Kodiak Seaduck Hunting: Harlequin, Eider & Long-Tail

Updated July 2026 · Kodiak Island, Alaska

Kodiak is one of the best places on the planet to hunt seaducks. Cold Gulf of Alaska water, endless rocky coastline, and huge wintering populations of harlequins, eiders, and long-tails. Add a yacht and you're hunting birds most people only see in magazines.

Species

• Harlequin drake — the iconic Kodiak trophy.
• King & common eider — big-water birds, striking plumage.
• Long-tailed duck (oldsquaw) — fast, vocal, gorgeous.
• Scoters — white-winged, surf, black. Reliable action.
• Goldeneyes & buffleheads — filler birds and great table fare.

Where they live

Seaducks concentrate on kelp beds, mussel reefs, rocky points, and the mouths of protected coves. Harlequins love turbulent water and boulder shorelines; eiders and scoters prefer open water over shellfish beds; long-tails and goldeneyes work interior bays.

Decoys and setup

• Two- to three-dozen mixed seaduck decoys, weighted for tidal current.
• Set close to the shoreline with the wind at your back into the decoys.
• Layout blind on a beach, or shoot from a moored skiff in a cove.
• Motion decoys and a jerk cord matter more than exact species mix.

Guns and loads

• 12 gauge, 3" or 3.5" chambered.
• Non-toxic BB or #2 for eiders and scoters; #3 or #4 for harlequins and smaller birds.
• Modified choke for most work; improved cylinder in tight cove setups.

Weather and safety

Cold water kills fast. Wear a floating layer, fish long-line decoys, and don't reach out of a small skiff for cripples in rough water — pull anchor and boat over instead. A yacht-based setup means you're rarely more than a mile from a warm cabin and dry clothes.

Yacht-based advantage

Seaducks rotate through coves based on wind and tide. A yacht lets you scout at dawn, reset the spread three coves over by 10 a.m., and stay on birds instead of chasing them. Combine with late-season blacktail for a full-day rotation.