I booked my hunt with Jake Jefferson of Black River Hunting Camps out of Wasilla, Alaska. Jake had spent ten years hunting on Kodiak and other parts of Alaska for griz, sheep and goat, but he knew a lot about the deer too, and along with his wife Amber was looking forward to our adventure. I was also excited; I'd had some trouble finding a guided blacktail hunt, as most hunters come in a group and hunt unguided from boats that cruise the shorelines; hunting from a tent camp would be a special Kodiak experience. After an evening in town doing some last minute shopping for our camp, we awoke to a rare sunny calm day, perfect for flying into our tent camp in Kiliuda Bay on the southeastern side of the island. Jake and a client had taken a 10`5" 1700 pound bear in this area last week, and they had seen quite a few deer as well. He set up a cozy tent for me and a larger main tent/cooking area, and we were all eager to set off the next morning. I tried a few shots with Amber`s rifle, a Winchester 30.06; I was grateful to borrow a gun, as it makes air travel so much easier.
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