Just got back from a week in SE Alaska. One of my best friends lives in Ketchikan and I try and make it up every few years. He suggested that we try and time out the blacktail rut this year and we nailed it. (Also got a couple killer sea duck hunts in, I'll post in the waterfowl section later). After loading the boat and making a 45 mile run we dropped off gear at our cabin, set crab and shrimp pots and got to hunting. Most of our hunting was off logging roads. Walk, find fresh rubs, and call. Literally 25 yards into one road we called out what ended up being the biggest deer of the week. He popped out to the call at 75 yards. Once we had him down we noticed his lower jaw was broken from fighting. It was gnarly looking. He wouldn't have made the winter.
A few days later I spotted a doe being trailed by a nice fork horn on the low tide rocks. I got dropped off and did a long stalk on him. Ended up getting a good clear shot at 250 yards and made it count. I dropped him in his tracks. It was nice to pull the boat right up to him for the load out. He ended being a HUGE bodies deer.

Besides being wet from sun up to sundown, hunting blacktails is a great time. My buddy shot a moose a few weeks ago so we were living off of fresh crab and moose steaks and burgers for the week. Snuck up on a couple cananda geese one day with the shotguns so we had day fresh, bacon wrapped goose breast one night.

I love Ketchikan. I would love to live there before I'm to old to enjoy it. Still trying to talk my wife into it...... Until then, I will have to settle for trips when I can.

After bringing this much deer and crab meat home, I'll probably just sit out the Texas season. I cant believe how good blacktail tastes. I was skeptical until I tried it.



John

Sounds like an awesome trip congrats

SEAK is awesome.