Draw results are out and adventures are on the horizon

If you’re anything like me, you were up early checking the ADFG website for the draw results to come out, even though you know they don’t come out until mid-to-late morning every year. This is the one holiday that many Alaskans celebrate every February and something that will be the topic of many conversations in the coming weeks.

I, myself, did not apply for any tags this year. For this go round I decided to only hunt my harvest tickets. That being said, I still can’t help but get excited for my friends and hunting partners as I scroll through their names to see what they may have drawn.

The last time I hunted alongside a draw hunt recipient was on Kodiak with my hunting partner, Kyle, in 2024. He had drawn a spring bear tag on the south end of the island, and I instantly knew I needed to invite myself along the moment I saw his successful draw in early 2023. He took me up on my offer to accompany him and we spent the next year preparing for his successful 10 day hunt.

For one, Kodiak was always a place I wanted to visit. It is so incredibly different from anywhere else I’d ever been to. I wanted to experience the travel, the wildlife, the time behind glass and the camaraderie in camp. I didn’t know when my next chance would be to do so and knew that I needed to capitalize on this opportunity. And although I didn’t have a tag of my own in my pocket, I never felt that I had missed out on anything. I was there for the experience and I was able to achieve that, and that was plenty enough for me.

Now would I go back and hunt it for myself? You betcha! I would return to that very bay in a heartbeat. But now having that first experience and knowing what to expect would help to make my return trip that much better. I learned not only how to hunt bears on Kodiak, but how to pack for and live through a 10 day hunt based out of a remote cabin on a rock in the middle of an ocean. From interacting with my crew, to managing meals, operating boats, playing the tides and battling the elements, I learned so much that has been a staple for my adventure hunts ever since.

Whether you are someone like me who didn’t apply for tags this year, or you were like me in years previous and didn’t draw anything, check in on your friends and hunting partners and see what tags they lucked into. Consider asking if they would like assistance on the hunt and take the opportunity to learn and enjoy an adventure without the pressure of pulling the trigger.