What Sort of Rates to Expect for Air Taxi

[contradictorian]

If going to the North end like Shuyak, drive to Homer and fly from there. Keep in mind that Beluga Lake freezes late October-November so have a backup with one of the Kodiak operators

 

[Lapaiki39]

Try Kingfisher or Harvey Flying Service. Not sure if Harvey is still operating but he has a Grumman Widgeon aircraft that can take off from the airport and land in the ocean, lake or runway. Flew with Harvey himself several times in the 90s also 2005 & 2006. Flew with Kingfisher once in 2006. They are both good operations. Three words of advice. Expect weather delays. I would take trip cancellation insurance for a trip like that. Good luck with your planning & hunting!

 

[Lapaiki39]

Ok,,,,, I usually don't offer any sugesstions with regards to where a guy might want to go Hunting, but,,,, you should really think about getting a partner for a trip of this nature,,,,, ie... Hunting Kodiak, esspecially a solo Hunt on Kodiak is not for the faint of Heart, I don't know your skill level, so if I'm off base, I appoligize,,,,
but I've Hunted Kodiak more than once, as my 1st trip out there was in 1963, Deadmans Bay, my Dad and my Uncle were Hunting with Hal Waugh,,,,,, and remember,,,,, once you are out there, that doesn't mean you going to get back when you think you are,,,,, ie... Mothe Nature can S~hit on your pararde in a heart-beat,,,,, so, do your homework, and be prepared,,,,, and if you score,,,,, remember Mr. Bruin ( the brown one) will be trying to score as well, thats when a partner really comes in handy,,,,, ie.... one-guy on gaurd-duty, one guy getting some sleep, and then vise-versa,,,,, Ok, enough said, I hope you get the picture, and Good Luck.......
TG

I agree with the German 110%. A trip like this is like no other. Plan for the worst & hope for the best! Your life may depend on it. So get a good partner and going with an outfitter wouldn’t be a bad idea if you can afford it. The weather on those November and December hunts can be brutal but most of those bruins will be in dreamland by then. You will be in for an incredible experience.

 

[AKBEE]

Try Kingfisher or Harvey Flying Service. Not sure if Harvey is still operating but he has a Grumman Widgeon aircraft that can take off from the airport and land in the ocean, lake or runway. Flew with Harvey himself several times in the 90s also 2005 & 2006. Flew with Kingfisher once in 2006. They are both good operations. Three words of advice. Expect weather delays. I would take trip cancellation insurance for a trip like that. Good luck with your planning & hunting!

My wife and I got picked up near Kukak Bay in that Widgeon a while back and flown to Kodiak. Was a blast to be in one for the first time! So different from the float planes we have been on.

 

[shulse01]

On the pricing, I used a service from Kenai to the peninsula that cost me $1,800. On Kodiak, from Kodiak City to the south end on float plane was half of that, but I was already in Kodiak.

With all things considered, recommend budget at $2k total.

 

[spiritedawayhamfern]

Hello all,
I am planning a Kodiak deer hunt this year and I am trying to figure out what kind of rates one can expect to pay for an air taxi service. I'm not even sure if "Air Taxi" is the right term but I am looking to fly in to Kodiak from Anchorage and then from there fly out somewhere off the road system management area so it doesn't have to be very far. As of now this would be a solo trip but I may try and get another hunter involved. Any advice on rates and recommended service providers?

A good place to start is by contacting air taxi services in Kodiak and Anchorage and getting quotes for your specific trip. There are numerous air taxi services in the area. You may want to consider joining forces with another hunter in order to reduce the cost of the service, as most air taxis offer discounted rates for groups.

 

[kwackkillncrew]

alaska air from anc to kodiak. Then call 1 or all 3 of the hunting transporters on kodiak. The rates are all probably going to be within a few hundred bucks of each other. Not sure if your in AK or not, another option is to take the ferry from homer to kodiak. That way you dont have to pay for extra baggage and what not. When we left kodiak to come back to anchorage Alaska Air was backed up a week and a half getting cargo back to anchorage. So we flew back with all of our meat and 1 bag each as checked baggage and had to wait a week and a half to get our gear. Another option is ACE cargo. They generally arent as backed up as Alaska Air but they arent open on the weekends in kodiak.

 

[Autistic_Deer_Hunter]

So in light of all of this, I wonder what a water taxi would cost.
Realistically I'm just trying to get off the road system.
The other option is I take a zodiac and my truck and just take the ferry. That is starting to sound like a more cost effective method.

 

[1akbig1bear]

You mean this one.......
TG

That is a great book, I just gave my copy to my neighbor to read yesterday. I stayed in the cabin there several years ago, had a close encounter with a sow and boar that was incredible. They came straight out of the alders and right into the bay on an unusually hot spring day. Very cool

 

[1akbig1bear]

Have you tried Kingfisher Aviation? It's been probably 12 years, but I flew with them in the past and they were great to work with. Their Bushhawk airplanes are super cool from a pilot perspective.

