Sitka Blacktail Deer Hunting
Sitka Blacktail Deer offer a unique hunting experience and Prince of Wales Island is the best place to get your trophy. The island has a very healthy population of deer and the state of Alaska allows for a long season which starts
mid August and goes through the end of the year, but the best time to hunt is in October and early November. The perfect place to get your Sitka Blacktail for your Grand Slam for deer or your Super Slam for North American big game.
The season opens August 15th but deer hunting is tough early in the season because the deer are all up on the "alpine" meadows above timberline. Later in the year as the weather cools and upper elevations get snow the deer push down off the mountains. That transitions starts in late September. The rut happens in late October and early November. The rut is the peak time for deer activity and they are concentrated in the lower elevations where they are more accessible. That is the best time to get your trophy.
The harvest limit is 4 bucks per person, one buck per tag. The most common way to hunt deer on the island is the "spot and stalk" method. Sitka Blacktail deer also respond well to fawn distress or predator calls. Later in the fall as the rut approaches the buck come into calls more easily. Hunting for Sitka Blacktail deer is a unique experience and there isn't a milder tasting deer on earth.
Hunting on Prince of Wales is a lot different than hunting in other parts of the US. The forest is thick on the island and the clear cuts aren't clear at all.
You may see a deer in a clear cut but it would be tough stalking them because you would be walking through a maze of logs and debris. The best areas to stalk deer are in the muskeg meadows where the terrain opens up a little and the foliage isn't quite as thick. As you can see in the picture above the deer are difficult to see in the thick forest. The rack on the buck makes him a little easier to locate. He is in the upper left of the picture. There is also a doe in the lower right looking over the log. Patience and good optics will help you locate deer in the thick forest.
Mature bucks range about 125-135 pounds dressed.
New Lodge Record: Lisa and her 2009 buck
Nonresident: Hunting License $85, over the counter Sitka Blacktail Tag $150. You must pay by cash or check when you purchase your license and tag on the island. You can also purchase your license and tag online at:
www.admin.adfg.state.ak.us/buyonline
Packages include: A Private suite which sleeps 4 adults and has a private kitchen and bathroom. Each package comes with a Crewcab Pickup to use during your stay to explore the island.