A posting about the experience of Kodiak Legends Guest Deana Poston, who has become a great friend of ours:

Genetic code aside, nowhere in the book of life does it say that hunting and fishing have to be for men alone. Not only are more and more women getting in on the act, but they are also heading to where the wild things are with the guys in their life. Couples are finding a whole new reason to be together as couples.

The girls having some fun!

“My husband has been hunting for years,” says Deana Poston of Burlington, Kentucky. “At first, I believe he thought that it was not necessarily a ‘girl thing,’ so he would go with groups of guys and leave me at home to do my thing.”

Her husband Seth began with water fowl and went to North Dakota every year to hunt duck and geese with friends. Pheasant and quail brought him closer to home.

“I decided to come along one day,” she says, “and could not believe that I actually enjoyed it. I started shooting more often and eventually became a pretty good shot. We did some dove hunting at a farm owned by my cousin, and then moved into the deer stands. We decided that we wanted to travel more, and thought planning hunting trips was a good way to do that.”

He would go off to hunt bear or maybe fish in Canada, and they would also go off fishing. But the big surprise for Deana Poston came on land and in the air.

“We have always liked to fish together,” she says, “but I did not realize we could also enjoy hunting together. We have found that hunting and fishing has been an excellent way for us to spend quality time together. We have been all over the United States, throughout the Caribbean, and South Africa together. Seth has been to Canada and Argentina as well. We have plans this year to visit many new and exciting countries.”

Even with a couple as well-traveled as Seth and Deana, the experience at Kodiak Legends Lodge (KLL) in Alaska still stood out as “amazing.” Seth, looking for a trip to take with some very important clients—who happened to be hunters—discovered KLL online and began the process of booking a week at the lodge.

“We were instantly hooked on the idea of KLL,” Deana Poston says. “We have spent countless hours telling friends and family how much we enjoyed our stay there. Our time at KLL was our first visit to Alaska.  We were awestruck by the beauty of this state, and the friendly, helpful people we met there.”

KLL was also able to accommodate the other wives, some of whom found many things to do at the lodge that did not involve hunting or fishing.

“This trip was one of the best trips we have ever taken,” she remembers. “I don’t think I have ever been more relaxed in my entire life.  Whether it was deep sea fishing for halibut and cod, going out in the bay for whale watching, hiking the mountains, hunting for black sitka deer or caribou, fishing the fresh waters for salmon or trout, walking along the beach and observing the sea otters and seals play in the water, flying to the glaciers, checking out the wildlife and watching bears—or literally doing nothing more than relaxing in the hot tub or eating delicious meals—it was the trip of a lifetime.”

Bald eagles landing just a few feet away, with otters cracking clams on their bellies close enough to see them breathing, “and bears up close and personal.” As they stood on the boat they could see and hear the water spouts of whales.

“Then huge whales would surface,” she says, “and you could watch their majestic tails as they breached the water. It was breathtaking.”

In the evenings they would go down to the beach together to start a big bonfire. They “took the time to breathe,” and to enjoy all the glorious surroundings in a “quiet and private and wonderful” place far from their old Kentucky home.

“After all these years together,” Deana Poston says of hunting and fishing with her husband, “we have something in common. I don’t know that you could ever duplicate the experience we had our first time at KLL, but I will say we cannot wait to get back there and make new memories once again.”

- Deana Poston, Ohio