Making time to go hunting in the Fall.  As the charter fishing season comes to a close, we start commercial diving for sea cucumbers.  Now that the sea cucumber season is completely over come the big boat projects, household projects, and deer hunting.  I find it hard to make time for deer hunting though I know it is a good time once I finally break away and get in the woods.  I hunted 3 times unsuccessfully and on my 4th hunt, very close to town at that, I finally got a buck.  Gravina Island is the island Ketchikan's airport is located on.  The "Road to nowhere" is on Gravina as well.  I haven't given Gravina much of a chance in the last few years because I thought it was hunted out.  However these pictures prove that there are some awesome deer on the island.  The first one I shot was the biggest deer I have ever killed.  The second one was even bigger.  I got very lucky and made all my hunting buddies very jealous.  Good Times!!  Also a picture of my new bad boy ex USCG boat.  Most of my personal fishing trip and having fun stuff is done in the small boat.  Livin the life.

The busy 2015 summer season is over!!  Even though the season has been over since mid September, I have been too busy commercial fishing for sea cucumber to post anything.  We have been getting our 2000 pounds of sea cucumber for the last 3 openings so that means we are still fishing.  The weather has been cooperating with us so far this season.  Fall weather can be pretty nasty and fighting that can be pretty tricky.  Last Sunday however was a wild ride as we followed about 60 feet behind the IFA ferry Stikine to cross Clarence Strait in about 10-15 foot seas.  NOT FUN!  Tomorrow we will be heading northbound to Snow Pass which is North Prince of Wales.  This means hunting for Sitka Blacktail and diving for cucmbers.  Thankful that my fishing season doesn't end in mid September like the rest of the Ketchikan charter fishing fleet.