Successful caribou/moose hunt

[cuervosail]

Many HBC’ers have tales about planning, anticipation, the hunt finally arriving. So, I thought I’d start out differently ….. ah screw it.
For the past few years, I’ve been hoping to convince my hunting partner that we should switch things up and instead of floating a river, we should fork out the extra cash and do a fly-in hunt. When, last winter, he said he was up for it to say I was more than pleased would be an understatement. Some helpful advice from a friend who successfully tagged a caribou last season, plenty of looking over Google Earth and topo maps and we had our destination chosen by February. A couple of calls to BC Yukon Air to arrange a suitable date and we were all set to head off into the mountains.
Fast forward to September and finally we were underway from the lower mainland. We have driven to Ft. Nelson a few times over the past few years but this year’s drive up to Dease Lake seemed to take a heckuva lot longer. The road got narrower and narrower as we headed north but did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm in our group.Many HBC’ers have tales about planning, anticipation, the hunt finally arriving. So, I thought I’d start out differently ….. ah screw it.
For the past few years, I’ve been hoping to convince my hunting partner that we should switch things up and instead of floating a river, we should fork out the extra cash and do a fly-in hunt. When, last winter, he said he was up for it to say I was more than pleased would be an understatement. Some helpful advice from a friend who successfully tagged a caribou last season, plenty of looking over Google Earth and topo maps and we had our destination chosen by February. A couple of calls to BC Yukon Air to arrange a suitable date and we were all set to head off into the mountains.
Fast forward to September and finally we were underway from the lower mainland. We have driven to Ft. Nelson a few times over the past few years but this year’s drive up to Dease Lake seemed to take a heckuva lot longer. The road got narrower and narrower as we headed north but did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm in our group.
https://i.imgur.com/wteOxcl.jpg

[cuervosail]

We got to Dease Lake the day before our flight out, checked in at the floatbase to determine our departure time the next day and spent another anticipation-filled night in a nearby campground.

Finally, it was go-day. We got to the floatbase early and while we waited for flight arrangements to be sorted, we chatted with another group who were headed to NoTellUm Lake for a second year.

Our group headed out first and as the Beaver taxied around to clear the condensation on the windshield, it finally sunk in that our trip was about to happen.

https://i.imgur.com/zKwiN9p.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/L3MqooX.jpg

[Knute]

Looking forward to this....

[604redneck]

More!!!!!!!

[cuervosail]

It took a couple of flights to get everyone and our gear to our destination and by early afternoon, camp was set up and we were enjoying the peace and quiet of a northern lake. We spent a couple of hours that day scouting some of the nearby terrain and getting a lay of the land.

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https://i.imgur.com/MR1fRt1.jpg

[cuervosail]

https://i.imgur.com/MR1fRt1.jpg

[cuervosail]

Damn imgur

[cuervosail]

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[cuervosail]

Everyone was up early on opening morning, only to find we were socked in with low lying fog and a good amount of wet snow. Those conditions stayed with us throughout the first day, which made for difficult glassing conditions. Nevertheless, we came across a couple of small groups of caribou, none of which were legal but buoyed our spirits for the week ahead.


https://i.imgur.com/lcUSVbh.jpg

[cuervosail]

The sky began to lift on Day 2 which helped to reveal the splendour of the mountains in beautiful fall colours. Sightings of more caribou – although, once again, no legal bulls – made for good story-telling when we re-grouped at camp at the end of the day.

https://i.imgur.com/JGEYQ4h.jpg

[cuervosail]

https://i.imgur.com/qmmenxH.jpg

[cuervosail]

We awoke to a thick frost on the tents on the morning of Day 3. Our plan was to leave base camp and set up a couple of spike camps – three of us somewhere in a nearby valley and the other two guys farther north. It was a glorious sunny day with a light breeze. Soon after we got across the lake and began our hike in, a casual look to the skyline and sure enough, there was a bull. A check with the binos confirmed he had the requisite 5 points where they needed to be.

The adrenaline quickly began to pump in the other two guys who were with me. For me, not so much. They were both new to caribou hunting but I have 23 years’ experience of successfully guiding hunters to trophy caribou in the Northwest Territories to rely on. Trying to get the point across that there was plenty of time to make a stalk on the bull was not easy. Impatience and excitement ruled the morning.

