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
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This smaller unit makes up most of the southern end of the Kenai Peninsula and features a wide array of terrain types. Large portions of this unit are comprised of tribal lands and hunters will need to pay close attention to these as they are not open to hunting by the general public. A good road and ATV trail system can be found in the western half of the unit but these areas will tend to see the heaviest hunting pressure. The southern tip of the unit provides miles of coastline available for hunters utilizing boats and floatplanes. Most of the eastern half of the unit is comprised of rugged and remote mountains that can provide solitude. Like most of coastal Alaska, vegetation can be very high in some places, but after reaching alpine level hunters will be treated to great glassing and trekking opportunities.
Good hunting can be found here but certain areas see heavy amounts of pressure at times. Remote country is available to hunt but will only be accessible to those with the use of planes or boats.
This area sees a wide array of terrain features ranging from skyscraping peaks to rolling lowlands. The western half of the unit is primarily comprised of rolling hills, muskegs, lakes, and tundra. Much of this area is heavy with timber and ground cover, particularly around creeks and rivers, but small bumps in elevation will reveal large tundra flats with scattered timber. In the right locations, glassing opportunities can be fairly good here. The eastern half is mostly rugged with steep climbing ridgelines and tons of terrain change. The northern end of this range sees a lot of rock and snowfields, rock slides, and rocky peaks. The southern end of the mountainous region is more reminiscent of the temperate rainforest of coastal Alaska with heavily timbered lowlands, large tidal flats, and alpine basins.
Most of the low lying areas on the eastern end of the unit will see large stands of spruces, pines, hemlock, and aspen. Open areas are primarily comprised of muskeg and tundra with scattered timber. Alder and willow will grow heavily along streams and rivers and can be impassable at times. The eastern half of the unit will see dense forest areas at lower elevations, primarily old-growth Sitka Spruce with the treeline generally occurring anywhere from 500-1,500 feet. Treeline areas will see a heavy presence of native grasses, wildflowers, mountain hemlock, and tundra. Traversing these high country areas will be much easier and glassing opportunities will be abundant.
Several roads and ATV trails are scattered throughout the western half of the unit and will provide access to a multitude of areas. A large portion of this region is comprised of tribal lands that will inhibit where some of the area's hunters can legally hunt. The western half of the unit is primarily remote and will generally only be reachable via foot, plane, or boat. Several charter options are available out of Homer and can put hunters in great locations. Physically traversing some of the low country areas can be difficult at times due to vegetation but treeline is fairly low in most areas when heading for alpine areas.
Several lodging options can be found along the western edge of the unit, but traveling to and from hunting areas from here would be inefficient and would land hunters in heavily pressured areas. There are a few USFS cabins that can be rented for a modest price along the southern edge of the unit. Most of the hunters in this area will opt for primitive camping options whether they are backpacking, being flown in, or hunting the coastal areas.