My son, Josh is a Sniper Team Leader Stationed at JBER Alaska. With him being stationed there, it was a great opportunity for me to come up and do a DIY Caribou hunt. Hunting in Alaska was kinda a bucket list thing for me...
Josh, his friend, Kevin, and I ended up hunting from the Mt Prindle campground off the Steese. The day before opening day we investigated 12 Mile Summit but it was an absolute zoo. Probably close to 100 vehicles with ATVs there. With us being backpack only, there was just no way we were going to be able to compete, so went back to the Mt. Prindle campground, which was no ATV access. Opening morning we climbed up and hunted the basin south of the campground.
When envisioning this hunt, the terrain was nothing like I expected. It was much more vertical than the rolling tundra I imagined. Mountainous with a lot of vertical. Had never experienced tussocks. They easily triple the normal effort required to walk with a pack. Opening morning was pretty busy, apparently pushing out most of the Caribou out of the basin. But by about 2 PM, they started filtering back in.
Kevin made the first kill, a small bull. While we were dressing and quartering his bull, another small herd came in from the northeast containing a couple of ok bulls. Josh and I started across the basin to try and intercept them. Josh actually ran across the last 1/2 mile to get in position. Given the tussocks and lichen, it was pretty impressive to 55 year old me. Things worked out and Josh shot the largest bull. The rest of the heard circled around behind me and I was able to take the next best bull. Then the work started... serious effort required to backpack out three Caribou bulls in that terrain. Took us two days. Was very concerned that a bear, wolves, or wolverine would get our animals before we were done but good fortune was with us. Didn’t even hear any wolves.
I used a Beanland built 6.5 Creedmoor shooting 140gr Berger Elite Hunters at 2790. Killed the bull fine. Exited fine but I’m not sure I’ll continue using them. Double lung shot at about 200 yards but both sides of the rib cage were completely blood shot from behind the shoulder to the last rib. I like tissue damage, as that leads to quick kills, but this was just too much. Thinking I may try ABLRs next. Josh shot his with 140gr American Gunner Ammo and it worked fine, but much less bloodshot.
1st Caribou hunt and I enjoyed it more than words can describe. The immensity and grandeur of that country cannot be overstated. Simply magnificent.
Josh and his bull.
Me and my bull.
Josh, his friend, Kevin, and I ended up hunting from the Mt Prindle campground off the Steese. The day before opening day we investigated 12 Mile Summit but it was an absolute zoo. Probably close to 100 vehicles with ATVs there. With us being backpack only, there was just no way we were going to be able to compete, so went back to the Mt. Prindle campground, which was no ATV access. Opening morning we climbed up and hunted the basin south of the campground.
When envisioning this hunt, the terrain was nothing like I expected. It was much more vertical than the rolling tundra I imagined. Mountainous with a lot of vertical. Had never experienced tussocks. They easily triple the normal effort required to walk with a pack. Opening morning was pretty busy, apparently pushing out most of the Caribou out of the basin. But by about 2 PM, they started filtering back in.
Kevin made the first kill, a small bull. While we were dressing and quartering his bull, another small herd came in from the northeast containing a couple of ok bulls. Josh and I started across the basin to try and intercept them. Josh actually ran across the last 1/2 mile to get in position. Given the tussocks and lichen, it was pretty impressive to 55 year old me. Things worked out and Josh shot the largest bull. The rest of the heard circled around behind me and I was able to take the next best bull. Then the work started... serious effort required to backpack out three Caribou bulls in that terrain. Took us two days. Was very concerned that a bear, wolves, or wolverine would get our animals before we were done but good fortune was with us. Didn’t even hear any wolves.
I used a Beanland built 6.5 Creedmoor shooting 140gr Berger Elite Hunters at 2790. Killed the bull fine. Exited fine but I’m not sure I’ll continue using them. Double lung shot at about 200 yards but both sides of the rib cage were completely blood shot from behind the shoulder to the last rib. I like tissue damage, as that leads to quick kills, but this was just too much. Thinking I may try ABLRs next. Josh shot his with 140gr American Gunner Ammo and it worked fine, but much less bloodshot.
1st Caribou hunt and I enjoyed it more than words can describe. The immensity and grandeur of that country cannot be overstated. Simply magnificent.
Josh and his bull.
Me and my bull.
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