Blog posts are back! We've been busy travelling to Hagerman, visiting with Grandma's, Grandpa's, and Aunts; hunting elk, and missing Dad while he was in Alaska! We're glad to all be back at home safe and sound and back to blogging!
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
We're Back!
Blog posts are back! We've been busy travelling to Hagerman, visiting with Grandma's, Grandpa's, and Aunts; hunting elk, and missing Dad while he was in Alaska! We're glad to all be back at home safe and sound and back to blogging!
Living the Dream
Uncle Will and his cabin. Dad said Uncle Will is "Living the Dream". He certainly has a lot of stuff in his freezer with a Dall Sheep, Moose, and Caribou this hunting season. But, Dad, if Uncle Will is "Living the Dream", why doesn't he have running water and has to poop outside when it is 40 below zero? I don't think I understand Uncles yet...............
Packing up Camp
Dad had quite the trip in Alaska! He said they got 13 caribou between the 7 guys and gals in camp. When can we go to Alaska together, Dad?
Where?
Mid-week of caribou camp was a little slow. Uncle Will convinced everyone to act out a skit on the side of the Dalton Highway........Wow Uncle Will......you must have been really bored!
The Finale
The last day of caribou camp was a spectacular finish! Nick got another bull early in the afternoon. Matt S. followed up with a great bull a few hours later. Matt C. waited until the last possible minute and filled his tag just before the sun went down. Everyone in camp got a caribou!
Nick's Third Bull
Matt S. and his third bull
Matt C. and his last minute bull
Jen's Bull
Jen hunted the year before and hadn't gotten a caribou. On this trip, she missed twice on smaller bulls, before connecting on a great bull the second to last day of the trip. Congratulations!
Dad's Second Caribou
On about Day 10, Dad and Uncle Will decided to hike back to the 5-mile mark to try their luck with rifle hunting. They were in luck, when they got back to 5 miles, they spotted a herd of caribou a mile and a half away (that is lucky, you get to walk another mile and a half!).
The herd was almost 300 animals, and it was difficult to get close enough, even with a rifle. Uncle Will got lucky first and made one shot. Dad heard the shot, and moved around a rock to see the entire herd milling back towards him. After fiddling with frost on the rifle scope, Dad found the bull Uncle Will had nicknamed "Spider Bull" and got a shot at 275 yards.
Dad thought he needed a follow-up shot, but it was hard to see through the rifle scope. He wiped his eye and realized that rifle recoil had cut his nose and eyebrow open on the first shot! After he wiped the blood away it was easier to see and he made the second shot count.
Uncle Will came running over to see how Dad had done and his first words were "What have we done?". It was 6:30 pm (an hour from dark) and they were over 5 miles from the truck. After a couple hours of butchering they loaded up their packs and headed back. They finally got back to camp at 4:30 am the next morning with Dad's bull. After 4 hours of sleep, they headed back out to retrieve Will's bull. What a day!
The herd was almost 300 animals, and it was difficult to get close enough, even with a rifle. Uncle Will got lucky first and made one shot. Dad heard the shot, and moved around a rock to see the entire herd milling back towards him. After fiddling with frost on the rifle scope, Dad found the bull Uncle Will had nicknamed "Spider Bull" and got a shot at 275 yards.
Dad thought he needed a follow-up shot, but it was hard to see through the rifle scope. He wiped his eye and realized that rifle recoil had cut his nose and eyebrow open on the first shot! After he wiped the blood away it was easier to see and he made the second shot count.
Uncle Will came running over to see how Dad had done and his first words were "What have we done?". It was 6:30 pm (an hour from dark) and they were over 5 miles from the truck. After a couple hours of butchering they loaded up their packs and headed back. They finally got back to camp at 4:30 am the next morning with Dad's bull. After 4 hours of sleep, they headed back out to retrieve Will's bull. What a day!
Nick's Fox
Nick got a really neat cross fox one day as well. Dad and the caribou gang saw a lot of foxes, but only got two during the trip.
Ptarmagin
Dad got his first Ptarmagin ever around mid-trip. The Ptarmagin molted the remainder of their brown feathers while Dad was in Alaska for their winter white plumage
.
Grayling!
The caribou camp was just off of the Sag river. The river was full of Artic grayling. If you could keep your lure from snagging ice, you could catch a grayling on almost every cast!
Frost
The temperatures in Alaska were in the zeros at night and 20's during the day. The weather was nice almost every day, but there was still some ice fog and snow from time to time.
