Finally got back out tonight after caribou. I had spotted a small herd about a mile off the west side of the road, but saw a truck parked about 100 yards up, so I went up to them to see if they were there, or if they were stalking those caribou. There were two guys eating hot dogs, and said they hadn' t seen any caribou at all yet. I told them that there were a half dozen or so about a mile off from them, and that I was going to put a stalk on. I told them to head on out if they finish and want to try and cover some more ground... mistake, but who' s to say they wouldn' t of followed me out anyway.

Anyhow, I get out about 3/4 of a mile and I' m working my way around some knolls to stay out of site and try to get in front of them. I only had my 10X25 binocs, so I couldn' t see antlers yet, but I could see nothing but big white manes, so I had a good feeling there were some good bulls in the herd. I finally got close enough to catch antler movement, and from what I could tell, all of the eight caribou in the herd were bulls, and nice ones! Two were exceptional! Probably 45" spreads with 12-18" long top points, great palmation on their bez, but no palmation up top, just lots of long points. I watched them from about 400 yards for a few minutes to see which way they were headed, and once I figured them out, I got way out in front of them. I was behind a 4-5' high knoll that worked east to west about 200 yards long, and got to the middle of it. I got into a nice deep spot in the tundra and worked my way up to the top of the knoll to glass for the bulls. Sure enough, they pop up out of a different knoll and I see eight sets of racks coming right to me about 200 yards out. PERFECT! The bulls were making a b-line right to me, and if they worked to my left or right, all I had to do was work my way up or down the knoll to stay in front of them. The lead bull was a monster! Great width, long points up top, and 4 or 5 of them on each side, long reaching bez and a massive shovel, couldn' t tell if it was double or not though... who cares, he was a pig! They are about 150 yards out now and working right in to me when all of them simotaniously pick their heads up and look off to my left. Here comes dodo hunter walking on top of the knoll, completely skylined and coming right between the caribou and me! Needless to say the bulls geared up and headed back the way they came. DANG!

Well, the bulls didn' t run too far, and I figured they saw him, and not me, so I kept on em. I tried working all the way out and around them, about another 1/2 mile, and I knew light was going to start fading soon, so I worked my way in fairly quickly. Unbeknowest to me, the other guy was doing the same, but walking right to them. He was out of my site, but I could tell something was up since the bulls kept looking back in his direction. I figured this might work to my advantage, so I kept a close eye on the bulls and worked my way around them even more, trying to intercept them if they bolted from this guy again. Sure enough they bolted, but about 200 yards off to my side and into the wide open, so it was time to call it a night.

I caught up to the guy back at the trucks, about a mile and a half walk back, and he appologized up and down, saying he didn' t know where I was, and was just trying to get in front of the bulls. I told him he didn' t know where I was because I wasn' t making myself obvious like he was. It was his first time up here, so I gave him some hints like, don' t skyline yourself, use the knolls you are walking on to your advantage as cover, and if you have to walk straight at them in the wide open, you might as well call it off. I was nice though, and told him I just like getting out, and at least I don' t have to get my hands bloody, but I think he knew I was a tad upset that he ruined a good chance for me. Granted it wasn' t a guarantee, it never is, but I thought I had a great set up.

Well, got to see some dandy bulls and got the adrenaline pumping again. Can' t wait for tomorrow night!