Alaska Sitka Blacktail trip report - 7 bucks down! (Photo heavy!)

[mtman]

Looks like all the effort put into a hunt like that payed off for you guys. Congrats to all of you.

[blackdog]

I'll always remember how disoriented I became up there when the clouds came in. It was spooky!

[alecvg]

Now thats just awesome!  Were you actually driving in a car or truck? Sounds tricky hauling out three guys, gear, and seven deer lol.

bYep! Most of the canopy was filled with 5 big ice chests, and one small.  We fit all the deer boned out into three two ice chests, then we had the other three filled with gear, plus packs and such stuffed around it.  Was a long drive back though, especially when we all slept in the cab for a few hours south of Prince George.

[TVHunts]

Great pics and write up.  Thanks!

[Dan-o]

 

[Smossy]

Killer adventure. Great work!

[Harborhunter]

That is really cool, great pictures and story!  Someday I would like to do a hunt like that!

[JLS]

Thanks Shane for sharing the story and pictures on this.  What a neat trip, and one that I've had on the bucket list for a while.  I spent a summer in SE Alaska when I was in college, and know full well the work you guys went through to get into the that upper alpine.  The bears and bucks in that stuff can be pretty unreal though once you get there.

I'll be sending you a PM, I'd like to pick your brain a bit on logistics, location, etc.  I am thinking pretty hard about an archery trip in the next few years.

[Pilot_Hunter]

very nice!

[buckmaster_wa]

Thanks for the story. Congrats on a great hunt. Do you have any pics of the fish you caught?

[Vo2max]

Congrats! Looks like one hell of a hunt. I'm envious and hope to get up there one day. Great write up and pics.

[Turner89]

  Right on. I don't think I've bought a hunting magazine since I joined this site. I love stories like this. You guys are doing it right.......Keep it up while your still young enough, and free enough to do it.

[bradslam]

Awesome photos.  Definitely makes me want to get back up there.  I commercial fished in SE for 14 years and hunted a little bit on off days.  The toughest pack out I ever had was a Sitka Blacktail in 1989 that went down the wrong side of the ridge after I shot it with my bow.  I would drag him down a draw, which would then turn into a log-infested canyon that I had to carry him back out of (uphill) on my shoulders.  Only to have it happen time and time again.  When I finally got to somewhat level ground, it was basically all swamp.  I ended up cutting him in two and carrying him across logs and wading through the swamp until I reached the beach where my skiff was.  When I got the second half out it was dark.  On the 9 mile skiff ride back to Craig, the wind picked up and I was getting pelted by waves.  At one point, I slammed into a log which scared the hell out of me.  As I pulled into town, the boat I fished on was untying to go look for me.  I still remember the looks on my crewmates faces...my pants were all ripped up, I was bleeding, and covered in mud.  It looked like I had been in battle or something.  I'll never forget that experience.

[Widgeondeke]

other than the terrain  this trip reminds me of hunting antelope in WY.

Great read and cool pics.   Thanks for sharing

[steen]

That is some beautiful country and some beautiful bucks.  There are not to many places out west u can fill 4 deer tags!  The photos are spectacular!