*2022 AK Caribou Hunt* DIY Archery

[160class]

Tagged

[slayr]

Lol what? You must not watch very much YouTube haha. If you don’t have to confidence in yourself, or equipment you can just outright say so I was the person behind the camera filming his shot and can assure you that this wasn’t a “poke” for either of us. It also wasn’t a spray and pray scenario either. Trust me, we did our due diligence when it came to preparation for this trip and then some… No one goes to Alaska to hunt, unprepared. At least not on purpose. Since it was such an “unethical” shot I’d really like for you to tell me where the arrow hit or didn’t hit.

No need to defend yourself man. Keep on keeping on. Looking forward to the next video!!

[Bh_liberty]

This is awesome. I’m in


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[tkuehn5410]

Loving the write up and video!!! Keep it coming, please!!!!

[texan16]

Come on Paul Harvey........Give us the REST OF THE STORY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[diamond10x]

https://youtu.be/yAFePS9w61Y

[diamond10x]

[ame="http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yAFePS9w61Y"]BOW HUNTING ALASKA | Barren Ground Caribou EP. 2 - YouTube[/ame]

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Day 2 continued…

We sat there on that knob behind the glass for a good 4 or 5 hours, passing time cracking jokes, eating lunch, and cleaning the ptarmigan we had killed earlier in the day. It was probably around 6:00pm or so I was getting anxious and couldn’t sit no more. I told Brad I was going to go over the other side just to glass a little bit in case there were some caribou down in the next draw or behind us that we couldn’t see. I didn’t make it very far and there was a small bull in a great spot to take a chance at. I hurried back to grab my bow and get Brad. We had talked earlier that if it had a pair of nuts and was in a spot we could get to we might as well try for it. We watched this little bull for a few minutes before we decided which route would be best to crawl in on him. Right before I take off to start my approach we have a cow and a calf just come trotting you from 600-700 yards away all the way up to about 15 yards. How can we be so lucky for this cow and calf to do this right when we decide to stalk this bull.


The cow and calf finally spook and run off, thankfully it’s the opposite direction of the target bull and he never sees them. We continue our stalk and get to about 120 yards. From here I start my belly crawl. Crawling from one small willow to the next. Picking up my bow and setting it just out of reach each time to stay as low as possible. I get to 50 yards and the bull is still pre-occupied with his head down facing away feeding. I slow way down and try to keep as quiet as I can. I have a perfect path to get closer. I decide to keep moving in as this bull is busy feeding with his head buried in a willow bush. I make it to 35 yards and decide that’s it. I sit there and watch this bull for a few minutes contemplating. Getting up this close my mind starts to change. I had said if I got to within a certain distance I would take a shot. He’s not much bigger than a cow and far from mature. I just can’t take the shot. I didn’t drive 20+ hours to put my tag on an animal that still has a lot of life to live. By now, I’ve sat up and just enjoying being close to this caribou. I decide I’ll knock an arrow and draw on him for practice’ sake. He finally notices me and slowly moves out, offering me about a dozen opportunities the whole way. After that excitement it’s about 8:00 so we head back to camp to cook the birds and eat dinner.

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Day 3

We wake the next morning with high hopes, surely today has to be as good as the last day and a half. We make the hour and a half trek back to our glassing knob all the while filled with lots of anticipation. The way over there is no where near the amount of caribou from the days before. We glass about about a dozen caribou several miles away but that’s it. The hill that half the caribou seemed to come over the day before is completely void of anything. The one thing that hasn’t changed from the day before is caribou coming in from this one saddle and making their way through to this other saddle, all headed north. There is two bulls that have been feeding in bedding out there all day that we have been watching to pass time. A little before lunch time we have a group of hunters come hiking up the creek we had been following. They set up down in the bottom of the bowl/lake we’ve been watching. I don’t think they ever saw us or if they did they were pulling a real a hole move but it is what it is. The hunters don’t stay but maybe an hour and a half and leave.

The whole time we’ve watched these two bulls for enjoyment/entertainment. Once we have the place to ourselves we decide why not just give it a shot. We can’t kill them if we don’t try. Both bulls are big enough we can tell they have nice tops and bez/shovel. Only there’s one problem, it is about 2 miles to get there. The bulls feed and bed down, feed and bed down, all while staying in the general same area. We should have a chance at them if they continue to do so. We pack up and haul butt over to them. We have one last ridge to make it over to be able to see them again and we can make a play.

