Lodge Overview

A Prehistoric Scenic Wilderness Retreat — Cabin Rental, Transportation Service & Self-Guided Lodge

Nestled 100 miles west of Homer in a secluded finger cove on Iliamna Lake, our 2000-square-foot log lodge offers a luxury escape managed by Scott James, bringing 45 years of elite Alaskan lodging and fishing experience to your stay.

Purchase Your Alaska Hunting License & Review Your Unit Maps

View Your Hunting Unit Maps

Click your unit below for maps, season dates, bag limits, and open areas to hunt:

Welcome to Bush Pilot Hunter's Retreat Lodge

Bush Pilot Hunter’s Retreat Lodge is a stunning 2,000 square foot log cabin powered by a hybrid solar and diesel generator system, featuring two massive 50ft x 30ft covered decks on the front and back of the lodge overlooking the breathtaking Alaskan wilderness. Guests stay in a spacious 2-story 48ft x 28ft guest cabin, and the entire property is protected by a commercial-grade electric bear fence with four 16-foot gates and a 3-jolt output keeping everyone safe around the clock. The property operates two 8,000 gallon fuel tanks and comes fully equipped with 6 aluminum gas powered boats and 12 sit-on-top kayaks at 13 feet long, all accessible from a dedicated floatplane and boat dock that leads directly up to the roof covered deck. After a successful day in the field the lodge has a full hide, horn and salting room plus a dedicated fish fillet station to handle your harvest properly. When you are not hunting or fishing enjoy the on site archery and gun range, outdoor games, BBQ grill and comfortable outdoor seating — all right here at the lodge. Come stay and enjoy your week at Bush Pilot Hunter’s Retreat Lodge. All Countries Welcome.

Bush Pilot Hunter’s Retreat Lodge operates as three things:

A Cabin Rental — Guests stay in our 2-story guest cabin featuring 8 private units, each 48×28 feet, with a center divider wall that creates a private 10×28-foot unit per guest.
A Transportation Flying Service — Floatplane transport to and from the lodge and fly-out destinations
A Self-Guided Lodge — Everything you need is provided, but you are in charge of your own adventure

This is not a guided outfitter. This is your retreat, your pace, and your experience. The website is your reference guide — if you ever need a reminder on how something works, come back here and read up.

What’s Included in the $16,000/week:

7 nights / 7 days lodging
Fish or hunt moose & caribou from the lodge by boat (Unit 9, on the lake)
Wednesday flyout to Brooks Falls
Friday flyout to Kvichak River (sockeye) or Nushagak River (king salmon)

Add-On Options

Chilikadrotna River 3–4 day float fishing trip — $4,000/person
Mulchatna River 10-day self-guided moose/caribou hunt — $30,000/person

Booking & Payment

The weekly rate is $16,000 per person. All bookings for lodging, fishing, and hunting trips require a 50% deposit at the time of booking, with the remaining balance paid in full within 10 days of booking. There are no refunds once payment is made. We highly recommend purchasing comprehensive trip cancellation insurance before booking.

Special Conditions

No refund of deposit or payment in full for flight delays, bad weather, travel issues, poor fish runs, or emergency closure orders.

Rebooking / Rollover

Cancellations within the 59-day window are non-refundable but your trip can be rolled over to the following year.
We highly recommend purchasing comprehensive trip cancellation insurance for your lodging, hunting, and fishing trips.

What We Provide — Food & Meals

We are all about home-cooked meals. Your food is stocked in chest freezers inside the cabin and in the outdoor food storage area — help yourself and cook whatever you like, whenever you like. The barbecue grill on the deck is ready to use at any time.

Meats & Proteins:

- - New York Strip Steak
  - Spiraled Ham Slices & Whole Ham
  - Baby Back Ribs
  - Chicken Legs & Thighs
  - Pork Chops
  - Ground Beef — for meatballs, hamburger patties, and more
  - Ball Park Hot Dogs
  - Reindeer Sausage
  - Bacon
  - Shredded Steak Patties for cheesesteaks

Fresh & Frozen Seafood:

- - All 5 Species of Salmon Fillets
  - Rainbow Trout
  - Halibut Fillets
  - King Crab
  - Jumbo Freshly Caught Shrimp
  - Frozen Lobster Tails

Pasta & Grains:

- - Lasagna, Rigatoni, Spaghetti & Ziti
  - Prego Tomato Sauce
  - Rice
  - Taco Shells
  - Rolls & Bread

Breakfast:

- - Pancakes & Waffles
  - Bagels
  - Eggs
  - Bacon
  - Lactose Milk
  - Orange Juice, Apple Juice & Cranberry Juice
  - Peanut Butter & Jelly

Vegetables & Sides:

- - Canned Greens, Corn on the Cob
  - Mashed Potatoes & Whole Red Potatoes
  - Macaroni & Cheese
  - Bush Baked Beans
  - Tomatoes & Lettuce
  - Pork Roll

Cheese:

- - American, Swiss, Provolone, Velveeta & Shredded Mozzarella

Desserts & Snacks:

- - Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies
  - Dessert Cakes
  - Pudding

Feel free to look through everything and make whatever you like to eat — the kitchen and grill are all yours. We are here to make sure you are well fed and comfortable throughout your entire stay.

