Kodiak or Juneau

[no guns here]

Situation -

Married, one kid at home still (13 yo, home-schooled).

In that situation, if you were offered equivilent positions in Kodiak and Juneau, Alaska; which would you choose and why?


Thanks,
NGH

[Dand]

That's a tough question. I have spent a lot more time in Kodiak than Juneau so its hard for me to give you a truly informed opinion. And I haven't been to Kodiak for quite a while. What I think I know about Kodiak is it is pretty expensive to live there - Is suspect Juneau too. I think it rains less in Kodiak than Juneau and to me it seems a bit more open. Juneau mostly clings to the side of the mountains while there are some flat and open areas around Kodiak - not a lot and both are very limited regarding roads and places to go. Both have state Ferry access to the main road system but I don't know what it costs to take your car - there is a lot of stuff on the web.  Juneau gets swamped with BIG cruise boats for much of the summer and things can get congested plus it can be a bit of a hassle dodging all the tourist stuff all summer. But they bring in a lot of $$ and help the economy and I suspect help encourage more stores and restaurants other services.  Kodiak gets a bit of tourists - a lot of sport fishing, maybe a few cruise ships and quite a bit of hunters for bears. To really get out in the country in either place, its nice to have a boat but that can be a hassle. You have to be very careful boating in either place - winds come up quick and can be savage.  I'm not positive but I think there may be a bit more shelter for boating around Juneau - but I don't really know.  There are deer on Kodiak, Brown bears of course, mt goat, elk on Afognak, some reindeer/caribou on the south end of Kodiak somewhere, a large ranch where you can pay to shoot a buffalo. There is duck hunting and some ptarmigan I believe - but ya gotta get out a way.  Friends in Juneau go to an island for duck hunting - don't know the area.  Both places have fishing and a boat is highly desired for that. There is a salmon stream near the Kodiak airport - Buskin River with pink salmon - don't know what else.  I think there are places  you can try for salmon along the beaches in both areas - don't know it well. I would lean towards Kodiak because I know it more, there are less people than Juneau.  Kodiak might be a bit more rustic than Juneau but its very cosmopolitan in its population due to it large commercial fishery and processing plants; people from around the world live and work there with quite a few Asian and Hispanic.  Juneau has more communities you can visit by Ferry.  From Kodiak you can get to Seward or Homer and the Alaska highway system.  From Juneau you have to go up to Haines or Skagway or down to Prince Rupert or Bellingham Wa. Just today a local kid who attends a boarding school in Sitka said he gets bored on the long ferry rides to the other southeast communities for sports. Where we live its all planes.  I'd get on line and check as many sources as possible.  I think deer hunting may be a bit easier to access in Kodiak. Don't know the situation now but when I was going there in the 80's we could take up to 4 per season. Excellent eating too. Hard winters cause dieoffs and brown bears are known to come to gun shots hoping to grab an easy meal. A lot of Kodiak Is. doesn't have much for trees - just alder brush to 15 20 ft high.  But the north end and round the city there are big trees.  Not quite as big as Juneau but substantial spruce to 100 ft tall I think.  On the sunny days Kodiak winter or summer (Juneau too) can be dazzling. HTH

[pastorp]

Not a hard choice for me. I hate Juneau. Would not want to live there period.

On the other hand I loved Kodiak. Friendly people. Lots more roads. And with a boat or air charter wilderness is all around you. Did I say how friendly the people are.  Your going to love Kodiak.

Regards, 

[Dand]

Yeah when I really think about it - Kodiak would be my preference - not so stuck down between the mountains.


Regarding home schooling:  A LOT of folks do it all over Alaska and usually there are strong groups to connect with for help and resources.  Also we have several school districts that have formed "correspondence" schools which home schoolers can register with. A big one based in a remote part of Alaska is the Idea Program out of Galena.  Another is Raven out of the lower Kuskokwim I think.  We used that for a while and they provide a lap top.  It could be a little hard to get computer help sometimes.  But they had an office in Anchorage and those folks were super helpful. Now we have 1 kid in public school and 1 at home.  But the local public school offers a correspondence option and we use that so he can take welding classes. Would like him to get a science class there next year.


Don't know if its still going but there used to be a Catholic school in Kodiak as well.  Had a girlfriend once who graduated from there - good school back then. Also there is an outlet campus for the University of Alaska in Kodiak and I think kids can start taking classes there at 13 or 14.  The public high school there used to run a fishing boat (the K High C or something like that) for training older students. Quite a few of my college friends came from Kodiak - lots of good people there.


But be aware it IS a port town and fishing town. Used to have logging on nearby Afognak.  So there are some rough characters around and some of the bars are best to avoid. There are drugs there is some violence and some racial tensions.  Last time I was there some things seemed to be a lot calmer than the wild days of crabbing and shrimping. My first time in Kodiak I was 19 and there was a big strike on.  Had to wait in town for my plane to a cannery. Every bar was packed, very lively. But there is a public square called the mall and a bunch of folks w guitars started playing and jamming - was a very pleasant afternoon - that was  a rare very sunny fall - beautiful.

