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Unit 15B - Kenai

Last Updated: Oct 29, 2019
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Quick Tips

  • Plan your transportation and lodging options around the season and species you will be hunting
  • Bear fences can be a good idea for camps
  • Rain gear is a necessity
  • Waders or hip boots are highly recommended when hunting marshy areas
  • This area sees heavy hunting pressure near the highway
  • Great fishing opportunities are found throughout the unit

On The Ground

This smaller unit is found on the Kenai Peninsula and lies just south of Soldotna. This area features a lot of remote country but access into specific areas can be tough. Aircraft use is legal in some portions of the unit but is highly regulated and subject to change during certain periods of the year. More often, livestock is used as a means to reach backcountry areas as well as for game retrieval. Good hunting can be found here but the logistics of reaching good country away from roads can be tough without the aid of outfitters or well-connected residents.

Good hunting can be found here but pressure tends to be high around roaded areas and the logistics of reaching remote hunting locations can be tough.

Terrain

The western two-thirds of this unit will not see a lot of terrain elevation change and glassing can be a challenge. Most areas are heavily timbered, but large tundra fields are present in many areas. If possible, locating small inclines in elevation or the utilization of treestands can increase some glassing opportunities. The eastern third of the unit is mountainous and features steep climbing ridgelines and huge alpine basins. Treelines in this area typically show up around 2,000 feet and hunters will find great glassing opportunities and easy to traverse terrain.

  • Roughly 1,754 square miles

  • 52% Public land

  • Elevations range from 0-6,000 feet

Most of the low lying areas are comprised of mature stands of spruce, pine, and aspen. The large meadows and marshy areas will see a good distribution of tundra, mountain hemlock, dwarf birch, alder, and willow. Traversing these areas can be tough to walk through at times, but careful planning can mitigate most issues. Areas around rivers and creek beds can be heavily vegetated with alder and willow and nearly impassable at times. Higher elevation areas will see a huge reduction in tree species and will be primarily composed of crowberry, tundra, and mountain hemlock. Glassing and moving through these areas will be much easier and more straight forward.

Highway access along the western half of the unit is good but many of these areas see heavy hunting pressure. Some sections of a few rivers can be floated but these areas tend to flood often and downfall and other obstacles are common. Not to mention, most rivers see a very heavy presence of brown bears. Flying in can be done in some locations but it is so heavily regulated that it can be more of a headache than a help. Hunters will generally opt to backpack in for smaller species or utilize stock. Utilizing boats along Skilak and Tustumena Lake can be a good option for accessing areas to hike in from.

There are several options for modern lodging throughout the western region of the unit, as well as one USFS cabin available for rent. Depending on the hunt, many hunters will opt for primitive camping methods in the bush.

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