The Boats

There are 2 boats available — 2 people per boat. Each boat is equipped with GPS coordinates to a large number of great fishing locations all around the lake, plus a return home button in case you get lost — just push the button and it will guide you back to the lodge. All boats must be back at the lodge by 1:00 AM. If you are not back within 2 hours after that, we will come and find you — don’t panic, just relax, we will find you.

You will need to fill the gas tank once or twice a day — a full tank lasts approximately 12 hours on the lake. Fishing maps are posted on the wall inside the lodge showing your favorite fish and where to catch them.

Bear Safety

Bear spray is available in every boat. When walking around the lodge property always take bear spray with you. We also advise you to carry a handgun just in case.

Available Hunts — Unit 17B

We provide transportation for

Before booking

Hunters must obtain a valid Alaska hunting license, permits, and tags prior to arrival. A link to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game will be provided for registration, season dates, bag limits, and maps.

What You Need to Bring

- Camera
- Hunting gear — rain gear, marsh boots or hunting boots, chest waders
- Extra wool socks, hunting shirts, dress in layers
- Youth handheld GPS, maps, Hunt X for hunting area locations
- No cell service in these areas — plan accordingly
- Be in good physical shape for your hunt
- Firearms — minimum .300 mag rifle with 180 grain bullets and a .44 mag handgun with 300 grain bear load bullets
- 6-inch knife with sharpener and skinning knife set
- Meat bags — available at Cabela’s, Bass Pro, or Sportsman’s Warehouse
- Hatchet, waterproof matches or lighter, fire starter
- Compass, first aid kit, your medications
- Silicon gun cloth to keep your gun dry and rust free
- Whistle, flare gun, beacon locator with text
- Frame pack to carry out meat
- Flashlight with batteries
- Gun cleaning kit or cleaning bore rope
- Your own towel and water purifier bottle
- 10×25 or 8×42 binoculars
- 20×60 spotting scope
- Thermacell mosquitoe unit extra butane and mats
- Walkie Talkie
- Satellite phone
- Handheld wind locater
- Lightweight rain gear
- Heavy waterproof hunting jacket and pants insulated
- Warm hat
Archery Hunters also bring:
- Extra bow string and accessories
- Extra arrows and broadheads — 400 grains total is best for all big game
- Range finder, binoculars, spotting scope, handheld wind locator
Rafting — Also Bring:
- Waterproof bags for all gear
- Rope
- Hip waders
- Fishing gear
- Hunting gear

What’s Included

- Floatplane transport from the lodge to your put-in point at Dummy Creek via Cessna 206 or DeHavilland Beaver
- All rafts and paddles supplied by the lodge — you raft while you hunt
- Life jackets for all hunters
- Spike camp setup — 8-man stand-up tent, 1 cot, bedding
- Portable electric bear fence with fence tester for camp protection
- All food and cooking supplies — small propane grill, fuel, utensils, plastic dishes, cooler, water, and beverages
- Small chainsaw to cut firewood
- Wood burning stove — wood available on site
- Floatplane retrieval of you and your harvested animal at the take-out point
- Meat care upon return to lodge — debone, vacuum seal, freeze, and package in shipping boxes for your flight home
- 1 gallon of gas to tge chainsaw
  Rafting helmet

Important Notes

- All hunters are fully responsible for their own research and preparation
- All hunters must have a valid Alaska hunting license, permits, and tags before arrival
- Travel light when traveling from your location to the lodge
- Prepare for weather delays — if the floatplane cannot fly, you wait until the weather clears
- All hunts comply with Alaska Department of Fish and Game regulations for Units 9 and Units 19B & 17B

This Website Is Your Reference Guide

We welcome guests from all over the world. If at any point during your stay you need a reminder on how something works — how to operate the boat, how to use your cabin, or what to do with your catch — this website is available in your language at any time. Read through all pages carefully before your arrival so you are fully prepared to enjoy your stay from day one.

Lodge Rules:

All Countries Welcome
Please No Smoking In The Lodge
Life jackets must be worn at all times on the water
All guests must return boats to the lodge by dark — boats are GPS tracked at all times

Meat & Fish Processing:

Once back at the lodge, it is your responsibility to debone your meat
Fillet your fish
Vacuum seal all meat and fish
Freeze everything properly
Package everything in shipping boxes
Prepare it for your flight back home

Your Alaska Adventure Is One Decision Away

The fishing is world-class. The wildlife is breathtaking. The lodge is ready. All that is missing is you. Bush Pilot Hunter’s Retreat Lodge offers one of the most complete and unforgettable wilderness experiences available anywhere in Alaska — and it all starts with securing your week before someone else does.

Spots are limited and the season fills up fast. Whether you are coming to fish, hunt, explore, or simply disconnect from the world and reconnect with nature, this is the trip you will talk about for the rest of your life.

Bush Pilot Hunter's Retreat Lodge