Episode 501: Alaska Deer and Salmon

Location: Prince of Wales Island, Tongass National Forest, near Thorne Bay, Alaska. I flew to Ketchikan via Seattle and took a ferry from Ketchikan (after my floatplane flight was cancelled) to Hollis, where my friend picked me up for the ride to Thorne Bay. Ketchikan is an easy non-stop flight from Seattle.

Access: Prince of Wales Island sits in the heart of the 17-million-acre Tongass National Forest and its publicly accessible lands and waters. Hunting and fishing is accessed by logging roads, boats and foot. The options are seemingly endless. Learn more about the Tongass National Forest. You’ll find all sorts of information about maps, cabins to rent, the visitor center, Thorne Bay Ranger Station and much more.

Best time to go: The Tongass is a genuine rainforest, and areas of it receive upwards of 200 inches of rain per year. That’s more than 16 feet of rain! Deer season runs from mid-August until December, but if you want to hunt them in the alpine zone, like I did, plan on being there between Aug. 15 and Sept. 15. Check with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game for details on dates, license fees and limits. If it’s salmon you’re after, the August-September dates work, as well. You’ll find mostly pinks and silvers, with a smattering of reds and chums in the rivers and lakes as well as some Dolly Vardens and rainbows. Add to these an abundance of wild berries, and you have a cornucopia of wild delights.

License availability: Licenses are easily obtained over the counter in Ketchikan or Thorne Bay. The basic non-resident hunting license is $85, with deer tags costing $150 each, and you can buy upwards of four or five if you so choose. Non-resident fishing licenses start at approximately $30 depending on how many days you plan to fish. For details click the Alaska Department of Fish and Game link above.

Recommended equipment: First and foremost, bring the best rain gear you can afford. I brought two sets! Good boots are a must. I used my 30.06, but any deer rifle should work fine. Note: No brown bears live on Prince of Wales, so added insurance in the form of big-caliber magnum rifles is unnecessary. For the salmon fishing, an eight- or nine-weight fly rod is best, along with an assortment of streamers. I used the good old standby, egg-sucking leech, most of the time. If you’re going to use a spinning outfit, bring a medium-action rod with 10-15-pound test and a box of “pixies.” That’s all you’ll need, because these fish aren’t fussy.

Costs: After subtracting airfare and license fees, this proved to be an inexpensive trip, because I stayed with my friend Jim Baichtal, with whom I trade elk and deer hunts with back in my home state of Montana. But if you’re not as fortunate as I am to have a friend on Prince of Wales you can go one of two ways: a guided hunt or do-it-yourself hunt. One reasonable option to consider is offered by Thorne Bay Lodge. They offer a package deal for those who want do a self-guided hunt or hunting and fishing combination. It includes two bedrooms with two beds each, a pickup truck with unlimited mileage, use of kitchen and utensils and a place to process and freeze your meat and fish all for a total of $3,400 per week … that’s $850 per person.

Tips and commentary: Alaska is simply a fabulous place for hunters and anglers, but the weather on Prince of Wales can test your grit. If you don’t like wet, stay away, but if you don’t mind hunting and fishing in the rain and feel you’re one of the lucky few who will get to see blue skies, this is a destination for you. I love Prince of Wales, its bears, salmon, deer, trout and wild country and I believe you will, too. You can do this trip on your own or with friends and family pretty darn inexpensively. Don’t wait; go give it a try.

Special thanks go to:
Jim and Karen Baichtal
Winchester Ammunition
Simms
Swarovski Optik
Tikka