After not drawing Prince of Wales black bear permits for my daughter and I, we decided to hunt Kodiak for Sitka black-tail deer this year.

I've been told there has been mild winters the last five years and the deer are doing well. I would just like to hear from people on here if indeed that is true and any hunting stories or info about deer on Kodiak island.

Deer are there for sure. Grass conditions can dictate how many your going to see. So can weather, previous hunting pressure, your talent with binoculars. But for a target rich environment it's tough to beat!

We will be going during the week of Thanksgiving.

Last fall was warm and grass was tall. A couple inches of wet snow can change all that. I've seen it below zero on thanksgiving and 55 degrees on thanksgiving. But that is a great time for deer. Daylight is short so tent time is high, bring some books or something! A tent heater is a must.

The deer population has been high but this winter looks like it has the potential to stress the population so make sure you check with F&G later this spring

thank you guys for the info. I do plan on checking with F&G later.

Do Blacktail eat grass in Alaska? Most deer are Browsers, and only nibble on grass when things get tough.

They eat a lot of stuff off the ground, ferns,grass etc. seen where they eat elderberry bushes in tough winters as well as kelp and sea grass washed up on the beach. Never seen one browse.