timekiller13
Old Mossy Horns
I am going to do a rolling thread about my Kodiak Blacktail Deer hunt that is coming up in October 2019. I am so dang excited I can't stand it. This thread will be a way for me to talk about all aspects of the adventure. I will go over gear choices, work out plans, logistics, and will hopefully culminate this with a semi-live day by day account of the actual hunt. My hope is to provide insight and encourage others to chase their hunting dreams, and use this as a way for me to organize my thoughts and ramble about things.
I am going to start by telling exactly what brought me to this point and why I am doing this hunt. I have been an avid hunter since I was young. Started deer hunting in 1996 with my Dad. Dad was not a hunter and started hunting only because I wanted to. Over the years, we have hunted a lot together and had some great times. When I was young, we talked and dreamed of hunting elk out west and taking hunting trips to Alaska. To me, those were just pipe dreams. I thought you needed gobs of money to do stuff like that. And Dad would never take off during the middle of the school year to go hunting (teacher/principal). So, those dreams were just that...dreams.
In 2014, my Dad was diagnosed with cancer. This changed everything for him and me. It hit Dad that he couldn't wait until he retired to do the things he always dreamed of, because he may not live long enough. It hit me hard, as well. Over the previous few years, Dad and I had not hunted much together. I realized I couldn't put off spending time with him. Dad fought the cancer and beat it. Soon afterwards, we started talking about chasing our hunting dreams. I finally decided no more talk, we were gonna do it. In 2016, we took off to Colorado to elk hunt, and we did it again in 2017. Late 2017, I read a story about hunting blacktails in Kodiak, Alaska. After reading the story, I realized I didn't have to be rich to hunt in Alaska. I told Dad, "Let's go hunt in Alaska." He said, "Ok, you just tell me when and where."
So be it. Now, it was time to start putting some things in motion.
I am going to start by telling exactly what brought me to this point and why I am doing this hunt. I have been an avid hunter since I was young. Started deer hunting in 1996 with my Dad. Dad was not a hunter and started hunting only because I wanted to. Over the years, we have hunted a lot together and had some great times. When I was young, we talked and dreamed of hunting elk out west and taking hunting trips to Alaska. To me, those were just pipe dreams. I thought you needed gobs of money to do stuff like that. And Dad would never take off during the middle of the school year to go hunting (teacher/principal). So, those dreams were just that...dreams.
In 2014, my Dad was diagnosed with cancer. This changed everything for him and me. It hit Dad that he couldn't wait until he retired to do the things he always dreamed of, because he may not live long enough. It hit me hard, as well. Over the previous few years, Dad and I had not hunted much together. I realized I couldn't put off spending time with him. Dad fought the cancer and beat it. Soon afterwards, we started talking about chasing our hunting dreams. I finally decided no more talk, we were gonna do it. In 2016, we took off to Colorado to elk hunt, and we did it again in 2017. Late 2017, I read a story about hunting blacktails in Kodiak, Alaska. After reading the story, I realized I didn't have to be rich to hunt in Alaska. I told Dad, "Let's go hunt in Alaska." He said, "Ok, you just tell me when and where."
So be it. Now, it was time to start putting some things in motion.