black tail die-off in Alaska

[alaska2go]

These are the "good 'ol days" for bears up here!

ya got that right !! lots of bears.

[dihardhunter]

For the Sitka BTs, does the report say 50% lower this year than the #'s reported at the same time last year, or are these last year's #s finally making it to a formal document/report?

[AKaviator]

The numbers were estimated from the entire over-winter die off. I don't know how much snow Kodiak got last winter but Anchorage had over 134" and much of it came late; Feb-Mar-Apr, so I guess Kodiak was similar. Fish and Game has never done an accurate survey for the total numbers of deer there so it's an educated guess on the reduction. Most of the guides that I've talked to agree with the numbers and some estimate the die-off at closer to 80%. Kodiak itself is tough to do an accurate survey on and because the Sitka deer are an introduced species, not indigenous, Fish and Game probably won't spend the money to try.

Hunting Kodiak is my favorite hunt up here. They are the best tasting deer I have ever eaten and a blast to hunt. I hope they recover quick. This has been an easy winter so far (but I just shoveled about a foot of snow out of my driveway!).

[dihardhunter]

Yea, I've been keeping close tabs on snowfall, etc. for Kodiak this winter and it has really been mild compared to historical averages. Hoping some late blizzard doesn't do some damage and the deer can get a kickstart. I'm thinking I'll give them 2013 to hopefully recover a tad more, and then go hunt in 2014.