The Best Time of the Year

the best time to visit

Kodiak Raspberry Island Remote Lodge is often decided for you if you have earned a drawing permit.  Our winter season — sub seasonally including hunts for Sitka Black-tailed deer, Roosevelt Elk, and various sea ducks— opens later in September and typically runs through early to mid-December. 
 
These months define coastal Alaska’s transition from fall into winter: wind, cold, snow, and ice, often interrupted by periods of rain and milder temperatures that can reach into the 50s. These conditions are punctuated by the days we live for—calm, clear weather, with sun and blue sky.

The third week in September is our only Hunt/Fish Combo week, combining remote Kodiak fishing with Sitka black-tailed deer hunting. Weather can still be warm, and grass may be tall and green. Deer are fat, and mature bucks are generally high on the mountains, often above 1,500 feet. They can be hard to reach, as tall grass drapes over narrow, overgrown game trails and thick brush makes glassing or stalking difficult. That said, once you reach the ridges, the grass settles to calf height and you are in deer country, often encountering the first opportunities of the season.

Fishing can be outstanding for halibut, rockfish, Pacific cod, lingcod, and Tanner (snow) crab, along with river fishing for returning silver salmon. However, this time of year can bring the first sustained westerlies, and weather may begin to limit access to some of our preferred saltwater destinations. For that reason, this marks the final week we offer fishing.

If you are willing to put in the work to reach our deer — and willing to accept the possibility of missing a day or two on the open salt — this can be one of the most diverse and dynamic weeks we offer. The reward may include both a freezer of wild-caught Alaskan seafood and the opportunity to harvest a Sitka black-tail at peak table quality.

Early October is Roosevelt elk bull season here at Kodiak Raspberry Island Remote Lodge, with Southwest Afognak and Raspberry Island bull elk permits in season. These coveted, hard-to-draw permits are certainly the priority of the month, with deer hunting mixed in, typically in addition to an elk permit. By mid-October, the Southwest Afognak cow season begins, and by late October, the Raspberry Island cow elk season opens. This also marks the start of our fall Kodiak brown bear season.

Weather in October is typically a steady transition from fall to winter. We will likely see our first “termination dust,” or snow on the mountain peaks, along with the first heavy frosts. A strong storm can lay down the grass — if we’re fortunate — and strip the remaining dead alder and salmonberry leaves, significantly improving walkability and visibility. By late October, we can anticipate the first snowfall at sea level, though it rarely lasts long.

November is the peak of our deer hunting season, with the rut typically beginning during the first week of the month. Bucks are generally active throughout November, moving during both the first and second rut, as well as during post-rut recovery, often feeding and traveling during daylight hours. Temperatures drop, the leaves are largely gone, and winter settles in. We can often expect a meaningful snowfall late in November — an unofficial Raspberry Island holiday when I was growing up, and a tradition Tiffany and I continued as we raised our kids here. A fresh blanket of snow can mark a stellar day for deer hunting.
 
The Raspberry Island/Southwest Afognak bear season remains open through November, as does the Raspberry Island cow elk season. These pursuits typically parallel our deer hunts — avoiding foul weather, celebrating good weather, and making daily forays into the field, rewarded by a soak in the banya at day’s end.
 
While duck season typically opens on Kodiak in mid-October, we often see our best plumage and strongest bird numbers by mid to late November. Our duck guides arrive and outfit the duck boat with rows of decoys, lines, anchors, blinds, layout boats, and other gear in preparation for the weeks ahead.

December is fully winter by now, with snow, ice, and often difficult weather. We anticipate temperatures in the mid-20s to mid-30s, though occasional drops into the low 20s or even the teens can occur. Elk and bear seasons are closed, and post-rut mature bucks are lean and worn down, but often more likely to be found closer to the beach.  Antlers may start to drop at this time of year.  
 
Duck hunting can benefit from rough weather, and our sea duck hunters layer up and search for pockets of sunshine in the lee, out of the wind. We typically close the lodge by mid-December in preparation for the deep winter ahead, reopening in May for our summer season.

Ryan, Steve, and Hunter M., AK

Amazing Hunt! The lodge is fantastic, beautiful weather (slight wind of 55 mph) made this a trip of a lifetime. Birch and Tiffany made us feel completely at home. Food is worth the trip alone. Thanks Again!

Plan your Trip

Planning a trip to Kodiak Raspberry Island Remote Lodge involves more than selecting dates—it includes understanding seasonality, weather, activities, travel logistics, and how different parts of the summer evolve.

FAQ

Our frequently asked questions cover travel logistics, weather, hunting & fishing, accommodations, wildlife, physical expectations, packing recommendations, and what daily life at the lodge is actually like.

PROMOTIONS

We are happy to outline returning guest considerations, family accommodations, private reservation opportunities, and recognition extended to members of the military, law enforcement, fire service, and first responder communities.