We used the lay of the land to get within about 600 yards below the bull and then ran out of cover. He was bedded down and obviously not going anywhere – although this point was hard to get across to my buddies. After much discussion, some more waiting, a bit of mid-morning snacking, we made a plan to break across some open ground and get below the hill where we would be out of sight and could then close the gap.

[cuervosail]

My guiding experience kicked in to high gear and the plan worked to a tee. We dropped our packs once we were within what I thought was a couple of hundred yards of where we last had seen the bull. Slowly, we crept up the hill, me in the lead, scanning the skyline with each step for the telltale sign of those antler tops.

Bingo – there he was, head down feeding in pretty much the same spot we saw him last. I dropped back a few steps, out of sight of the bull, whispered and pointed to my buddies, “He’s 120 yards, broadside. Creep up here and take him.”

And so they did.

https://i.imgur.com/VIZhtrt.jpg

[cuervosail]

https://i.imgur.com/QKbiCwu.jpg

[cuervosail]

Anticipatory thoughts of once again being able to taste fresh caribou meat occupied my mind as we field dressed the bull and made a short pack back to the boat.

The others had set off in a different direction that morning but saw the whole episode from their vantage point and, like us, decided to forego plans for a spike camp and made their way back to base camp too.

Dinner that night was fresh bannock and backstraps from what I think is the best game meat in North America – freshly-killed caribou.

https://i.imgur.com/mxT9HWG.jpg

[cuervosail]

It was tough hunting for the next couple of days – a lot of miles were logged with nothing to show for our efforts. We were convinced that we were in moose country but a little confounded about why we hadn’t seen any. That was about to change.

The good weather held for us on our last day of hunting. We had packs on our backs and were having one last discussion about the day’s plans when one of the group casually looked across the lake. It was easy to see the white paddles of the big bull.

The day’s plans were quickly shelved and three guys paddled across the lake straight at the bull while I let out a cow call. That got his attention and he turned and looked my way for about 10 minutes. He casually walked a few steps and disappeared from our vantage point at camp but by then, the other three were already on shore and making their move.

The two of us pulled out the camp chairs, had another cup of coffee and used the binoculars to keep kept on eye on the progress of the show on the other side of the lake. It took longer than expected but that 50” bull hit the deck only a few steps from where we spotted him earlier that morning.

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[huntcoop]

Awesome pictures!

[Darksith]

We need more of these stories...keep it up, love these.

[cuervosail]

By day’s end, the meat was back at camp hanging on a pole in the shade. Moose tenderloins and fresh bannock for supper that night. Although IMHO moose isn’t as tasty as caribou, it’s a helluva lot better than Mountain House!

While we waited for our pickup on the last day, we heated up rifle barrels by taking long potshots at various targets and took ‘no-chance-in-hell-of-ever-getting-him’ shots at some of the dozens of ptarmigan that had kept us company all week.

I’ve been on a lot of floatplanes over the years but the takeoff in the Beaver with 2 guys, a lot of gear, 600 pounds of meat and no wind was the sketchiest I’ve ever experienced. You know it’s been dicey when, a few minutes into the flight, your pilot with 40 years’ experience huffs out a long sigh.

Our thoughts about the moosy-looking terrain were confirmed about 10 minutes into the flight back to Dease Lake when we circled over two enormous bulls bedded in the willows. Grampas to the one we had taken and something to make the next round of planning/anticipation and hunt arrival go by much quicker.

[nano]

Very well written, congrats !

[LBM]

Great story and incredible pictures. I to have found caribou to be my favorite meat, sheep meat is great but always preferred caribou.
Do you have any pictures you can share of the whole animals.

[Blainer]

Very much enjoyed that share. Thank you

[Pangaea]

Thanks for sharing! Nice pics and great story!

[two-feet]

Super. Nice story about a great trip. What was the date you dropped the caribou? Do you find the meat sours after the rut?

[RiverOtter]

Great write up and congrats on a successful hunt.

