Posted for Bill. Rifle was a custom 257 Ackley Improved. I believe that 'bou went right to sleep.

Bill how did you manage to get such good weather for your photos? What's your secret?

Thanks to Bryan for Posting for me.. Maybe I'll figure out Photobucket soon. Just darn lucky on the weather Bryan. There were some days when it wasn't so kind. The nice snow capped mountain you see is Great Sitkin Island, as viewd across Kuluk Bay. As for that shot, I just had that rifle finished earlier this year and ran about 300 rounds through it in fire-forming, load development, and sighting. I had better have no excuses to not shoot it well. Again, thanks Bryan.

Bill

Well if you bring that kind of weather luck with you Bill then I will have to fit you into my baggage in the future. Some people might look at these photos and think "what's the big deal?" Believe me when I say that is BEAUTIFUL weather for that area...and many other places in Alaska at that time of year. Glad I could help and thanks for the photos.

I hunted there in 2006. Rented a truck and camped out in a bunker.

Forget that. Spend the money for the transporter to get you around away from the trails on the north end of the island.

Jeez, at $250/night for lodging and a truck rental, you'll easy pay for the boat ride. But the weather will suck - just plan on that.

My real advice would be to go somewhere else - was in Kotz this fall and thought that superior.

JV,
There was another party of 8 hunters that flew in with us, and they caught a ride to Scabbard Bay with a Longliner boat. Their hunting wasn't all that hot either, and they were away from the "crowds". Keep in mind, the transporters can run you to the other side of the island when the weather is nicer. In the summer. When the bulls are in velvet. I watched a hunting video of some guys doing just that. A young fella shot a nice bull in velvet, and it plummeted down the mountainside about 500 yards and the rack was destroyed. I think they were over on Razorback. We had a party of 4, so the costs were shared except for airline tickets. I probably won't get there again, but I wouldn't mind it. Bottom line? We had alot of fun. Maybe that caribou bull is a dink, but he's my first, and maybe only caribou. Guess that's just hunting.

When I was there we caught up to a couple of guys that had got the boat ride to Scabbard bay too. They had a couple decent bulls, but it did sound like a tough hunt for them even at that.

Hopefully you didn't interpret my post to disparage your caribou - I have a "dink" on my wall that I really like. Like you say, it was fun.

Problem with hiking in off the trails is that there seem to be plenty of 4 wheelers out there and they can go a lot farther a lot easier than a guy on foot can. At least that was my experience.

There are some hunts where the trophy is primarily the experience and area. I am starting to appreciate these hunts more and more. Of course, Adak has some huge bulls and that is why hunters go but it's such a different place. I would really like to see it someday.

JV, no offense taken..:-)I think if I ever did that hunt again, I'd probably go in late October or November. The rut is underway and the animals would be alot closer to the "base" side of the island. There would still be some hiking to do, but I think the chances of getting the big guy would be alot better. It was a unique experience. Probably the most fun I had was watching one of my hunting partners catch salmon in that small stream flowing into Finger Bay. God was he having some fun!!

quote:

Originally posted by JVinAK:
When I was there we caught up to a couple of guys that had got the boat ride to Scabbard bay too. They had a couple decent bulls, but it did sound like a tough hunt for them even at that.

Hopefully you didn't interpret my post to disparage your caribou - I have a "dink" on my wall that I really like. Like you say, it was fun.

Problem with hiking in off the trails is that there seem to be plenty of 4 wheelers out there and they can go a lot farther a lot easier than a guy on foot can. At least that was my experience.

I hope you get out there someday Yukon. You'll enjoy it, there's alot of history to that place. There is a book you might try to obtain, titled "Adak, the Rescue of Alpha Foxtrot 586" by Andrew Lampoler. That would give you an idea of the flying we did in P-3's during the Cold War. It's pretty dramatic and better reading than any sea story I could tell you.

quote:

Originally posted by yukon delta:
There are some hunts where the trophy is primarily the experience and area. I am starting to appreciate these hunts more and more. Of course, Adak has some huge bulls and that is why hunters go but it's such a different place. I would really like to see it someday.

My buddy went in November 2006. They said they were on a decent herd up by Mt. Moffett that had moved up with the late season. Mostly cows and small bulls he said though.

He stayed in town. At that late date, I'd think you'd have to.

If I ever spend the airline miles and $$, I'll go in September and get a boat to drop me off on the other side of the island.

Unlikely I'll do it again though.

Also, I don't think I've ever seen salmon so thick as I did there. It was just plain ridiculous, even to an Alaskan.

I'm all about ridiculous fishing and interesting locations. Sign me up.

Al Geddings, who is running a charter boat out of Adak now, told me that there were a couple of 100# halibut caught off the pier in Adak this year. If you go out to maybe 100' of water you can catch much bigger ones. When we were there this year the salmon runs were over, but I fished there in the dim past when the salmon were running. JV is right, It is ridiculous. I was tired of salmon, and to this day will only eat smoked salmon with a cold brew.

I didn't say anything about eating salmon...just catching them. I think they are not in the same ballpark as halibut or cod or rockfish. I am one of the few Alaskans that doesn't like to eat salmon and my wife is the other one.

Here is my best halibut and silver on the same day...130# and 16#. That was a good day.