Travis' Caribou
Travis made it to camp on Day 7. Everyone thought he'd be there on Day 6, but there was a mix-up on the plane ticket scheduling. No worry, he didn't miss much on Day 6 and he got his caribou on his first day in camp! Lucky Day #7! Nice work!
Matt's Caribou
Matt and Jen hunted with Dad on day 5 because Uncle Will was sick. They didn't have much luck until just after lunch time. Then, 4 bulls came off the mountain and into the pass area. Matt and Jen set-up to make a stalk and Dad went ahead with the truck in case they got around them.
Unfortunately, as Matt and Jen were setting up, two subsistence hunters spotted the bulls and set-up with rifles (only subsistence hunters can use rifles within 5 miles of the road). They shot two of the bulls before they got to Matt and Jen.
Fortunately, the remaining two bulls headed back towards the pass and Matt was able to cut them off. He had three tags in his pocket, and he managed to get a shot on both of the bulls! Congratulations!
Unfortunately, as Matt and Jen were setting up, two subsistence hunters spotted the bulls and set-up with rifles (only subsistence hunters can use rifles within 5 miles of the road). They shot two of the bulls before they got to Matt and Jen.
Fortunately, the remaining two bulls headed back towards the pass and Matt was able to cut them off. He had three tags in his pocket, and he managed to get a shot on both of the bulls! Congratulations!
Nick's Caribou
Nick got the second caribou of the trip. His shot was a little far back, so they waited for the caribou to bed down. While they were waiting, another herd showed up, so Will and Nick climbed back up the hill to put a stalk on them. Dad stayed near the road to watch the bedded down bull.
The stalk went really well, and Nick and Will got to 60 yards of the herd. Meanwhile, the AK State Troopers stopped by to visit with Dad. After talking for a few minutes the Trooper, Leo, said "are you Will's brother?". Seems Uncle Will is notorious in Alaska! Dad responded, "of course".
The Troopers stopped because a herd of over 100 caribou was headed right for Will and Nick. They were both so focused on the 18 feeding caribou in front of them that they didn't realize 100 caribou were coming right behind them. It wasn't until the Troopers and Dad started laughing 1/4 mile away on the road, that Nick turned and saw the lead cow at 15 yards!
The entire herd went by both Nick and Will, and Will shot the trailing bull that had been wounded earlier. The hunters that were chasing the wounded bull were happy that Will finally stopped their caribou. Fortunately for Will, we had plenty of caribou meat, and the other hunter's owned the Fairbanks auto repair shop - something that would come in handy by the end of the trip!
The stalk went really well, and Nick and Will got to 60 yards of the herd. Meanwhile, the AK State Troopers stopped by to visit with Dad. After talking for a few minutes the Trooper, Leo, said "are you Will's brother?". Seems Uncle Will is notorious in Alaska! Dad responded, "of course".
The Troopers stopped because a herd of over 100 caribou was headed right for Will and Nick. They were both so focused on the 18 feeding caribou in front of them that they didn't realize 100 caribou were coming right behind them. It wasn't until the Troopers and Dad started laughing 1/4 mile away on the road, that Nick turned and saw the lead cow at 15 yards!
The entire herd went by both Nick and Will, and Will shot the trailing bull that had been wounded earlier. The hunters that were chasing the wounded bull were happy that Will finally stopped their caribou. Fortunately for Will, we had plenty of caribou meat, and the other hunter's owned the Fairbanks auto repair shop - something that would come in handy by the end of the trip!
First Caribou!
Dad got the first caribou in camp on the third day with bow and arrow. Uncle Will pushed a herd of about 20 towards Nick, Jen, Matt, and Dad twice in the afternoon. The first time, they went within 20 yards of Dad, but he couldn't see them around the rock he was hiding by. The second time, Dad was able to get a shot at 45 yards and got the biggest bull of the group!
Earlier that day, Dad also got a red fox - what a day. When everyone got back to camp the northern lights were glowing green and red right over the tent - really neat! Since it was October 1st, Dad was convinced that he'd lost his job during the government shut-down......what else could have resulted in so much good fortune!
Wildlife!
Dad saw wolves, grizzly bears, dall sheep, musk ox, fox, and caribou in Alaska! Wow, I didn't know that many animals lived where all you can see is snow!
Alaska!
Dad got back from Alaska last week. He was gone forever and we missed him like crazy. He and Uncle Will had a lot of stories from the Arctic Circle - looks cold up there!
Horse Ride
We went to Ella and Eva's house this weekend to ride horses. Their parents, Chris and Brittany let me ride three of their horses! Even Dad tried it out - way to go Dad - you finally got on a horse!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
