Question on Southeast Alaska Bear Hunting

I've watched Randy's episodes on black bear hunting around Kuiu Island. A question comes to mind that I just can't answer. For those of you who have done it, ow difficult is it to learn to navigate the water where the hunting is good? I'd love to do a self guided hunt up there, and have the knowledge to do well on land, but I've never been on large water and am not familiar with accounting for tides, currents, etc. Just wondering if it something that can be done if I'm careful, or if I need to try for a guided hunt, or something else.

Thanks!

I take it for granted, having grown up on the water in Northern Minnesota and having spent a high school summer commercial fishing for halibut in those waters. I would make sure you know what you are doing. Things change and they change fast. It is not the kind of place were if things go south you can call 911 or just swim to shore.

It might be that you go guided the first time. Or maybe you go on a fishing trip to see how the tides work, how you use navigation tools to handle the changing conditions. Having some experience about how to maneuver a boat in rough water surely helps. Things as simple as what level to plane out at when it is rough and how to reach that level of plane when you don't have auto tilt/trim or if something breaks. Having a handheld navigation device is very helpful.

I would encourage everyone to go and do one of these hunts, but with the new interpretation of the Alaska transporter laws, the skiff rental part carries risk. That law state a transporter cannot deliver a skiff to you while in the field. You must rent that skiff from the base operations of the transporter, meaning you will be renting it from a city-based location and driving it to your hunting spot. In the places I hunt, those are long boat rides across water that might range from glass calm to ugly as witch's brew.

F.V. Frances Kay, Chatham Straits, 1978

In 2002 I flew out to Juneau, went to the marina and found a person that would rent me a boat. If I remember correctly it was around 17' long, had what they called an Alaskan hull. Armed with a map, a gun, a fishing pole, a few days worth of food and a tent I set out across the bay to an island. Up to this point the biggest boat I had ever operated was a canoe on the Currant river in Missouri. I was able to cross with no problems and two hours after making camp I killed my first black bear. I spent the next two days fishing for Dolly's at the outlet of a small creek during low tide. Could not keep them off the hook. Then went back across the bay, got the bear taken care of at the F&G office, made my way back to the airport and flew home to Wyoming. So to answer your question, yes it can be done. However, I don't think I would ever go that unprepared again. Ignorance is bliss and I was ignorant of how bad the weather or the sea could have gotten and how quickly. I think the navigation portion would be relatively easy with as common as GPS is today. As long as the weather is good, running a boat seems fairly straightforward, but if it goes bad it will get western in a hurry.

It was an adventure and is fun to look back on it. By asking this question you have already done more homework than I did. Listen to Randy's advice as times have changed. If you do your homework, I don't see any reason you cant have a fun hunt going DIY. Good luck either way.

Been there done that and yes made some stupid mistakes along the way. My first year we had some nasty weather roll in on a diy hunt. Coming out of the bay beginning our 10 mile run everything was okay just choppy water. Once around the point to the main channel a whole different world. We made a bad decision at that point and decided to go to our original spot and met 6-8 ft waves in an 18 ft skiff. Not good! We finally got turned without sinking the boat and made it. Back to safe waters. Another crew was not so lucky that day they spent a cold night ashore waiting on coast guard boats. Lesson learned and also the tide ranges are crazy up there which means rocks come from nowhere. I think it can be done safely if a guy doesn't make foolish decisions as we did that one day. It is a great experience and a great place to visit. We have always done good. The area is a draw now and I think the deadline is passed.

Guys, thanks so much for the information. I think that Randy got a guy in a big boat to tow his skiff to where he needed to go and back, with Randy aboard the big boat. I would likely explore that option. My intention would be to go in 2019 or thereabouts. I've got to put in for drawing, get a few guys together, and do a lot more research. For some reason though I just really want to do this hunt. I'm from the high plains of Texas so we don't get much chance to be on small water, much less big water. Thanks again for the helpful responses.

ParrotHead85 said:

Guys, thanks so much for the information. I think that Randy got a guy in a big boat to tow his skiff to where he needed to go and back, with Randy aboard the big boat. I would likely explore that option. My intention would be to go in 2019 or thereabouts. I've got to put in for drawing, get a few guys together, and do a lot more research. For some reason though I just really want to do this hunt. I'm from the high plains of Texas so we don't get much chance to be on small water, much less big water. Thanks again for the helpful responses.

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The guy who towed me in a big boat was my Uncle and college roommate. When I told him my plan to cross that stretch of water in a skiff, he kindly decided he would come down from Haines in his sailboat "to spend a few days with me." When we got across that mess, he looked at me and admitted he was as much worried about my lack of discretion as he was interested in visiting with me for a few days. The odds of finding some person with a boat to do that is pretty slim.

Yeah tough to find now with the guide laws in place. Our guy was before the new laws and draw went into effect. Don't overlook the fall bear hunts up there on salmon streams. You will see more bear but probably not the bigger boars as much and it can be done out of many forest service cabins without boat rentals. Also killer fishing I have not personally done the fall I like the spring. But my buddy prefers the fall for fishing and possible deer on POW. Good luck.

My dad and I applied last year (didn't draw) and again this year for black bear on POW. If we draw for spring of 2018, the plan is to stay in one of the lodges on the island and rent a boat. There are a few that will provide transportation from Petersburg to the lodge and then rent you a boat and all the gear for fishing and then allow you to use the boat for hunting as well. I'll still need to do a lot more research on how it all works if we ever draw the tags.

Randy, thanks for the additional information. Well, I'm going to do this hunt, but I know I have a lot of research yet to do. I'll get it done safe and smart. You can't expect to see a video and all of a sudden have all the knowledge you need to do a hunt like this. It's going to take some work I know. Thanks for the dedication to public land hunting promotion though. I've learned a lot about access to land that I never knew existed, these islands being only one example.

Don't think that you have to hunt from a boat either. I know as much about boats as I do women, so decided to do a land based hunt when I went up there. It was a blast. After watching those tide swings, I'm glad I didn't mess with a boat.

Not to make things weird randy I believe I met you in the ferry to the airport you had your bear with you. How's it going. Haha

Randy11 said:

Don't think that you have to hunt from a boat either. I know as much about boats as I do women, so decided to do a land based hunt when I went up there. It was a blast. After watching those tide swings, I'm glad I didn't mess with a boat.

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Edit: All the game on pow disappeared might as well stay on Rev island! (Being completely sarcastic!)