Caribou Hunting the Kodiak Tundra

The Ayakulik River Valley as seen from the mountain ridge to the northwest of Grant's Lagoon. There's caribou (and bears) out there somewhere!

From the air, large parts of Kodiak Island, Alaska appear to be fairly tame for backpack hunting in the wilderness. Looks, however, are dangerously deceiving. Last weekend, in pursuit of caribou, black-tail deer, and mountain goats, my hunting partner Steve Neff and I slogged 17 miles through huge mucky swamps, giant log jams, low willow tangles, dense alder thickets, steep mountains and rushing creeks and rivers. If there was an easy step in the Ayakulik River Valley or the mountain ridges above Grant’s Lagoon and Halibut Bay we didn’t find it. As every outdoorsman on Kodiak soon learns, everything is further, higher, deeper, wetter, and more treacherous than you would think at first glance. Also, to further solidify that sentiment and test our physical limits, we were each packing 40 to 75 pounds (depending on the day) and it was raining half the time we were on the move. Between the sweat, water underfoot and rain overhead, being wet was a constant even in quality rain gear. Pack hunting Kodiak is one of the most grueling yet satisfying challenges a hunting adventurer can undertake.

Kodiak, AK Resident and fellow hunter Steve Neff. In the town of Kodiak, AK, at Trident Basin bush plane dock, preparing to board the float plane and head in country.

Our first day started with an 85 mile bush plane ride from the town of Kodiak to Grant’s Lagoon on the extreme southwest side of the island. We disembarked from the plane at an old camp where a frame for a wall tent stood that had provided hunters shelter during years past. This would serve as our base of operations. At this location we quickly shuffled equipment and clothes, caching everything we wouldn’t need at our planned spike camp two miles up the valley. As soon as we had lightened our loads to about 40 pounds each, we loaded up, grabbed the guns, and headed out. Just off the beach we encountered our first log jam and bog while heading up the river. Trying to cross such an obstacle under a heavy load without breaking an ankle or leg is no small feat. These first two miles revealed the value of quality, heavy-duty waterproof gaiters in the Alaskan outback. If you are not tearing through low willow tangles or alders then you are slogging through knee-deep swamps and log-jams. Without gaiters your boots cannot stay tied or even remotely dry. And your gortex hunting pants, from the knees down, will be ruined after one trip.

Spike camp in the shadow of the southern ridge 2 miles up the river valley, Kodiak Island, AK.

Our spike camp was located two miles up the valley in the shadow of a mountain ridge. On the way up we immediately began spotting black-tail deer. Most were does but a few 3x3’s were popping up. Our plan was to hunt deer second to the caribou. The idea was to sleep that night and start glassing for caribou the next morning. We set out the next morning at daylight, packs on our backs, heading south up the valley toward Anvil Lake. Glassing at each resting point along the way, after a 4 mile search we finally found caribou grazing in a mud flat in the shadow of a mountain ridge 400 yards out. We immediately went to our bellies. Crawling along a low hump we wanted to close the distance to 200 yards so that Steve could take a high percentage shot well within the lethal range of the Squaw Mountain custom .308, Model 700 Remington rifle. As we belly crawled through the spruce bush-covered side of the gently sloping ridge overlooking the mudflat we stopped and ranged the perimeter bulls about every 50 yards. At the very edge of the mudflat and the end of our crawling cover the range finder dialed in a good perimeter bull at 198 yards. This was the one. Steve extended the bipod on the Model 700, took aim, and fired. The Hornady 165 grain Spire Point bullet covered the distance in an instant impacting the caribou at the exact aiming point and sending the bull down in his tracks. Pinpoint accuracy was extremely important because on either side of the animal there was a mud wallow and a river that would have made for a cleaning nightmare if a lesser shot would have been made and the animal would have made it to the water.

The Prize! After a 4 mile hike, 200 yard belly crawl, and 200 yard shot, success in the Kodiak tundra!

The cleaning process began immediately. Also, having just ringed the dinner bell, the bear watch duty also began. As each of us bent over cleaning our respective side of the caribou, every few minutes we would stand up, stretch our backs, and scan for approaching bears. After approximately 1½ hours the carcass was completely cleaned, the meat was deboned, bagged, and in our packs. The 4 mile trek back to the spike camp was about to begin; only the return trip included 65 pound packs! We made camp just before dark. We were wet and exhausted. We cached the meat about 100 yards from the tent, boiled water for our freeze-dried dinner, ate, and climbed into our sleeping bags. Never has there been had such a sound sleep on the Alaskan tundra!

To the shooter goes the extra pack weight of the skull and antlers! With 70-75 pounds of meat & equipment in our packs, we headed back for Grant's Lagoon 6 miles down the valley.

The successful culmination of the first leg of our hunting adventure on Kodiak Island was extremely gratifying. We had endured tremendous discomforts and hardships out in the elements while earning this outdoor trophy. However, not once did we perceive it in that manner. Rather, we viewed it a privilege and right of passage to the next step in our conquest. If it is not hard to do then everyone would be doing it. So says the One-Eyed Hillbilly.

Greg Stephens is a 35-year veteran & life-time student of the great outdoors. His column appears weekly in print & online publications. You can email him at gregstephens@one-eyedhillbilly.com. For more columns go to www.one-eyedhillbilly.blogspot.com.