Cory Glauner: Alaska Unguided Vessel-Based Sitka Blacktail Deer Hunt Report

Alaska Unguided Vessel-Based Sitka Blacktail Deer Hunt

Last October I flew from Boise with a layover in Portland, then on to Anchorage, where Gary picked me up. We ran some errands, met up with everyone, and caught our flight to our outfitter. Got settled in, went to dinner at Henry’s, and it was good seeing everybody.

Day one on the water we loaded the boat — it was pretty much a yacht, amazing — and took off for a half day hunt. Everybody got seasick. Gary, Mason, and I hunted deer and saw ten or twelve at last light. I almost got a shot at a little buck but it didn’t work out. Coming out we came down a sketchy cliff and Mason took a fall partway down. The skiff picked us up and we headed back.

Next morning we took the skiff out to Seven Mile Beach. Gary, Mason, and I fought through terrible alders for miles and couldn’t see a thing. Kent and Zack climbed up and Kent killed a buck, which completed his North America 29. We climbed the mountain, thought we found a mountain goat, stalked it, and it turned out to be a rock — the goatiest looking rock ever.

Day four I stayed in to work. Everyone else went after goats and I think everyone except Patrick and Ryan got one. Mason and Gary shot theirs with bows but couldn’t recover them.

Day five was one of my favorite days in the field in a long time. We found foxes right off the bat and Zack and Kent immediately shot a black silver tip fox — beautiful and huge. Then we went and recovered Gary and Mason’s goats. Later Kent and Zack and I went duck hunting and limited out on Harlequins in less than an hour. We also caught a salmon shark. Last morning we had waffles, chicken, and fresh Tanners from the traps, then headed back to town.