[Quince]

Awesome pics! Sounds like a great hunt

[604redneck]

This is what this site is all about. No disrespectful pictures, a true respect for the land and animals. You sir are what all hunters should strive to be.

[Mitchellfried]

That was a great read. Thank you very much for sharing. Great pictures as well

[AgSilver]

Excellent thread! Great all around - nice.

[hodgey33]

Awesome story!!! Congrats and thx for sharing.

[HarryToolips]

Incredible pics, and congrats to you and your group on two awesome animals!

[BStrachan]

Great pics and a great story behind the pictures. Thank you for sharing your hunt with us. Would love to read more hunting adventures like this one!

[snowballs]

Great adventure. Thanks for sharing!

[JoeSixPack]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing

[cuervosail]

Great story and incredible pictures. I to have found caribou to be my favorite meat, sheep meat is great but always preferred caribou.
Do you have any pictures you can share of the whole animals.

No other pictures to share .

[DeepJeep]

great story. more pics please

[todbartell]

great pics thanks for posting up

[cuervosail]

Super. Nice story about a great trip. What was the date you dropped the caribou? Do you find the meat sours after the rut?

September 13. I shot caribou in the NWT in December (November rut) and the meat was definitely gamier.

[cuervosail]

great story. more pics please

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[bearvalley]

Great story and pictures.
The driver of the yellow Beaver is one of the best in the business, I've flown with Keith lots.
Take offs and landings are just another day in his office.

[Jagermeister]

This a an awesome picture.

The sky began to lift on Day 2 which helped to reveal the splendour of the mountains in beautiful fall colours. Sightings of more caribou – although, once again, no legal bulls – made for good story-telling when we re-grouped at camp at the end of the day.

https://i.imgur.com/JGEYQ4h.jpg

[ActionJackson017]

Fantastic colors in those pictures and I like the bokeh effect. Fancy camera or spiced up cell phone pics using software? Oh, and this was a great story. Thanks so much for sharing.

[kennyj]

Awesome hunt!! Thanks for sharing your adventure.
kenny

[Livewire322]

What kind of camera were you using? Those photos are stupendous!

[kilometers]

Mmmm love it. Bow only moose opener October 1 can't wait
thanks for getting me excited a week early

[IronNoggin]

Awesome report & Fantastic Pictures!
Well Done Indeed! http://bigshotsbc.ca/images/smilies/Pozitive.gif http://bigshotsbc.ca/images/smilies/Pozitive.gif

A refreshing return to what HBC was once all about!

Many Thanks!
Nog

[REMINGTON JIM]

Great Storey & Adventure - Nice Pics Thks for Sharing ! :wink: RJ

[nature girl]

Now that was a great story and wonderfull pictures.

[f350ps]

Wow, what an awesome adventure, and thanks for taking us along, congrats on some great eats! K

[guest]

Wow great pics, thanks for the share and taking us with you!

CT

[sobirch]

As others have said, awesome pics and story. Thanks for posting.

[123.brewski]

Good morning read, and yes, verry classy pictures. Leaves all the selfish and judging comments sometimes seen on these sites no place at all. What hunting is all about.

[604Stalker]

This has me stoked to get back out there awesome post.

[Squamch]

Awesome post, awesome pictures! Thanks!

[dino]

This is what this site is all about. No disrespectful pictures, a true respect for the land and animals. You sir are what all hunters should strive to be.

Pics of dead animals should not be offensive to anyone that's eats meat.

[Ruffed]

A great story from a guy who obviously loves to share his knowledge and experience helping others....Wonderful to read. Thank-you!!!

[Thunderstix]

Excellent story!!

[VFX_man]

Thanks!!!!

[HarryToolips]

Pics of dead animals should not be offensive to anyone that's eats meat.
Bingo...."....

[Rhyno]

Photography and story are both phenomenal! Congrats and thanks for taking the time to post.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Great pictures and story! Thanks for taking us along in your adventure!!!

SSS

[brodgers]

Great pics and story >> I don't know the rules on "previously posted" internet threads but, I would suggest pulling your pictures together and submitting a photo-essay to Gray's Sporting Journal. I think they would be interested; I know your pictures and the story are excellent.