I'll try to post some pic's from my Adak experience . . . .

First off, the salmon stream. Granted they're pinks, but still. Too much glare on the surface to see all of them, but you get the idea.





Home sweet home. . . definitely the nicest bunker we found to set up our tent in. Problem was that it is actually owned by someone. Thankfully they didn't care that we used it.



Now, scenery and wildlife . . . don't let the few minutes of seemingly good weather in these fool you.

Nice photos. I like those seals. How did both of you rate that kind of weather even for a few minutes? It has to happen to someone I guess.

I thought the "dalmation seal" was the coolest one.

We paid for those few minutes, believe me.

You too had a few good "Kodak Moments". That really is a beautiful place when the clouds lift. I believe that was Skagak Bay in the one photo? From Husky Pass I believe.
If the weather and seas are agreeable, you can catch a boat out and hook up some pretty good size feeder Kings as well. They hang out around Finger Bay. I rate the weather and scenery great when the clouds lift and the wind drops off. Unfortunately, Adaks location really generates some nasty weather, with the Japan Stream bringing up warm, moist tropical air, and cold fronts coming down from the Bering Sea and Arctic regions. The fall and winter months are definitely the worst.
Two of the guys in our party actually arrived in Alaska the week before we were going hunting so they could fish out of Homer. Even at that time in mid September they couldn't get out for halibut because of the seas. They just did some river fishing for kings and silvers.

Just hunted Adak back in nov for the second time this year i'm lucky as a hitch a ride military we still have some housing to stay in and access to transportation while there my son and I took 3 animals only one good bull, anyone who is thinking about doing this hunt late best come prepaired cold weather stuff the wind chill is a factor.

BCPBill, JVinAK, Beautiful weather for hunting, not often like that. THe bunker looks like one of the old ammo bunkers. There are also many "cabins" around the Navfac area that should still be habitable. Were you able to see any of the SAR barrels that used to be scattered about the island? Also used to be several hunting cabins available (Slaughter alley, enterance to Caribou peninsula, Yakak peninsula, and Chapel cove) perhaps these are no more. I hunted in the Tear Drop lake area, over Gannet pass. I am surpised that ATV's are allowed as well as trucks. The damage to the tundra must be beyond belief. Ruts from WWII were still clearly visable in the 90's. We were not allowed to go off road with any vechicle. Hopefully those who are now caring for Adak will keep it as it used to be. When the Kulak Clipper was running 200+ pound Halibut were common, what was uncommon was clear enough weather and calm seas to go fishing.

Ron

Ron,
Yes, there are alot of SAR barrels still around. The one at the head of Lake Batty, one up by Lake Suzy above Thumb Bay, and the one over Gannet Pass were the ones we saw. There are more around the island. We primarily hunted Hikers Pass, Husky Pass, Gannett Pass and the drainage above Thumb Bay. We checked out the SAR barrels and the sonobuoy tubes are still stocked with MRE's and SPAM. The only place we saw any ATV traffic was the trail going up to Bonnie Rose and beyond to Husky Pass. And it was a mess. We did not go over to the NAVFAC area as there were no animals there yet. We drove up to the old White Alice site and did some glassing, and drove around the Seismic sensor area. Most of the animals were still on the Refuge side during our stay.
Most of the cabins have been torn down as they were in a sorry state and infested with rats. Those cabins had been there a long time, as I have some slides of my oldest brothers time there in 1961. He had recalled eating chocolates from C-rats cached in the cabins. I take it you were stationed there at one time? Call me crazy, but I'd like to get into some of that Halibut fishing sometime.

Bill

Yes I was stationed there in 89 to 91. Most thought it was horrible duty I loved it, all the hunting and fishing that one could ask for. Was even able to go home for lunch everyday.. I would enjoy returning but seems quite expensive. I guess that Reeves Aleutian Airways no longer flys. The SAR barrels were a know shelter if things got bad. Never did see any Caribou around Navfac, every so often up on White Alice. Largest herds were over on Caribou Peninsula. Only thing I never could get right was how to cook Ptarmigan, loved grouse, but Ptarmigan was just plan horrid. Beer Batter Halibut was always the lunch special at the Tundra Tavern (I worked in the Bering Building) My son was born on Adak and is now 18 would love to show him the his birth island. I do miss the Dolly Varden, easy to catch in season and very tasty. Had to keep them covered, the eagles would swoop down and pick them up if left laying about.

Ron

Ron

Ron,
Yes, Reeves Aleutian is now a footnote to Alaska avaition history. Alaska Airlines flies there twice a week on Sundays and Thursdays. As I noted in a previous post, I was a P-3 interloper to Adak. But my oldest brother was stationed there in 1961 and I still have some of his slides.
Most of the old cabins have been torn down around the island, I think there may be a couple left, but I think they're pretty ratty from what folks there have told me. The SAR barrels are still there. The sonobuoy tubes still have MRE's and cans of SPAM, blankets, etc.
If you want some info on getting there, just PM me and I'll send it to you. I have all the phone numbers to the Aleutian Corporation and the people you'll need to talk to at Adak. I think you'd have some fun there with your son. I had a great time. There's a fellow there that has a charter boat that would gladly take you halibut fishing.