cas-has-cars
10-07-2010, 10:59 PM
http://i1096.photobucket.com/albums/g338/cas-has-cars/DSC05015.jpg
http://i1096.photobucket.com/albums/g338/cas-has-cars/DSC05016.jpg
Wow did we have a great time.
It all started with a 18 hour drive from Kelowna to Tatoga Lake where we would catch a Beaver float plane to Coldfish Lake in the Spatsizi Park.
Rough weather delayed our early morning flight till 6 pm before Dale our pilot decided to make our move. So we loaded the plane and of we went. Less than 30 min in the air and we are safe and sound on the dock at Coldfish lake.
My brother and law Jim who is not a hunter and myself were now ready to start the search for the Mountain Caribou of Spatsizi Park. In all my research I knew to go to the Spatsizi Plateau. So we spent our first night in the nice cabins available to us at Coldfish, and took advantage of a good night sleep after a long drive and day at Tatoga Lake. By the way it was nice to get a little advise from the guests at Tatoga and we also met Smokepole who writes here now and than. Thanks for everything.
Early in the morning Oct 1/2010 we pack our packs and head up the mountain we are planning to spend 2 or 3 nights on the mountain so we can save the time and energy it takes to climb to the plateau each morning.
After a 2 hour climb in the howling wind and slight rain we get to within 20 min of the top and find a nice ravine where the wind is calm and we decide to set camp there. So we drop our packs and gear and grab our fanny backs with water, energy bars, knives and guns. Jim has a 12 gauge with slugs for bear protection and I have my Weatherby 7mm rem mag. And now we are back on the trail to the top. After an aggressive final ascent of almost 80% grade we reach the top. Stopping to get our breath we are awe struck by the fantastic scenery we are witnessing all around from the lake below, the mountains all around and the barrenness of the plateau itself.
http://i1096.photobucket.com/albums/g338/cas-has-cars/DSC05008.jpg
We now have our breath and start to walk slowly across the plateau as I say to Jim ( 5 bucks to the first guy who sees a Caribou OK) We walk another 100 meters when a large area of plateau opens up to us. I say lets stop and glass, and just than Jim says you owe me 5 bucks. My Nikon binoculars are slowly moving left to right when I see what Jim has spotted. A herd of 20 Caribou about 1.5 km away. We devise a strategy to approach the herd. Go wide and stay behind the cover of humps and bumps of the terrain to stay out of site as long as possible. Luckily the wind was in our face. We came within 800 meters when we could glass the herd for nice bulls. We noted at least 5 bulls of which at least 2 were more than I was hoping for, so now to close the gap. Only thing is the next 400 meters would have to be in the open as we were unable to find shelter until a ravine that divided them form us was about 400 yards away. We desided to make our move boldly by walking upright and straight towards the herd. Soon we were getting close to the ravine and we stopped to have a better look at the 2 bulls I was interested in. The were in a pre rut fight of pushing and shoveing so we decided to sit and watch for a few minutes while we planned our next move. Still being 450 meters away I planned on getting as close as we could. Hopefully within 200 yards to be more sporting.
After watching them fight and the other caribou graze and move around peacefully we decided to move in. We went down into the ravine and popped out on the other side to within 250 meters of the herd which are now moving away from us and down to the left. We start to look for our targets and can not see where they have gone. We move closer in the direction we last seen the pair sparring. At about 140 yards we spot both big bulls laying down and rest, butts are facing straight towards us and heads laying flat to the ground away form us. Rest of the herd is not in view as they are over the crest of hill. We decide to even get closer as we know they have no idea we are around. At about 80 yards I have found a perfect spot to rest my rifle and wait for the bulls to awaken.
After and 1 hour rest with only minor movements of their heads up and down Jim and I are getting cold and tired of waiting so I get Jim to make some noise and the smaller bull looks up and does nothing than I tell Jim to wave he arms and he does know the bull gets up and my primary target the larger bull takes note and also gets up, turns sideways and 1 quick shot dropped the large bull right back into his resting place.
