Alaska

Anyone here ever hunted sea ducks in Alaska?

I've been looking hard at it, and will start calling some guides/outfitters after the season loolomg to put a hunt together for the 25/26 season.

Really leaning towards cold bay, but adak island also interest me.

I'm aware of jeff wasley with four flyways and charlie Summerville with cold bay adventures. At one time I thought there was a topic and o these guys and it wasn't very good. But I can't find that post.

Anyone have any input?

We hunted Maine for seaducks last year and had a blast - we are looking at Alaska also, but havent got very far yet

Ya I have talked to a few guys and outfitters already but really want to research it this spring. One of the biggest concerns I have is hunting days. I have heard it's not uncommon to not be able to hunt 2 or 3 days bc of bad weather. Which is completely understandable. But when your paying nearly $10k (guide, tips, flights, ammo, ect) for a week trip to cold bay or adak and you can only hunt a few days that makes me think there are better ways to spend my money. I dont have that kind of FU money. But it's still a trip/experience that highly interest me.

I have friends in Ketchikan and go up and duck hunt with them about every other year. The duck hunting there is amazing. They don't get some of the species you would get further north but fun none the less and the weather is much more predictable. We shoot Barrows GE, Harlequins, surfs, whitewing and a few common scoters. We usually mix in some crab and spot prawn trapping while we are out.

Travel to Ketchikan is affordable and easy. You may want to look into outfitters in that area.

Just something to consider if you're looking at options.

John

shoot me a PM with your number. i’ve hunted all over AK both guided and unguided for the last 20 years. i’m happy to share the good bad and ugly of the different locations and guides. it really depends on what your targeting, risk/reward tolerance, and budget. we had a hell of a trip this year for barrows/harlis.

Todd can tell you everything you need to know.

I’ve been to St Paul with Charlie. One of my buddies from that hunt just went with Jeff (not Charlie) in Cold Bay and had a great time.

I’m planning a first time hunt as well around those dates. What I have noticed each of the areas offer different birds. I have some good information from a friend who goes just about every year. I’ll see I can find what species to target certain species. I have seriously been considering ADAK Island

Adak defiantly interest me. But I think coldbay and Nelson lagoon might give you more options, especially if the weather is bad.