We get just about to the top so we can crawl up and see where they’re at when the second worst thing that could happen happens. Two hunters crest the ridge across from us. They’re headed right towards the bulls in this draw. They’re preoccupied packing out a bull but at the same time there is no way they don’t see us working in because they’re on higher ground. They walk straight into this draw and not 10 seconds later we see those two caribou bull blow out of there and head for the hills. Discouraged, defeated, and tired we sit down to rest a big and refuel. The decision is made to head back to camp and go glass the area we watched last, yesterday. We finish up eating and get to hoofing it. All in all we had 6.5 miles or so done by 3:00pm. At 4:00pm we hop in the truck with hopes that it can only get better up ahead. We do a little driving and glassing with not much luck other than finding a small bull making tracks across the tundra.

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Day 4

We wake up and today put in some windshield time to see if the herd is in a different area. We put some miles in to not much avail. I think we saw 2 or 3 bulls that were small to okay, 2 of the 3 in bad spots. One was in a good spot but as we tried to put a plan together the bugs must have got to him and he took off on a dead sprint across the tundra for about a mile then stopped and started feeding again. Not at all uncommon behavior for caribou. They are a very odd creature and completely unlike any other deer species.

We come to a place we can pull over and glass a ton of ground. We see a number of caribou and a number of nice bulls but they’re all too far to even think about trying anything. With an average of 1 mph hiking through the tundra there’s just no way you can catch up to these animals unless you’re already ahead of them. Sure enough we aren’t there an hour and we glass up several nice bulls but only one is even within distance of considering. I’m guessing a mile or a little further. I watch him work his way into a little draw/creek and hang out there for several hours. Finally I decide I’m going to make a move on him. As I’m talking it through in my head I see two hunters about half a mile away from me heading straight toward him. They made first move or at least are headed in his direction so I yield to them. We watch for several hours and the guys make it to probably 200-300 yards of where he is and they can’t find this bull. We’ve lost him as well. The hunters turn around and head back to where they came from.

We make the decision to go get fuel in Deadhorse and while there we’ll eat at the Aurora cafeteria. The 45 minute drive goes by with not much excitement. One caribou and lots of speckled belly geese is about all we saw. As soon as we get into deadhorse we come across some giant caribou feeding right on the side of the road, would make one heck of an easy shot. Only problem is they’re right by the airport and within the no hunting zone. Diesel is about 8.40$ a gallon but thankfully we only need 3/4 of a tank. After that eye gouge we enjoy some nice hot chicken Alfredo, pork minestrone soup, and desert bread. Over dinner we discuss options and opinions for the next day. We figure it might be best to split up to cover more ground hoping that will improve our odds. My plan is to head out really early and get back into position between those two saddles we’ve seen caribou filter through everyday we’ve been here. Brad wants to take the truck and head up the road and do some hiking in up there where we haven’t gone yet. Bellies full and spirits lifted we head back to our camp to try again tomorrow.

[C.Read]

Tagged for the rest of the story!

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Day 5

I left the tent by 4:00am. I’m tired and want to sleep more but I’ve got to do this or I’ll be wondering what could have happened. I make it between the two saddles by 7:30. It was about 4 miles one way, probably 3-3.5 from camp as the crow flies. I’m sitting there eating a bar and having a protein shake when movement catches my eye from my right. I turn and look and low and behold is a really nice bull just feeding along, sort of headed in my direction at about 600 yards or so. From where I am I can’t make any move as he will pick me off and be long gone. I watch him feed and work his way into the draw that is between us. He’s headed down this draw in the direction of a small lake which will give me a chance to ambush or stalk up on him.

I shuck my backpack and make a move to try and get into position. I crawl on my hands and knees up until about 175 yards or so, from here I figure I’ll need to belly crawl. Before I can get down to crawl something pops up between me and this caribou. I can’t exactly see what it is but I know it’s not good. At first glance I think it’s a grizzly cub then I realize it’s a wolverine. Still not a good thing. The wolverine can’t make up his mind if he wants to mess with the caribou or mess with me. He hops around for a bit and all that’s going through my head is I really hope this thing doesn’t come after me because I don’t want to have to shoot him and put my caribou tag on it. I start to crawl around in front of the direction the bull is facing to get closer as well as hopefully lose this wolverine. I get to around 100 yards from the bull and he spooks. I don’t know if it was from me or the wolverine but I can’t help but think it was from me and kick myself instead of doing this or that, that it would have unfolded much differently.

Discouraged, defeated, and tired I pick myself up and decide I’m not going to let it get me down. One thing I’ve learned about the tundra, although relatively flat and desolate, it has a lot of hiding places. I sit and glass for an hour or so and contemplate. I decide if the caribou aren’t moving, I’m bound to find another bull in one of these draws if I just hike in a general direction. So that’s what I decide to do. I crest ridge after ridge, slosh through one creek/draw after another for several miles. I eventually come upon a caribou deadhead in the tundra. I spend a few minutes digging it out to get a look at the whole thing. I admire it and wish I could put my hands on one of my own. I carry it to the top of a ridge and place it on a small willow bush at the top. A tradition I’ve continued on from my native side of the family. I continue on my trek to find a bull. When it was all said and done I did 14-15 miles through the tundra that day, never finding another bull. All I saw was 3 cows and a calf the rest of that entire day over that entire hike even while being able to see several miles in every direction the whole way.




