in there. Steve and I would sleep in our smaller tents but get dressed in the big one with more room once the other guys left it. Steve had a Hilleberg Staika and I had a Kuiu Storm Star. All handled the wind and rain great, no issues.

We took my Aquaquest Defender 15x15 tarp for a cook tarp. We had Camptime Roll A Chairs to put under it and a wheeled tote we used as a table. We spent a lot of time in the evenings after dark, and mornings before light under the tarp. It's very nice to have somewhere dry to go that's not as small as a tent. I'll add a pic of our cook tarp below. I had a rechargeable Streamlight Siege X rechargeable lantern hooked to the ridgeline that worked well.

We used a Jetboil full gen for most of our cooking hooked to a 25lb propane bottle we rented from Island Air. We had a couple 1 liter Jetboils if we needed them or wanted them in our packs. For food we had some sausage and burger we browned in Kodiak at our Air B&B we added to pasta or soup until we had deer meat to add. If anyone wants more detail on food I'll get the list from Dean our designated camp chef. We had some freeze dried meals in case we wanted to spike out or got stuck in the field extra days but we didn't eat many of them.

A very useful item is a chunk of a Thermarest Z lite or similar sleeping pad. I'd carry 5 sections of one to sit on glassing in the snow during the day and then use it as a door mat to enter or exit the tent. We all had camp shoes of some sort. The Tingley ultralight boots I cut down for my moose hunt are still serving great for this. I bought them a size big so they are easy to slip on and off. I cut them off about ankle height so I have waterproof camp shoes that weigh about a pound.

For a sleep system I used a Thermarest X therm max pad. I lay my extra set of Argali game bags under it for extra protection against punctures. I use an old Kifaru 20 degree Slick Bag I got used a decade ago that still works well. I like to zip it to my armpits and use a Hill People Gear mountain serape as a blanket over top of it. This set-up is a little heavier than a 0 degree bag but a lot more versatile. The serape is another insulating layer I can use sitting around camp, glassing, or however I need to. It also keeps me from ever breathing in my bag and adding moisture. It's been very effective and saved me from upgrading bags. I've dried a lot of wet socks, gloves, and base layers in that Kifaru bag and it has never disappointed me.

For water we had a Steripen between each pair of hunters. At camp I had a filter I built. It is a gravity system that flows from a Katadyn Basecamp into a Platypus clean water bag with a spigot on it. We had 4 2L Platypus water bladders and a couple 1 gallon water bags from Amazon. It worked well. We prefiltered the water into the Katadyn through a filter sock I got off Ebay before our moose hunt. I think I had the brand name in that What I Learned post.

Our bear fence was homemade. Between Jeff and I we had good poly/wire fencing rope and a good solar fencer. It is hotter than the D battery options factory bear fences use. Dean built our posts from fiberglass and aluminum ferrules in a takedown configuration. If there are more questions on the fence let me know and I’ll get answers.

Last I'll add a few travel tips.

We used large wheeled totes as checked bags. I took a couple rubber tarp straps and hooked my Kuiu Taiku bag to the top of the tote with them. This makes navigating an airport easier, rifle case in one hand and tote handle in the other. My Exo was my carry on bag on my back. The totes also make a good table and waterproof storage place in the field. We took extra waterproof duffle bags inside the totes to haul gear home with if the totes were full of meat and antlers.

A Nalgene bottle and piece of string to tie it to the seat in front of you can be nice on the airplane. It saves you buying high price bottled water and keeps you hydrated on the way to your hunt. Also a battery pack for your phone, downloaded movies, and ear buds. This makes long flights more bearable. I like the Anker 10k battery pack that has a 110 plug built in for travel. It's my wall charger with 2 USB outlets and my battery bank all in one.

For power in the field we all had other battery banks. I had a Dark Energy 10k in my pack and my old Anker 26800 pack in the tent. I had a rechargeable Black Diamond ReVolt headlamp, Steripen, and my phone with OnX plus the InReach to charge.

I'm sure there is more I'll think of, but that's all I have time for right now. I have to go pick up my nephew to check traps.

Thanks again to all those who helped me plan my trip.

