My office mate is planning to join some Kodiak residents in late September for a black-tail deer hunt. The hunt is on a small island off the Western shore of Kodiak which doesn’t have any bear. Story is that the deer need thinning out, and are about the size of our NW Florida white-tails.

The island has an air strip. He plans to carry his 257 Roberts rifle, although one of the residents has some spare rifles. I’m not sure if his 257 Roberts has a scope.

Are these the "Sitka" deer?

Any guidance will be appreciated…

Thanks, Henry

I don't know which island off of Kodiak he is going to but yes, the deer there are Sitka blacktails.

Thanks M70Nut. He says it is “open grasslandsâ€, and it sounds to me like he will need a scope. Here in Florida we hunt deer from tree-stands and there is lots of underbrush, and he has killed a lot of deer with iron sights.

The 257 is more than enough rifle to put those blacktails down, hopefully his friend is right about the brown bears being absent on that island.

Sitkinak Island?

quote:

Originally posted by Moose-Hunter:
Sitkinak Island?

It's not west, but that's the only one with a landing strip and no bears. There's a cattle ranch there and he's correct on it being grassland.

Is that island BLM, Forest Service, state, or private?

quote:

Sitkinak Island?

I don’t know, and neither does my office mate. He tried to call his hosts yesterday, but got no response yet.

To me “open grasslands†implies a scope. If I’m not mistaken, this rifle of his is the one that has no scope because THREE gunsmiths have told him it is old, and the metal is too hard to drill and tap. It was his father’s gun, and he doesn’t want to screw it up.

quote:

Originally posted by D99:
Is that island BLM, Forest Service, state, or private?

Looks to me like its mostly state land with a little borough and Coast Guard near the landing strip.
http://www.dnr.state.ak.us/mlw/planning/easmtatlas/kodiak/indexmap.htm

Thanks, I had no idea that there wasn't an island in the Kodiak group that wasn't inhabited by monsters.

One of the gun rags had an article about hunting blacktails on Sitkinak Island a few years ago.
If you are lucky you may find something on the web about it.

Story goes there is only one outfitter there and you most likely will need his services for cabin and atv rentals. The article reported the deer were very well fed and huge bodied but the racks didnt seem impressive. Area is mostly grasses and rolling hills from what I remember reading.

If he practices to 200 yards there will be no need for a scope. It is pretty easy to get within 200 yards of Sitka Blacktails.