[Winter Hawk]

Kodiak for sure!  Juneau has all the politicos (being the capitol) and prices are sky high.  Finding housing can be tough.  Life is pretty frenzied.  I'll take a fishing town any day.  Is this with the Coast Guard?

Probably better hunting on Kodiak also, at least not as much pressure.

-WH-

[thxmrgarand]

I could be wrong but I think that Kodiak qualifies for federal subsistence privileges.  If so you can hunt and fish pretty much unhindered even before you qualify for a resident hunting or fishing license.  Juneau does not qualify, even for those parts of Juneau that can only be reached by boat or floatplane.  If Kodiak does in fact qualify for subsistence then that might be a factor in your decision.  It's an unfair and screwed up system (typical of the feds) to be sure but if you qualify you might as well take advantage of it.

[Dand]

thxmrgarand - you are somewhat mistaken.  A person must still have lived in Alaska for 12 consecutive months, in a Federally recognized rural community, to qualify for Federal Subsistence hunts and fishing.  I don't know the status of the City of Kodiak but last I knew it was teetering on losing its rural status. Make absolutely certain of the hunting and fishing regulations before going afield.  New residents do not get much sympathy for violations.  Too often they are too eager to "get out there" and get pinched. 


In addition the Fed Subsistence laws apply to Federally managed lands and not on state owned or private (including Native owned) lands.



here is link to online regulations. http://alaska.fws.gov/asm/law.cfml?law=7&wildyr=2012


here is the definition of resident and rural as it appears on the website:  javascript:Start600('pdf/wildregs12/definit.pdf')


Resident—means any person who has their primary, permanent home for the previous 12 months within Alaska and whenever absent from this primary, permanent home, has the intention of returning to it. Factors demonstrating the location of a person’s primary, permanent home may include, but are not limited to: the address listed on an Alaska license to drive, hunt, fish, or engage in an activity regulated by a government entity; affidavit of person or persons who know the individual; voter registration; location of residences owned, rented or leased; location of stored household goods; residence of spouse, minor children or dependents; tax documents; or whether the person claims residence in another location for any purpose.
Rural—means any community or area of Alaska determined by the Federal Subsistence Board to qualify as such. Only residents of communities or areas that the Board has determined to be rural are eligible for the subsistence priority.

Also be aware you can't just hunt and fish "unhindered" and often many regulations apply - most commonly, nearly the exact same regs as the State hunts & fisheries except for who can do it, some dates, some methods and means, some bag limits.  Its complicated. Typically the closer to a large community (like the City of Kodiak) the more restrictions.  Looking at the Game Unit 8 map, it looks like Kodiak City is a ways away from the Federal lands  so most likely most activities close to town will be state regulated.

I sit on the Bristol Bay Fed Subsistence Advisory Council and the State Fish and Game Advisory Committee for the Nushagak Area.  Its a real tangle to navigate at times, have to remind myself what hat I'm wearing at some meetings.

[thxmrgarand]

Dand, it isn't practiced that way in SE whatsoever.  And I have never heard of anyone being indicted, prosecuted or convicted because he/she claimed residence too soon for subsistence purposes.  Therefore, if the law is as you say, and it likely is, no one is aware of it and the law is not effective.  The state routinely prosecutes people for claiming Alaska residence illegally but that is a different matter of course.


Here in SE, as soon as someone claims residence in a community that qualifies for subsistence they themselves qualify for subsistence even if the state still requires them to purchase a nonresident license.  Moreover, if someone has a Native appearance, especially if they are hunting and fishing with others with Native appearance, they are not checked for licenses by any authority, state or fed.  I am one of the many long-time Alaskans who have regularly and routinely witnessed this.


I would be interested in learning how many prosecutions for illegally claiming to reside in an area qualifying for subsistence there have been in your area during the past year and 5 years.  My belief is that people who live in Anchorage routinely qualify for subsistence taking so long as they travel with relatives who reside in the so-called rural area.  I will be pleased if you can cite evidence that supports the law being enforced.

[corbanzo]

Well for hunting....  both have deer...  big bears in kodiak harder to get a tag...  black bears down by kodiak no tag required...


For life.


Juneau you are going to get more social exposure.  A lot more going on, a lot of money going to the schools being as the government is right there.  More stores and restaurants and everything developed.  Being as it is completely surrounded by mountains... getting a boat is right up at the top of the list you are going to want to do. 


Kodiak is a little more open as far as hiking and such goes.  If you want to get away and live somewhere more open, kodiak is where its at.  Boat.... also high on the list in kodiak. 


Either place is going to be expensive especially compared to the 48.  With less people in kodiak and less travel going through, kodiak will be more expensive. 


If your girls are used to having the amenities of a city, Juneau is a much better choice.  If you are looking to go rural and your family can deal with a little cabin fever.... kodiak is the choice.  I would say that fishing and hunting opportunities are similar and abound in both, especially as above mentioned, if you have a boat!