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Island hunting
Posted by muskeg on Feb 27 2005
Any feedback on these or others I have yet to discover?
Prince of Wales Island (proper) is 2,000 sq miles. The other parts of unit #2 is another 1,300 sq miles. A large percent of the kill comes from the central, roaded, easly accessed part of POW. There are remote areas that are rarely hunted and even some areas were there have only been a few if any Bear tagged (since sealing has been required). To hunt these remote areas requires alot of logistics planning and more $'s that most nonresidents want to pay.
Is this a problem to find your own areas to hunt safely?
The Island waters are no place to practice your boating skills. Even very experienced local boaters find themselves in trouble from time to time. That is the main reason that a high % of the kill is from the road system. The easily accessed, low $ POW Island hunt is 'hunted'. The hunting pressure has steadly increased 10% to 20% a year since the mid 80's. Last seasons kill topped 400 for the first time. The largest % of that being in May.
Or should we strongly consider fly in boat based type hunt to avoid crowds?
You cannot fly much of a boat in a plane. Maybe a small Zodiak. A camp can only be pre-set up and have equipment there (in the field) by a Guide. You could rent equipment in Ketchikan including maybe a Zodiak type craft on a fly out drop-off type hunt. You then have very restricted mobility and will just be able to hunt the local drop area. This is possibly a good way to plan a hunt but will cost more $'s than the B&B, Lodge, Auto and small boat rental type hunts that are offered on the Island.
You might be talking about a large vessel used as base camp and flying to it from Ketchikan. I do not know of any of this type of hunt offered, but there could be.
Be sure to check references and maybe talk with the local USFS office (for permitting that IS required), ADF&G Biologist and F&W Trooper, as there are some non reputable (junk for equip) type action going on.
Even though the kill is climbing, and field encounters with other hunters is becoming common, POW can still be a good Black Bear hunt. All the Jumbos have not been taken. The block headed gene pool is there. The percentage of 21" & 20" B&C class Bears has dropped as the kill numbers have climbed.
For most non-resident self guided hunters POW Island is not an Alaskan wilderness type hunt. This upsets some hunters and some hunters have the best Bear hunt of thier life. POW Island has been heavily logged, that is the reason for all the roads. If it were not for that it would be like the most of the rest of Southern SE, remote and rarely hunted.
< http://www.muskegexcursions.com >
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