Things to Do on Kodiak Island: Hunting, Fishing & the Outdoors

Updated July 2026 · Kodiak Island, Alaska

Kodiak Island isn't a resort destination and doesn't try to be. It's an outdoors island — hunting, fishing, wildlife, ocean, and a small working town on the northeastern corner. Here's what people actually come for.

Fishing

All five species of Pacific salmon spawn on Kodiak. Halibut are steady all summer. Rockfish and lingcod fill the mixed-bag days. Full detail in our Kodiak fishing guide.

Sitka blacktail deer hunting

Kodiak is one of the best places in the world to hunt Sitka blacktail deer. Generous bag limits, huntable populations, and (in late season) beach hunting off skiffs and boats.

Bear viewing

Kodiak Island holds one of the densest brown bear populations on Earth — roughly 3,500 bears in the archipelago. Guided bear-viewing trips run in July and August at salmon streams, often via float plane. Read our Kodiak bear vs grizzly guide for the biology.

Sea kayaking & wildlife tours

Kodiak's protected bays are ideal kayak country — sea otters, whales, puffins, and eagles. Local outfitters run half-day and multi-day trips.

The town of Kodiak

• Alutiiq Museum — Alutiiq history, artifacts, and contemporary culture.
• Baranov Museum — Russian America history in one of the oldest buildings in Alaska.
• Fort Abercrombie State Historical Park — WWII coastal defense bunkers and trails.
• Kodiak Fisheries Research Center — free public aquarium and marine research exhibits.

Hiking & the road system

About 100 miles of road around town open up Fort Abercrombie, Pillar Mountain, Buskin River, and Pasagshak. Trails range from short interpretive loops to serious alpine push-ups. Bear country — carry spray.

Wilderness trips

The best of Kodiak is off the road system — the bays and beaches reachable only by boat or float plane. That's how we run our yacht-based Kodiak hunts: everything you do happens from the boat.