Kingfisher is good and as someone else mentioned, Andrews air was acquired by Island Air a few years back. They have a few more planes and have been very good at getting me scheduled in and out to my cabin. The sooner you book, the better your odds of getting the dates you prefer.

 

[1akbig1bear]

So in light of all of this, I wonder what a water taxi would cost.
Realistically I'm just trying to get off the road system.
The other option is I take a zodiac and my truck and just take the ferry. That is starting to sound like a more cost effective method.

I fly to my cabin quite often, which is near Larsen bay. Charter flights each way now start at $1350 for up to 800#s and go up to $1800 for 1500#s.
Taking a zodiac and leaving from the town of Kodiak is not ideal at all, nor would I ever think of doing something of that nature. You would be better off hunting the road system if you are considering taking your truck, after buying a Lesnoi land permit. As others have mentioned, if your not familiar with hunting Kodiak, no way should you be planning a trip alone on the Rock.

 

[Patsfan54]

So in light of all of this, I wonder what a water taxi would cost.
Realistically I'm just trying to get off the road system.
The other option is I take a zodiac and my truck and just take the ferry. That is starting to sound like a more cost effective method.

If cost is a factor, don't hunt Kodiak.

I don't know what they have for water taxi's in Kodiak, but there are charters and transporters. Have you spent much time in your zodiac in Alaskan waters? I'm not saying you can't do it with a zodiac, but I'd want to know the size of zodiac and the experience of the guy running the zodiac in serious waters. Kodiak isn't PWS, even on the Shelikof side it can get really bad in a hurry. Even if you were to put in at Anton Larsen you are looking at a good run in a zodiac to anywhere that anyone with a bigger boat can get to.

There are more accessible and cheaper areas to hunt. PWS is closer to Anchorage, offers water taxi's and transporters that will take you to any number of islands with or without cabins and has a higher bag limit. If you want a flyout you can still do that without the added expense of a flight to Kodiak. Or you could fly to SE and get the best of both worlds with a higher bag limit in most places, water taxi's and transporters and depending on where you go, less pressure than PWS and any areas accessible by zodiac on Kodiak.

 

[wildwilderness]

If going solo a smaller airplane will be cheaper. Some air taxis only have a beaver which would be expensive and overkill for 1 person. I have flown Island air multiple times and they have smaller craft, and usually more options since they are bigger than others.

I see no problem going solo as long as you know what you are doing! Solo is way better than bringing the wrong person! Go for it

 

[Autistic_Deer_Hunter]

If cost is a factor, don't hunt Kodiak.

I don't know what they have for water taxi's in Kodiak, but there are charters and transporters. Have you spent much time in your zodiac in Alaskan waters? I'm not saying you can't do it with a zodiac, but I'd want to know the size of zodiac and the experience of the guy running the zodiac in serious waters. Kodiak isn't PWS, even on the Shelikof side it can get really bad in a hurry. Even if you were to put in at Anton Larsen you are looking at a good run in a zodiac to anywhere that anyone with a bigger boat can get to.

There are more accessible and cheaper areas to hunt. PWS is closer to Anchorage, offers water taxi's and transporters that will take you to any number of islands with or without cabins and has a higher bag limit. If you want a flyout you can still do that without the added expense of a flight to Kodiak. Or you could fly to SE and get the best of both worlds with a higher bag limit in most places, water taxi's and transporters and depending on where you go, less pressure than PWS and any areas accessible by zodiac on Kodiak.

SE sounds like a fun trip. What town would be good to fly into for a deer hunt down that way?

 

[katkayes]

Island Air bought Andrew Air a couple years ago. Andrew Air was great, Island Air isn't Andrew Air but still has some of the same people that helped make Andrew Air great. https://www.flyadq.com/

Welcome to the forum! It's great to see a new face around here. I'm glad to hear that Island Air has some of the same people that helped make Andrew Air great. That gives me confidence that Island Air will be just as great!

 

[iofthetaiga]

Hey katkayes, which do you think was the dumber, more worthless invention; the Inside-The-Shell Egg Scrambler, or the chat bot?

 

[nelson74]

Hello all,
I am planning a Kodiak deer hunt this year and I am trying to figure out what kind of rates one can expect to pay for an air taxi service. I'm not even sure if "Air Taxi" is the right term but I am looking to fly in to Kodiak from Anchorage and then from there fly out somewhere off the road system management area so it doesn't have to be very far. As of now this would be a solo trip but I may try and get another hunter involved. Any advice on rates and recommended service providers?

I have used Andrew's Air for Blacktail Hunts and for Mountain Goat hunts on Kodiak and highly recommend them. They go above and beyond to help u in any way.

 

[Autistic_Deer_Hunter]

I have used Andrew's Air for Blacktail Hunts and for Mountain Goat hunts on Kodiak and highly recommend them. They go above and beyond to help u in any way.

What kind of rates can one expect to pay?

 

[kwackkillncrew]

up to $4,000 for the plane round trip