Weekend caribou trip
09-28-2009, 12:28 PM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Fairbanks, Alaska
Posts: 1,665
Weekend caribou trip
Went for a quick 270 mile round trip to the caribou migrating grounds on Saturday. Found where they were crossing and headed out about a mile off the road in knee deep snow to find the main trail. The early snow makes the caribou follow in toe, so if you find the main beaten path, there's a good chance they'll come by.
The ground wasn't frozen yet, so in addition to the snow, the soft, spongy tundra made it more difficult to walk, then there are the hidden tussoks that trip you up. Probably some of the more difficult traversing that I've done, and when I finally got to the caribou trail, I was feeling it already. I kicked up a bunch of snow to make a partial blind 20 yards off the trail. It was right off a small hill about 30 feet high but fairly steep, so they wouldn't see me until they were already down and in range. Herds of 40-80 were passing through every 45 minutes to an hour, so I watched a herd pass before I set up, and patiently waited out the next group that I could see several miles off heading my way. After half an hour or so, the herd dropped out of sight about 1/2 mile away, so I kept looking for them to crest over the ridge and come my way. I got a little lazy, and wasn't paying attention for a second. I looked back to my right and the lead cow is staring at me from about 150 yards away. I thought I messed it all up, but the other caribou kept on and she came with them. I was quickly back in my snow blind, knocked an arrow and ready to go. I was able to stand up and peek over the top of the hill and here comes antlers!
The first bull was a biggun, but surrounded by cows. They came right on the trail I set up off of, and none even looked my direction. They were going south and were focused on the butt in front of them. When the first big bull appeared, I drew back, but couldn't get a shot. I saw two more mature bulls in the herd, one in the middle and one in the back. I didn't have a chance to size them up, but I figured I'd better take a poke at the middle one or I might have to watch all of them just pass on by if I couldn't get a shot at the last one. My opening came, so I grunted enough to stop him, which amazingly he did, and I let the arrow fly. 40 yards down the hill and he ran out of gas, started losing his legs and piled over. I look back to where I shot him and the only bou standing there is the third big bull, and he was BIG! Well, extra tag in my pocket, 4 more arrows in my quiver... tempting, but I had a long pack out so I passed. He quickly rejoined the herd and after grunting at my bull for a minute or so the whole herd moved on down the trail. I started gathering my stuff and look back at the trail. Oh man, here they are, the big boys following behind. Two absolute monsters and one was probably a 400" Booner. No idea I was there, and here I sit with a dillema. Dammit, I'll pass, I'm gonna beat myself to death getting one out of here, the last thing I need to do is shoot another.
I'm still back and forth if it was the right thing to do or not. I carried all the scrap meat/backstraps, heart etc. in a game bag slung over my shoulder with my pack and bow on the first load. When I finally got back to the truck I was spent. Luckily I had my Dead Sled to drag the quarters, cape and head from my bull back and it wasn't too bad since it made me traverse the spongy ground much slower, but it was dark by the time I got him back to the road after two round trips. One side of the rack kept tipping over and dredging snow behind me making a big drag. It wasn't so bad on level ground, but the last 1/2 mile or more was uphill. If I had to make two more trips, I would have been ruined. But, looking back I think it would have been worth it for that big boy.
The bull I got wasn't bad by any means, actually one of the taller racked bulls I have taken. Unfortunately he didn't have any shovels. The important part of the trip was to get some meat as we are fresh out of caribou and got skunked on our moose hunt this year. He'll make a great freezer filler. Back home, cleaned up and in bed by 1am. Not a bad little 15 hour hunt.
The ground wasn't frozen yet, so in addition to the snow, the soft, spongy tundra made it more difficult to walk, then there are the hidden tussoks that trip you up. Probably some of the more difficult traversing that I've done, and when I finally got to the caribou trail, I was feeling it already. I kicked up a bunch of snow to make a partial blind 20 yards off the trail. It was right off a small hill about 30 feet high but fairly steep, so they wouldn't see me until they were already down and in range. Herds of 40-80 were passing through every 45 minutes to an hour, so I watched a herd pass before I set up, and patiently waited out the next group that I could see several miles off heading my way. After half an hour or so, the herd dropped out of sight about 1/2 mile away, so I kept looking for them to crest over the ridge and come my way. I got a little lazy, and wasn't paying attention for a second. I looked back to my right and the lead cow is staring at me from about 150 yards away. I thought I messed it all up, but the other caribou kept on and she came with them. I was quickly back in my snow blind, knocked an arrow and ready to go. I was able to stand up and peek over the top of the hill and here comes antlers!
