Deer slam help

[Bean Counter]

I copy. Reply sent.

Still plenty of info to trade for those who can hook me up in Wyoming. 

[mtman]

Got my Sitka hunt set in stone ready to go in less then 50 days. I got my ferry trips and hotels on the way up booked and payed for. Places I want to hunt marked out on my map ready when the ferry lands. Truck is running good and bought a canopy for more space. I have a spread sheet for the stuff I need to bring. Anything you guys can think of that I need to Bring for this hunt let me know.

[Bean Counter]

Cant' wait to see what you come up with! 

Going to make the coues hunt this fall? leftover tags will be out soon and I manage to snag one every year 

[huntnnw]

Im going to do this one day and rent out one of the forest service cabins and boat in

[Chesapeake]

Your ferry change in K-town on the way up is tight. Hopefully weather is good and they arrive early.
The rest looks fine.

You can license up in Klawock at Blackbear, or one of the other outfits. If you get stuck in K-town then the Walmart sells licenses.

[mtman]

I don't think I will be doing the Coues hunt for a few more years. I have been buying the bonus points the last few years. That is going to be a fun hunt too. I think I will be doing that one solo. I cant seem to get my buddy's to buy the 160 lic and 15 dollar permit. They will regret it years down the road I think.

[Broker]

I see you have everything sorted out already mtman but here's a link for others that may want to venture North for Sitka deer.
http://fishorhunt.com/Hunts.php

My first trip up I drove, took the ferry etc like you have planned.  2nd trip I flew in to KTN, took float plane to Thorne Bay and was picked up by the owner.  They set you up with a place to sleep, a 4 door truck and a fishing boat.  The rest is up to you.  I found it to be a good value for a DIY hunt.

It was a lot more fun the second visit than the first but both were well worth the time and effort.

The deer are thick on that island, you will have many opportunities to fill your tags.

[JWEBB]

Go get em mtman

[andrew_in_idaho]

I see you have everything sorted out already mtman but here's a link for others that may want to venture North for Sitka deer.
http://fishorhunt.com/Hunts.php

My first trip up I drove, took the ferry etc like you have planned.  2nd trip I flew in to KTN, took float plane to Thorne Bay and was picked up by the owner.  They set you up with a place to sleep, a 4 door truck and a fishing boat.  The rest is up to you.  I found it to be a good value for a DIY hunt.

It was a lot more fun the second visit than the first but both were well worth the time and effort.

The deer are thick on that island, you will have many opportunities to fill your tags.

I was looking at doing this in a couple of years, would taking a ferry from Ketchikan be a cheaper option? Seems like a float plane would cost a few extra bucks and I'm a cheapskate.

[mtman]

I looked into doing it the float plane way. It was almost twice as much. It was more expensive from the start and then you start adding in getting things home and that is not as cheap either. Also I don't think the meat would last stuck on a lake for a whole week in Aug.

[andrew_in_idaho]

I looked into doing it the float plane way. It was almost twice as much. It was more expensive from the start and then you start adding in getting things home and that is not as cheap either. Also I don't think the meat would last stuck on a lake for a whole week in Aug.

What I was referring to is fly commercial to ketchikan hop a ferry over to POW and book with one of the outfits that rents cabin, truck, and boat for usually around $1000, seems from what I figured out a guy could do the trip for about $2500 including round trip air from boise(seattle is cheaper I'm sure), license and 2 tags, lodging/truck/boat(I was looking at thorne bay lodge), ferry and incidental spending($500 which would be a lot)

[Chesapeake]

mtman,

Your in for a heck of a hunt this year. Just got back fr4om POW last week. Was deer everywhere, and I mean everywhere. Fawn dropping, bucks in velvet, couldn't drive anywhere for more than a mile without seeing a few. Bodies looked small though. Horn growth looked good. They are having what they call a drought, but stuff is still plenty green. Still some snow on the taller hills.

 

[mtman]

That's what i have been hearing from others up there as well. Ive called the forest service and Game department and they are saying it is insane how many deer they have. Ive been waiting years for this hunt. I figured try and do it when they have a bunch of mild winters back to back. Sounds like its going to work out GOD willing.

I had to push the hunt back two weeks. I found out you cant start hunting federal land until the 15th. They don't make it clear on when you can start hunting in the regs.You have to call all around to get the right answer.

[Chesapeake]

That's what i have been hearing from others up there as well. Ive called the forest service and Game department and they are saying it is insane how many deer they have. Ive been waiting years for this hunt. I figured try and do it when they have a bunch of mild winters back to back. Sounds like its going to work out GOD willing.

I had to push the hunt back two weeks. I found out you cant start hunting federal land until the 15th. They don't make it clear on when you can start hunting in the regs.You have to call all around to get the right answer.

Dang, I apologize, I didn't pay attention to your Aug. 1 date. I thought I had told you some time back you cant play till Aug. 16, but maybe that was someone else.

Federal subsistence season is July 24 - Dec. 31 for "qualified subsistence users" on Federal lands.
State hunting season in Aug. 1 - Dec. 31 on State and Federal lands if the federal lands aren't closed to your user group.
Federal lands are closed for all but "qualified subsistence users" Aug. 1 - Aug.15.

So non-res and non-small town Island folks get to hunt Tongass Aug, 16 to Dec, 31.

That means if your there August 16 you'll be there for the "opening weekend" for the Ketchikan folks. They will flood over on the ferry to hunt and flood back on the ferry with truck beds full of deer when headed home.


Federal subsistence regulations:

http://www.doi.gov/subsistence/regulation/wildlife/upload/Unit-2-Prince-of-Wales-Island-405-KB.pdf

[mtman]

Does anybody have any experience with bug suits or head nets. I'm sure the bugs are going to be extra bad this year. I would like to get something before I head up.