Adventures - Hunting
- Skippered Bare Boat -
Welcome aboard our finest yachts-The 60 ft VIQUEEN in SE Alaska and 60 ft SOUND CHOICE in PWS. These trips depart from preplanned destinations. As we explore this great state minimum 3 day 2 night as a skippered bare boat we can keep our costs low. Guest help by splitting fuel cost and own supplies-i.e. clothes, food, drink, etc. and we provide a vessel based shelter and transportation services which one will remember for a lifetime. Relax and leave the driving to us. As a USCG Captain and a AK big game transporter we can get you where you need to be. We also, provide skiffs, outboards, radios (VHF), all USG safety gear. These trips run May 1 through Late June and then again for the fall season.
- What is Required by You -
Food , fuel, and applicable licenses and permits when necessary is provided by customers along with knowledge of the State of Alaska's regulations.
Soft bags less than 40 pounds work the best with our boats. Your hunting attire should include a warm jacket and socks, water proof boots, good rain gear, etc. Layered shirts and sweaters (like wool) also work well. We recommend no smaller than a .30 caliber gun (belted magnum) or a similar weapon of your choice. You should be proficient with your weapon for the accuracy you intend to shoot at. Remember, we are in the heart of the Chugach and Tongass National Forest and average 146" of rain per year
- Know Your Game - Sitka Black-Tailed Deer -
The Sitka black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus sitkensis) is native to the wet coastal rain forests of Southeast Alaska and north-coastal British Columbia. Its range has been expanded by transplants, and established populations now also exist near Yakutat, in Prince William Sound. It is smaller, stockier, and has a shorter face than other members of the black- tailed group. The average October live weight of an adult Sitka deer is about 80 pounds for does and 120 pounds for bucks, although dressed-weight bucks of over 200 pounds have been reported. Their summer coat of reddish-brown turns to a dark brownish-gray in winter. Sitka deer antlers are dark brown with typical black-tailed branching. Their antlers are relatively small, with very few scoring more than 110 points by the Boone and Crockett system. Throughout much of the range of Sitka black-tailed deer, normal hunting pressure has little influence on deer numbers.
Bag limits vary from complete closures to six deer of either sex, depending on populations. The largest portion of the Sitka deer harvest is taken in November during the rut when both sexes respond to a call resembling the bleat of a fawn. During late November and December, heavy snow sometimes concentrates Sitka deer at low elevations allowing high harvest levels when local weather conditions are favorable. More information can be found here at the State of Alaska website.
- Know Your Game - Black Bear -
The Black Bear (Ursus americanus) are the most abundant and widely distributed of the three species of North American bears. In Alaska, black bears occur over most of the forested areas of the state. They are the smallest of the North American bears. Adult bears stand about 29 inches (.73 m) at the shoulders and measure about 60 inches (1.5 m) from nose to tail. The tail is about two inches long. Males are larger than females. An average adult male in spring weighs about 180-200 pounds (81.8 to 90.9 kg). They are considerably lighter when they emerge from winter dormancy and may be 20 percent heavier in the fall when they are fat.
Three colors are common in Alaska. Black is the most often encountered color, but brown or cinnamon bears are often seen in Southcentral Alaska and the Southeast mainland. The rare blue (glacier) phase may be seen in the Yakutat area and has been reported in other parts of Southeast Alaska. It is not uncommon to see 10-20 black bears in an afternoon of hunting. We usually like to depend on the low tides to draw the bears further out on the beach and hunt mostly from noon until dusk. More information can be found here at the State of Alaska website.
Please let us know how we can create your greatwater adventure. We are NOT big game guides-although guided hunts can be arranged in advance. 15-20% gratuity not included but greatly accepted.
