USA: Harlequin & Barrows

[RBurg44]

Week before Thanksgiving four of us left Maryland heading to Anchorage, Alaska. Our target was Harlequin and Barrows Goldeneyes. We hunted with Crazy Rays out of Whittier. This was a 3 day all inclusive hunt living abroad on the boat out in Prince Williams Sound. We flew Alaskan airlines opted for the first class seat which was a great decision. No complaints with this airline, smooth with guns and ammo. Meals consisted of breakfast burritos to start the day, grab some snacks for lunch and dinner we went for the upgraded seafood; prawns, salmon, king crab, halibut. Man it was good! We grabbed beers and snacks before leaving Anchorage…

 

[RBurg44]

We stayed the night in Anchorage at a hotel close to the airport. Stopped at cabelas to grab our licenses, we brought our ammo (Boss) with us on plane. Got a good hot shower and early nights sleep. It was up early and hour and half drive south down to Whittier. Theres a tunnel carved inside the mountain to get into town. One way each 30mins. Pretty cool took probably 15 mins to go all the way through it. Well when we got to other side of tunnel the wind was ripping 30+ mph and it was hovering around zero degrees. We look at ourselves and said this is going to be a crazy cold hunt! Met with crazy ray and his mate manny at his local shack repacked some bags got a burrito got some more layers on and loaded up the boat. We had 2 or so hour boat ride to the hunting grounds, it was beautiful ride snow covered mountains far as ya could see.

 

[RBurg44]

After 2 hours or so we finally at the spot for our first set. While we get rest of our gear together ray anchors up the big boat and manny readys the zodiac with decoys and starts to get them set. We load up two guys at a time to jokey over to a little island. Im on first trip over manny stays with me and jon and ray takes zodiac back to grab gary and todd. No more then a 2 minute ride. We load up real quick and set up on different parts of the island. Before the boat even makes it back to the big boat to grab gary and todd. A group of 3 or 4 harlequin come in right in front of me. This is what we came for, good drakes! Although the state allows 4 harlequin per season our guide has policy of 2 per person. Which is kool with us. Anyways manny yells take the bird on the left! Sun is glaring right off water so i lose site of them for a second. First shot rang out and in my excitement and i missed regrouped and second shot drilled him! Got my prized bird 5mins into the hunt! Switched spots on island as manny thought side i was on was better harlequin spot so put todd in my spot and i went over to a different spot. Within 10mins here i had dropped the other bird we came for the Barrows Goldeneye. My trip was now completed (goalwise) but really it was just starting! I dropped a few Barrows, along with gary, todd got one i believe too and jon dropped a bufflehead. Things slowed up here so off to another island maybe 20/30mins away. Drop some more birds. Two of the guys get 3 more harlequin and few goldeneye. Called it a day.

 

[RBurg44]

Next day we set up on same island we ended on. I got my second harlequin, along with a juvenile red breasted merganser as well as some more barrows. Everyone has gotten their barrows for sure now and jon just needed one more harlequin to finish them for the trip. Leave this spot and hunt two more spots this day. Picking off birds here and there though it was a little slower this afternoon. Jon did bag his last harly though. Ray managed a nice buck black tail deer while scouting for next days hunt. Saw a big sea lion on one of our sets this day too. The water everywhere up here was crystal clear! You could see 50’ down. Once we called it a day we had the king crabs this night and wow they were amazing!

 

[RBurg44]

Last day hunting we travel hour or so closer to port. Set up the dekes and its a barn burner we slaughtered the goldeneye. Forgot to mention the tide swings they were huge! Pretty wild to watch them come in and out. After this we headed back to port and back at the dock we pack the rental truck and off to the airport we go! Celebrate at the bar to a great trip with a few too many cold ones and back to the east coast we head. I highly recommend crazy rays adventures https://crazyraysak.com/alaska-sea-duck-hunting/ we all had a blast and would do it again in a heartbeat!

 

[Daktari]

Beautiful birds and scenery!

 

[Firebird]

That first harlequin is a super prime stud! He will make a great mount. Congrats on a wicked successful hunt. I’ll keep crazy Dave in my “someday” file

 

[WAB]

Great trip, congratulations! Ran a boat in PWS for years. Your story brought back a lot of memories. FYI, the mallard hunting in some of the remote corners of PWS is some of the best you will ever see anywhere.

 

[jduckhunter]

Sounds like you all had a great trip. I'm sure Jerry will be thrilled, lol. What a difference 25 years make, on my first trip up there our limits were 15 sea ducks and 7 puddle ducks per day. Even though we easily could have shot limits each day we never did because it just seemed kind of hoggish to do so.

 

[gillettehunter]

Congrats on a great hunt. Look’s like you had a lot of fun. Beautiful birds. Thanks for sharing
Bruce

 

[BWH]

For sure on my list!!! Thanks for sharing