The first bull was a biggun, but surrounded by cows. They came right on the trail I set up off of, and none even looked my direction. They were going south and were focused on the butt in front of them. When the first big bull appeared, I drew back, but couldn't get a shot. I saw two more mature bulls in the herd, one in the middle and one in the back. I didn't have a chance to size them up, but I figured I'd better take a poke at the middle one or I might have to watch all of them just pass on by if I couldn't get a shot at the last one. My opening came, so I grunted enough to stop him, which amazingly he did, and I let the arrow fly. 40 yards down the hill and he ran out of gas, started losing his legs and piled over. I look back to where I shot him and the only bou standing there is the third big bull, and he was BIG! Well, extra tag in my pocket, 4 more arrows in my quiver... tempting, but I had a long pack out so I passed. He quickly rejoined the herd and after grunting at my bull for a minute or so the whole herd moved on down the trail. I started gathering my stuff and look back at the trail. Oh man, here they are, the big boys following behind. Two absolute monsters and one was probably a 400" Booner. No idea I was there, and here I sit with a dillema. Dammit, I'll pass, I'm gonna beat myself to death getting one out of here, the last thing I need to do is shoot another.
I'm still back and forth if it was the right thing to do or not. I carried all the scrap meat/backstraps, heart etc. in a game bag slung over my shoulder with my pack and bow on the first load. When I finally got back to the truck I was spent. Luckily I had my Dead Sled to drag the quarters, cape and head from my bull back and it wasn't too bad since it made me traverse the spongy ground much slower, but it was dark by the time I got him back to the road after two round trips. One side of the rack kept tipping over and dredging snow behind me making a big drag. It wasn't so bad on level ground, but the last 1/2 mile or more was uphill. If I had to make two more trips, I would have been ruined. But, looking back I think it would have been worth it for that big boy.
The bull I got wasn't bad by any means, actually one of the taller racked bulls I have taken. Unfortunately he didn't have any shovels. The important part of the trip was to get some meat as we are fresh out of caribou and got skunked on our moose hunt this year. He'll make a great freezer filler. Back home, cleaned up and in bed by 1am. Not a bad little 15 hour hunt.
09-28-2009, 12:44 PM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Central Pennsylvania
Posts: 2,313
Awesome hunt!! Congrats. Hind sight is always 20/20. Personally I'd have said the heck with it and flung the arrow at the big one. But then again different people and its easy to sit here in pa having never been up there to say that.
Good work and congrats. Fine bull!!
Ryan.
Good work and congrats. Fine bull!!
Ryan.
09-28-2009, 12:53 PM
#3
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Mont County, Pa
Posts: 7,368
Once again, you da man! Congrats on a well thought out hunt and a nice kill. You do work hard at it up there don't you?
At what type of facility was the last pic taken? Just curious.
At what type of facility was the last pic taken? Just curious.
Last edited by early in; 09-28-2009 at 12:55 PM.
09-28-2009, 01:16 PM
#4
Fork Horn
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Snydersville PA
Posts: 101
Congrats on the nice Bou. Yea I can sit here on the couch and say I'd have flung an arrow at the big bull, but its totally different when you have to start making trips back and forth to pack both out. Either way great bull!
09-28-2009, 09:11 PM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Fairbanks, Alaska
Posts: 1,665
The last pic is in a large utilities complex. I have an office and laboratory that I run in there and there are some large bays where I can process my game. He's all wrapped up and in the freezer already. 
Thanks for the congrats. As for not shooting the second one, you can see the time of day that I got back to the truck. I brought a sleeping bag out with me just in case, but really didn't want to use it. I've packed these things up to a couple of miles and knew that I was up against some tough conditions to get it back.
Thanks for the congrats. As for not shooting the second one, you can see the time of day that I got back to the truck. I brought a sleeping bag out with me just in case, but really didn't want to use it. I've packed these things up to a couple of miles and knew that I was up against some tough conditions to get it back.
