Unit 04Z, Alaska

Rugged mountainous archipelago with a backbone of peaks exceeding 4,000 ft running the length of Kodiak Island. Terrain transitions from dense Sitka spruce rainforest and alder thickets at lower elevations on the northeastern islands (Afognak, Shuyak, Spruce) to open grasslands and shrub-dominated hillsides on the southern and western portions of Kodiak proper, grading into subarctic tundra and alpine meadows above 1,500 ft. Coastal margins feature extensive tidal flats, salmon streams, and gravel beaches. The island interior is roadless and highly dissected; no hunter is ever more than 15 miles from the Pacific Ocean. Rainfall averages 60–80 inches annually, and fog, rain squalls, and variable weather are expected on virtually every hunt.

No roads penetrate the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge (1.9 million acres, southwestern two-thirds of the archipelago). Primary access is by floatplane (wheels or floats) chartering from Kodiak City (Kodiak Airport, PADQ) or by saltwater vessel via the Gulf of Alaska and Shelikof Strait. Commercial air service (Alaska Airlines, Ravn) connects Kodiak to Anchorage. State ferries (Kennicott, Tustumena) serve Kodiak from Homer and Whittier. Within the Kodiak road system (northeastern Kodiak Island and the City of Kodiak), some deer and mountain goat areas are accessible by vehicle. Over 95% of all bear and wilderness hunting effort is coast-based — hunters glass from boats and beach skiffs for approach. USFWS Kodiak NWR maintains several public-use cabins accessible by floatplane. Public lands exceed 95% of the unit area.

Northeastern islands (Afognak, Shuyak, Raspberry, Spruce) are blanketed by old-growth Sitka spruce-hemlock rainforest with dense devil's club understory — prime elk and deer habitat. Central and southern Kodiak transitions to tall grass meadows (bluejoint reedgrass, fescue), dense alder and willow brush, and extensive sedge-dominated coastal wetlands. Alpine zones above 1,500–2,000 ft feature low ericaceous shrubs, forbs, and moss/lichen tundra critical for bear pre-denning feeding. Salmon-bearing streams and rivers create linear corridors of cottonwood riparian vegetation. The southwestern Kodiak Peninsula is more open, windswept, and tundra-dominant — preferred terrain for spot-and-stalk bear hunting.

Brown bears follow a predictable seasonal pattern: spring emergence (March–April) on south-facing slopes, dispersal to salmon streams June–September, movement to high alpine berry fields in late summer, and denning on steep inland slopes above 1,000 ft by November. Average density ~1 bear per 1.5 sq mi, with seasonal concentrations near salmon streams reaching much higher. Total Kodiak Archipelago bear population estimated at 2,800–3,500 independent bears (stable, long-term monitoring by ADF&G). Sitka blacktail deer congregate on coastal benches and kelp beaches in fall and winter; rut peaks around November 1, coinciding with the fall bear season. Elk on Afognak Island (approx. 1,100 animals in 7 herds as of 2022) and Raspberry Island (150–200 animals as of 2024) are non-migratory but shift elevation seasonally. Mountain goat population approximately 3,200 animals across designated hunt areas on Kodiak Island; original transplant of 18 goats from Kenai Peninsula in 1952–53.

Non-residents hunting brown bear MUST be accompanied by a registered Alaska big game guide or an Alaska resident who is a relative within the second degree of kindred. Hunters are restricted to one consecutive 15-day hunting period per permit. Bag limit: 1 brown bear per 4 regulatory years; no cubs or females with cubs. All harvested bears must be sealed at the Kodiak ADF&G office before leaving the island. The Kodiak Archipelago is NOT a federal subsistence priority area for hunting (unlike many western Alaska units), but state subsistence provisions apply to residents of the six Kodiak Archipelago villages (Akhiok, Karluk, Larsen Bay, Old Harbor, Ouzinkie, Port Lions). Elk hunts on Afognak are predominantly resident-only registration permits; nonresident opportunities exist for specific draw hunts. Most elk hunts can close early by emergency order when harvest objectives are met. Mountain goat hunters must complete the ADF&G online goat identification quiz before hunting; collared research goats must not be harvested. Non-resident deer bag limit: 1 buck in Unit 8. Unit 04Z corresponds to Game Management Unit 8 (Kodiak Archipelago) in the ADF&G regulatory system.