SE Alaska DIY Boat Hunt Any Ideas?

[scudmaster]

Hey all, has anyone here done a SE Alaska Sitka Deer and Bear Hunt.  We are planning one for this season and would like any info about when, what areas might be more productive.  We are thinking late season (understanding that may limit the bear opportunity) so we can crab and fish while glassing from the boat, then use a dingy to set up a shore hunt.  That is one plan anyway.  Or alternating hunts and fishing, we really have no idea.  Anyone have info, experiences, resources your willing to share?


Thanks


Scudmaster

[Duckslayer89]

Getting onto the logging roads from the beach is a good way to hunt I've heard. Down around Ketchikan. Or just hunt the beaches in the morning they feed on the kelp.

[idaho guy]

I have done this hunt a few times. We would rent a lund fishing boat once we got up there and cruise the shoreline for bears. We rented a forest service cabin also. We found 3 people worked best. We did almost all of our spotting from the boat.  Once we spotted a bear we wanted we would go downwind and drop of one or two  for the stalk the others would take the boat back out a good distance and watch the stalk.The bears were not real spooky but If the bears could hear the boat at all the would usually take off. We did a ton of fishing,crabbing for dungeness etc too.  Timing for us was usually end of may first week of june. Never tried a deer hunt. The black bear hunt is an absolute blast. I took my dad up one year he got a nice one but I didn't even shoot a bear even though I had lots of opportunities.  I was having more fun doing everything else.  The water got really rough the last time I went and I was wishing we had a bigger boat! pucker factor was pretty high! Sounds like you would take a big boat and then access the bears/beach with a dingy? If you can do it that way I would definitely recommend it. If you go in that time frame you should see lots of bears eating grass on the beaches. I think anywhere in se Alaska would be productive we always saw a ton of bears         

[scudmaster]

Thanks Idaho Guy,  Sounds encouraging.  We will take a 26ft Cuddy and either sleep on board or rent a cabin, and access stalks by dingy. We will probably focus on Sitka so it will be a Fall trip.  But glad to hear the basic premiss is sound.  We are excited.

[j_h_nimrod]

If you are going after bear at all Sitka is not your best bet since brown bear is the only option there, black bear will be a long boat ride over some rough waters. Deer and bear on the beach are somewhat mutually exclusive, bear will be on the beaches and creeks while the fish are running and the deer will be most available on the beaches in Nov. and after snow falls. Your two best options would be out of Ketchikan and head north, Prince of Wales Is., or maybe Petersburg or some of the small communities. If you are stuck in Sitka because of boat availability I would say August or September and plan on some alpine hunting then fishing, crabbing, and shrimping. Sitka was turning into a zoo of beach hunters so expect to try to get as far from town as feasible.