Hunting Other Big Game

Dall Sheep: Dall Sheep are found throughout the central area of the Kenai Mountain range. Alaska Fish and Game states the animals are about 1500 in number and offer both open area hunts as well as permit only hunts. Permit hunts are the best chance for a trophy animal, but because of stiff competition for the permits thay can be difficult to obtain. The season for sheep opens the second week of August and will last until the end of September. For those more interested in just viewing Dall Sheep and Mountain Goats, there are ample opportunities in many of the mountainous areas of the Kenai Peninsula. Although sheep and goats are usually high on the sides of mountains during the summer months, several opportunities for viewing are available from the road. If you drive to Soldotna from Anchorage, Dall sheep can often be seen just a few feet off the Seward Highway along Turnagain Arm. Most of these sheep will be ewes and lambs but you may often find an adult ram in the herd. There are designated turn-out areas along that section of road. Sheep often stay near the road, since they enjoy the road salt left over from the highway department's sanding operations. Further along on your driving trip from Anchorage to Soldotna, a popular location to spot sheep and goats is at the various turnouts adjacent to Kenai Lake between the Quartz Creek Campground and Cooper Landing. You will likely need binoculars or a spotting scop to get a good view, and it often takes a bit of patient observation to locate them. Sheep can also be viewed in large froups from the Russian River Campground when looking north towards the mountain range across the Kenai River.

Mountain Goats: Goats are found over most of the Kenai Peninsula but are more common near the coastal mountains. The Alaska Fish and Game estimates that there are about 4500 goats in the area, and issues permits through a lottery system. Goat season begins in the first part of August and ends the middle of October. The long season, combined with large numbers of animals provides a great opportunity for bagging a trophy goat here.

Black Bear: Nearly 3000 black bear call the Kenai Peninsula home, and they are so plentiful that Alaska permits each hunter to harvest two bears per season, one in the first half of each year and one in the last half. Historically success rates are much better during the spring season and May is felt to be the best time for Black bear hunting. Harvesting a female bear with cubs is illegal. Brown Bears are found throughout the Peninsula, however being fewer in number, only one Brown bear may be harvested every four years. The Alaska Fish and Game encourages the harvesting of the boars and you may not hunt sows with cubs. One additional requirement for Brown bear hunting is that non resident hunters must be accompanied by a licensed guide in the Kenai.