Planning a hunt like this with my brother, in the very early stages. This is super helpful. Thanks

 

[DougR67]

Fantastic write-up. Thanks for taking the time to share it.

 

[KNZ]

This thread is my attempt to pay back all the help and advice I received from guys here when planning my hunt. I owe you guys that helped me a lot, its priceless being able to ask questions when planning a trip like this. My midwestern home is a long way from the places I've hunted moose, caribou, and now deer in Alaska. Having a successful unguided hunt into these areas depends a lot on distance learning!

I'm not going to tell the story of our hunt here, I have an article on this hunt that will come out here sometime in January. A link to the article will be added to this thread and vice versa. Please ask any questions about the article here as well as any this thread generates.

***Update 1/7/2023*** Kodiak Blacktail Hunt Article

For the background of our trip we hunted with Island Air in November. Weather was a challenge, and we lost some hunting days due to it. We've been lucky on past trips actually gaining a day on our caribou and moose hunts. We showed up a day ahead of schedule organized and prepared for those hunts and were lucky enough to get out early. We were bound to get caught by AK weather at some point and this trip was it. It was nothing unexpected, it's just a part of hunting Alaska. I'll leave it there until the article comes out.

We chose to bring all our own gear again this trip. We had 4 guys and chose to rent a Beaver and a 206 to fly us and our stuff with. We had more weight allowance than we needed and chose to pack pretty heavy. If you can swing it a more comfortable camp is nice in a place that wet. Daylight hours are also much shorter than most hunts, so we took more regular food and a more elaborate kitchen than we usually would. I thank the guys who gave me this advice again!

Temps ranged from the upper 30's to upper 20's on our trip. We got home the 16th of November for some time reference. It was a wet cold the whole time. Even when it wasn't raining the air was damp, and with the wind it felt colder than the temps indicate. This cold is nothing like the dry cold I've typically experienced in Wyoming the end of elk season for example. I recommend packing like you would for 0 degrees in Colorado or Wyoming.

On to gear:

One of the biggest pieces of gear I appreciated on this trip was the Katoula microspikes for my boots. They are an absolute game changer in wet, slick, frozen, and muddy terrain. Once I tried them I used them the rest of the trip. They just gave me a ton of confidence stepping on a wet fallen alder, steep muddy bank, anything. I very highly recommend them. The last day I loaned them to one of my friends I was with and he felt the same way.

Trekking poles were useful but opportunity to use them is more limited than on other hunts. There was just so much weaving through thick alders that required both hands, one for the rifle and one to grab or move alders. The spikes made up for not being able to use the poles for the most part.

For clothing layers I took more than usual due to the weight allowance. Even when it wasn't raining the brush was all wet enough I wore rain pants the entire time. I did not even bother taking softshell pants. I wore my rain jacket the majority of the time as well sometimes with just a base layer underneath when hiking hard and the pit zips open. I highly recommend a rain jacket and pants with ventilation built in.

My clothing is a little of everything depending on what was on sale or what pieces I liked from different companies. They all have to get along in my system.

My standard layers each day were:
FL Wick hoody
Kuiu 240 hoody (often in pack)
FL Uncompaghre vest (often in pack)
FL Ridgeline QZ windbreaker (often in pack)
FL SEAK rain jacket

FL aerowool boxers
Darn Tough tall full cushion boot socks
FL aerowool 150 merino base layer
Kuiu Yukon rain pants
Kennetrek gaiters and Mountain Extreme boots

I used the Kuiu guide gloves if I needed a leather palm, or some of their older peloton gloves when I did not.

In the pack full time were a Kuiu Superdown Pro jacket and Ultra pants. Also Kuiu glassing mittens and spare peloton gloves. I used a Exo K2 3500 with the dry bag liner. This worked very well.

