Hunting Kodiak Island: A Test of Endurance and Determination
Kodiak Island isn’t for the faint of heart. I’ve hunted in many challenging locations—from Tamaulipas, Mexico, to the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia—but this was by far the toughest hunt I’ve ever experienced.
On the first morning of our 14-day expedition, we set off in pursuit of a mountain goat. The climb was grueling—over 2,000 feet of elevation gain in just a little over a mile. After a difficult ascent, I successfully harvested an incredible mountain goat, landing the final shot at 550 yards despite a fierce 30 MPH crosswind. If the climb was tough, the descent proved even more treacherous. We started before daylight and didn’t return until well past dark. That evening, I was so exhausted I could barely eat.
After resting for a day and a half—partially due to soreness and partially because of the weather—we turned our focus to brown bear hunting. We hunted hard and, on day six, successfully harvested a Sitka black-tailed buck. Over the next several days, we scouted multiple locations but saw little boar activity, only a few sows with cubs.
On day 11, as a last-ditch effort, we decided to spike out at a remote camp that Jared and another guide had set up 5.5 miles from the main camp. The next morning, we woke to noticeably colder temperatures and hiked to a spotting hill, hoping to locate a mature boar. Although Kodiak Island is said to have a bear for every square mile, they are surprisingly difficult to find.
After a few hours of glassing, my exceptional guide, Clay Roberts, spotted a boar across the valley. It was heading toward some pools of water, possibly searching for any remaining salmon. We closed the distance from over 500 yards to 250 yards, where I was able to land three well-placed shots with my .300 PRC, successfully harvesting a magnificent 9-foot brown bear.
If you ever get the chance to hunt brown bear on Kodiak Island, take it—but be prepared for breathtaking views, grueling climbs, and the adventure of a lifetime.