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[TildenHunter]

Great thread!

[adam_p]

If Josh Bowmar did that shot y'all would be roasting him.

[diamond10x]

Day 6

We slept in as I definitely needed it. The plan was to fish for a bit down at the river before we went to where we had glassed later in the day for several evenings. This would give my feet a little rest and to change it up a bit, catching a few grayling. We each caught several grayling in the couple pools we fished but decided it was time to get back to the talk at hand. We loaded up and headed down the road. We got set up and started glassing for about 30min to an hour when we found a small bull well within striking distance. He was small but none the less legal. I told Brad I had to make an attempt because at this point we’re seeing less and less everyday. I scramble to get my boots on and grab my backpack. I take off and get to where I think this bull will come through. I make good timing to get there. As I’m sitting 3/4 of the way up this ridge watching and waiting I can’t help but notice this dark spot in these willows down in this draw across from me.

Sure as can be it’s the tops of a a caribou bulls antlers, he’s bedded down. My heart starts to race in excitement. I realize it’s a good bull, possibly the one I saw the other day over here. It’s in the exact spot he disappeared before the other hunters gave up on him. I tear off down the side of this ridge, cross a creek and start to ease up a ridge that I hope will be about 100 yards from him, then sneak in and set up for a shot when he stands up. As I ease up over this ridge between us I can’t seem to find him. I pick the area apart but can’t find him. There’s no way he got out of there without me at least seeing him. I decide to backtrack and make about a mile loop to glass from a different vantage point in hopes to see him from a different angle. I glass and glass and glass but can’t find him. There is no possible way I spooked him out or he just moved out of there without me seeing him. I decide it’s now or never as there’s no sense in waiting here any longer if he isn’t even in this draw. I’ll go back to where I started, knock and arrow, and ease in there.

I get back to where I started and I don’t make it 10 yards and he comes climbing up out of this creek/draw to feed. I drop down and hide behind this lone willow bush. I range him and he’s 150 yards, 50-60 yards out of my max range. I can’t do anything but lay there and watch. I watch him mill around and feed for a good hour at about 120-150. Finally he decides to get back down in this creek/draw between us. Perfect! This will give me cover to get in tight without him ever knowing. The wind is perfect, in my face but not too much in case I need to air out a long shot. I slowly creep up, willow to willow, tussock to tussock. I’m finally to 65 yards about 45 min later from when he last went in the creek. I can see the tops of his antlers to range and also gauge what he’s doing. I make it to 60 yards and decide I’ll draw and stand. I do and I can only see from his gut to his tail, vitals and forward is covered by a bush. As I let down and crouch back down the wind swirls and blows towards him. I can see him sniffing in the air as luckily my wind is floating over him more so than blowing right to him. I start to move over to my left to hopefully get an angle I can slip an arrow through. I finally almost get to that spot all the while dealing with the wind swirling every so often. Of course this would happen. I decide it’s now or never. I’m going to stop here and wait for him to either take a step back into the creek or step up fully into the willows and let it fly.

His antlers rock back and forth like he’s about to step up into the willows to see what he thinks he keeps getting whiffs of. He’s 50 yards the last time I ranged him. I draw and get ready, I get to full draw and he steps up into the open, he looks like he’s gotten a hair further. He’s not alarmed so I whistle to make sure he stops. He stops broadside and stares at me. I float his vitals between my 50 and 60 and pins. In my head all I’m telling myself is “don’t try to be fancy and follow through, don’t try to be fancy and follow through”. My release goes off and it feels great but I can’t see my arrow. Everything is in slow motion and has been since I drew back. I just about begin to panic because I can’t see my arrow even at 50-60 yards. Then I see his hide just open up and blood come out. Immediately I knew it was a dead caribou. Double lunged. He took off on a dead sprint down the draw along the creek. He made it about 70 yards before he came to a skidding butt over nose flip stop. It was all over. Brad had watched this entire thing unfold through the spotting scope. What a relief, what a sense of accomplishment, and what a ride this week has been with some highs and lots of lows.

I took pictures as it was still a bit before Brad could get there and it was getting late. Brad got there and we broke the bull down pretty quick. It was starting to get dark so we hurried to get going as we didn’t want to be crossing creeks with thick brush in grizz country with loaded packs of meat in the dark. We made it back to camp at 2:00am that night.





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