Anybody been on one? Me and a couple of friends are wanting to go next fall and I was wanting to hear what people had to say about their trip. We are looking at Ninilchik Charter, Alaska Coastal Marine and Homer Ocean Charters.

I haven't done the Kodiak trip but did a black bear trip with Ak coastal marine. First class outfit. I wouldn't do Homer ocean charters. Can't say anything about Ninilchik.

I have a good friend that has worked for Alaska Premier Sportfishing & Hunting for years since he retired as a firefighter in Fbnks. He wouldn't work for anybody but a first rate outfit. Another friend of mine took a trip with Ninilchik Charters last year when they ran a discounted rate after a cancelation. He had a great trip with them, came back with a couple of deer but didn't get a shot at a goat.

Steve
Not sure what you have against them, but in my many dealings with them when Rick and Ruark were working together I found them a very good outfit. I send/sent many folks to them and never had even the slightest hint of a complaint.

A good buddy that will be going with me this year has been with them several times and has nothing but the best things to say about them... And the Sourdough is a good boat for the trip.

They basically hunt Olga Bay and there are lots of boats working the bay. They will get people to where they should be able to be selective in picking their deer, weather willing.

AK Coastal Marine is run by a serious maniac and I say that in only the best way... he will go anywhere and do anything for a charter and runs a more expensive trip, on average. He may expect more of his clients, but earn the extra based on where he gets them... Generally a more hard-core trip...

Ninilchik would be my third choice based on length of time hunting the area... but they may have changed Captains and their guy may have a ton more experience... you never know... but that would be the FIRST question I would ask IN WRITING.
art

Are they running in Uyak?

Which one? I can ask about either but not sure off the top of my head as I have not had a chance to go.

Ninilchik... I know the other two well and have little for a point of reference on Ninilchik.

Quick check of their website answered my questions and I know who they are... I would not hesitate to use them if I was a first-timer and I realized I know some of their former deck-hands. And they do operate on the other side (Uyak Bay) as I suspected.

As always, a simple change of captains can immediately change everything... Find out EXACTLY who will be at the helm for your hunt and EXACTLY what his experience in the EXACT area is.

It is hard to expect a single guy to cover the entire season away from port/home/family and not all Captains are the same.

I believe we will have 6 of us to rent the whole boat. We are talking about coming up 2 days early just to knock around Kodiak. I'm guessing that these charters mainly hunt the southern end of the island.

We would be coming mid-November. Is it worth bringing a shotgun for ducks? Me personally, I would love to have a couple of Harlequins to be stuffed.

Art, when you say that there are other boats working the bay, do you mean local guys with their own private boats?

By all means, bring the shotgun! Annual seaduck limits for non-residents are very low, but harlequins make great wall furniture! You can also expect Barrow's goldeneye, three flavors of scoter, and oldsquaw. Do not bother to shoot the mallards as they will be eating nothing but salmon eggs... they put the "foul" in waterfowl!

You can also call foxes and shoot them, but keep a good look-out for bears when calling.

In years gone by there was better deer hunting on the north end of the Islands. Now there are far more charter boats working the end of the area. While not crowded by your eastern standards, it ain't like Alaska used to be.

The very good news for you is the fact we had a very mild winter by deer killing standards. That will lead to both more deer and bigger antlers due to the early start growing and entering spring in better condition.

You should be close to hunting the rut, but I prefer the third week to guarantee that.

The silver salmon run will be done by then, but you should be able to find some dolly varden on a fly rod right close to town.

I dont want to highjack the thread but are there any hunts on the cheap or a DIY arrangements?
All you really need is a water taxi service no? I dont think you need a guide for Blacktails.

Thanks

Nope no guide needed for blacktails. All you need is a way to get out to where you want to go.

And staying in a camp with deer meat hanging around is not all that bad... what have you got to lose?

I have done it every way possible many times for decades... Give me a boat-based hunt every time. Cost is not great and you do not need a guide. The listed options are just water taxis with a camp on their backs and offer a restful night's sleep in bear country.

By the time you look at the cost of flying in somewhere with a reasonable camp and say a raft and motor to get around in the boat-based hunt looks very economical.

The road system closes at the end of October, before the rut, with a limit of one. It is accessible and reasonably cheap, but it gets hunted pretty hard and the trespass fees for Native lands is real high... Again, boats look cheaper all the time.

Yes, that old rancher kept them at bay for many years, never lost in court. Once he passed on, well.....

Actually, he did lose at SCOTUS... and unbelievably so...

He was a fighter, that one. Cancer had him beat down by the time I knew him, I am drawing a blank on his name now, must be gettin' old...

Say you go with a boat based, does that fee include the back and forth each day to the hunting site?

Yes. They are transporters. You stay on the main boat and they ferry you back and forth to hunt. You hunt on your own with no "guide". You can sit on a rock on the beach or hump your butt up a hill....however you want to hunt is up to you.

Thanks for the responses also guys. Its nice to have a resource where you can actually communicate with guys who are there and know the operations.

I can recommend the experience heartily. I went in October and was able to fly fish for a couple of days.(which I suck at). I would like to do it again in November once trapping season has opened. I could care less about the rut but want some foxes and otters.

Burton...

A couple points... When the crew tells you to be on the beach you REALLY need to be on the beach at that time. There is a lot to a boat operation many folks would not imagine and ignoring those instructions can create all sorts of bad things which may have repercussions through the rest of the trip. If you are late once you will probably be instructed to be on the beach much earlier the next day. Trying to turn it into a game with some operations will get you chopped off at the socks... and you will have earned it.

There are a lot of operations that can turn very ugly in a heartbeat. When told to go, you go. Consequences can easily be a lot more than a little concern about wet feet.

I remember picking up Dennis the night he shot his deer and they got back to the beach much later than intended, but had to use a very difficult route up and down the mountain due to bad weather that kept me from picking them up outside of the little cove I dropped them in.

A lot of their tardiness was on me... But it was a safe enough spot. Often the weather dude gets the weather right but the timing way off. I think they often shade things toward the drawn out possibility and weather tends to arrive sooner than predicted.

Picking hunters up off the beach, especially with deer is tough enough in daylight with old hands at the surf game... Newbies in the dark in the surf can be a serious cluster. Make sure to follow every direction to the absolute Tee.

Realize that every weakness shown on your part is being weighed... Prove yourself to be performing poorly and all risks will be eliminated and you will not be dropped anywhere they would not drop a batch of Girl Scouts with elderly nuns as leaders. Those areas have been hunted very hard by November...

AMEN BROTHER!

Looking at doing the same hunt next Fall, would like something semi-guided with the options to shoot some ducks and maybe catch a fish or two.

Would like to keep it reasonably priced.

I caught a "fish or two" that trip and even caught a gull

IF you are still looking for a Semi Guided hunt take a look into Larsen Bay Lodge. Great food, reliable boat drop off and pick up. Good Safari Club member and donor. Well run operation. I took a quality Buck with them and would go back if they are still in business.

On the other end of the spectrum, don't go with Rohrer Bear camp. Been there, done that, no recommended.