For use around camp I had FL Uncompaghre puffy pants and oversize Kuiu Chugach rain pants to fit over them. I had a Sitka Kodiak rain jacket also for back-up or camp use. I also had a Kuiu Kutana hybrid insulated shirt. I figure the shirt and vest give me a synthetic layering option to supplement or replace the down if I get it soaked. I've never had an issue with wetting out the Kuiu down stuff, but I've been pretty careful to keep it dry also. It was cold sitting under the cook tarp in the evenings, I was glad to have the extra layers. I also bought a warm fleece beanie hat at Big Rays in Kodiak I wore around camp or sleeping that was nice to have. I didn't realize I left my Kuiu one at home until we were in AK.

For boots I took my Kennetrek Mountain Extremes and my Crispi Hiland Pro boots. I used the Kennetreks the whole time, I never needed to switch to the Crispi's. There was much less standing water to cross than on my caribou hunt when I used the Crispi boots non stop. Leather boots and gaiters, plus Wiggys waders to cross creeks, were fine. I did treat my Kennetrek boots multiple times before the trip with waterproofing wax. I'd done it until they would absorb no more.

We hunted in pairs and one of us had a spotter and tripod, the other had a tarp and stakes. We carried Seek Outside DST tarps. People pack their fears and I'm no exception. I feel a lot better about spending a night out if I have a tarp to get under, and it's a very useful piece of gear for other things too. I have a lot of tarps or poncho/tarps and almost always have one in my pack depending on conditions. Alaska is a place I want a really good one. I actually carried my Kifaru sheep tarp in my pack the whole hunt in addition to the DST my hunting partner had.

Each pair also carried an In Reach and a trauma medical kit. Each had a tourniquet, quick clot, and a compression bandage. This was in addition to the normal stuff like Leukotape, bandaids, etc. I can share more detail on our medical and emergency gear if anyone is interested. With Kodiak's steep, challenging terrain, and the risk of bears we carried a little more than we do on some hunts. There is just more risk of injury and weather may prevent anyone from flying in to help. At camp I had a BEARFAK kit from Refuge Medical that was a step more complete trauma kit than what we had in our packs.

For guns 3 of us had 300 win mags, one guy had a 7mm Rem Mag. We all shot tough bullets through them, E tips or Accubonds. Jeff had a standard Remington 700 he borrowed from Dean with a duplex 3.5-10x scope. The rest of us all had scopes we could dial for elevation. I used my Rifles Inc 300 win mag built off a Winchester M70 classic action with the 180gr E tip at 2900fps. I love that rifle for Alaska as it's stainless and cerakoted. It has a 4-16x Huskemaw scope. Dean and Steve's rifles were built by Flint Hills Gun Works and had Swaro Z5 3.5-18x scopes. John at Flint Hills built my 264 win mag deer/antelope rifle as well. When we got home I sent my 300 to John and had him tear it completely down and clean it. I didn't want to take any chances with the salt air.

For bear protection we had handguns as well. I had a Sig 220 Hunter 10mm, Steve had a Springfield 1911 10mm, Dean had a Glock 20 10mm, and Jeff had his S&W 686 in 357. They were not needed but were nice to have. I like the 10mm's with a rail and light for doing chores around camp or packing meat in the dark. When I can I'll strap my rifle to my pack leaving it slower to access. Kodiak does not leave a lot of opportunity to strap the rifle to the pack with all the brush so the pistol is probably less necessary than some places, at least where we were. Still I was glad to have the pistol along. My Sig 220 is a heavy sucker, but I shoot it really well and it has handled every type of heavy ammo without ever having an issue. The only thing that makes it malfunction ever is light loaded 170gr practice ammo. I carry Underwood 200gr Hardcast in my Sig. Dean and Steve used Buffalo Bore 190gr all copper DG ammo. Dean bought my Glock 20 and it feeds that ammo perfect, it was never perfect with any lead hardcast I tried.

This is great info. I am a bit of a novice (only been hunting for 5 years or so) and may have a opportunity for a blacktail hunt near Kodiak. This is helpful, thank you.

 

[KNZ]

I’m headed back to try a boat hunt with some friends in November. Maybe I’ll have another article to share if it makes a good story.

Please share. Thinking of doing one of these as well.

 

[mcseal2]

We had to postpone our boat hunt for now. One of out group tore his acl and we chose to wait for a later year rather than go without him. We are headed to Colorado in a few weeks after fall bear as our back-up plan.