At this point the smaller bull is in shock and stares us down before gathering the herd and running them all back and forth along our horizon about 100 meters away swinging 100 meters left of us and than running them all to our right 100 meters. It was a magnificent site to watch as they placed the second bull now into a position of leader after we had taken their dominant leader away. I had great respect for the large animal we had taken and a moment of silence was the least we could do to honour the Caribou.
IMG]http://i1096
http://i1096.photobucket.com/albums/g338/cas-has-cars/DSC05021.jpg
IT was a great hunt and I will tell more later of the challenges we ran into in regards to getting our reward back down the mountain.
http://i1096.photobucket.com/albums/g338/cas-has-cars/DSC05031.jpg
Cashascars
http://i1096.photobucket.com/albums/g338/cas-has-cars/DSC05016.jpg
Wow did we have a great time.
It all started with a 18 hour drive from Kelowna to Tatoga Lake where we would catch a Beaver float plane to Coldfish Lake in the Spatsizi Park.
Rough weather delayed our early morning flight till 6 pm before Dale our pilot decided to make our move. So we loaded the plane and of we went. Less than 30 min in the air and we are safe and sound on the dock at Coldfish lake.
My brother and law Jim who is not a hunter and myself were now ready to start the search for the Mountain Caribou of Spatsizi Park. In all my research I knew to go to the Spatsizi Plateau. So we spent our first night in the nice cabins available to us at Coldfish, and took advantage of a good night sleep after a long drive and day at Tatoga Lake. By the way it was nice to get a little advise from the guests at Tatoga and we also met Smokepole who writes here now and than. Thanks for everything.
Early in the morning Oct 1/2010 we pack our packs and head up the mountain we are planning to spend 2 or 3 nights on the mountain so we can save the time and energy it takes to climb to the plateau each morning.
After a 2 hour climb in the howling wind and slight rain we get to within 20 min of the top and find a nice ravine where the wind is calm and we decide to set camp there. So we drop our packs and gear and grab our fanny backs with water, energy bars, knives and guns. Jim has a 12 gauge with slugs for bear protection and I have my Weatherby 7mm rem mag. And now we are back on the trail to the top. After an aggressive final ascent of almost 80% grade we reach the top. Stopping to get our breath we are awe struck by the fantastic scenery we are witnessing all around from the lake below, the mountains all around and the barrenness of the plateau itself.
http://i1096.photobucket.com/albums/g338/cas-has-cars/DSC05008.jpg
We now have our breath and start to walk slowly across the plateau as I say to Jim ( 5 bucks to the first guy who sees a Caribou OK) We walk another 100 meters when a large area of plateau opens up to us. I say lets stop and glass, and just than Jim says you owe me 5 bucks. My Nikon binoculars are slowly moving left to right when I see what Jim has spotted. A herd of 20 Caribou about 1.5 km away. We devise a strategy to approach the herd. Go wide and stay behind the cover of humps and bumps of the terrain to stay out of site as long as possible. Luckily the wind was in our face. We came within 800 meters when we could glass the herd for nice bulls. We noted at least 5 bulls of which at least 2 were more than I was hoping for, so now to close the gap. Only thing is the next 400 meters would have to be in the open as we were unable to find shelter until a ravine that divided them form us was about 400 yards away. We desided to make our move boldly by walking upright and straight towards the herd. Soon we were getting close to the ravine and we stopped to have a better look at the 2 bulls I was interested in. The were in a pre rut fight of pushing and shoveing so we decided to sit and watch for a few minutes while we planned our next move. Still being 450 meters away I planned on getting as close as we could. Hopefully within 200 yards to be more sporting.
After watching them fight and the other caribou graze and move around peacefully we decided to move in. We went down into the ravine and popped out on the other side to within 250 meters of the herd which are now moving away from us and down to the left. We start to look for our targets and can not see where they have gone. We move closer in the direction we last seen the pair sparring. At about 140 yards we spot both big bulls laying down and rest, butts are facing straight towards us and heads laying flat to the ground away form us. Rest of the herd is not in view as they are over the crest of hill. We decide to even get closer as we know they have no idea we are around. At about 80 yards I have found a perfect spot to rest my rifle and wait for the bulls to awaken.
After and 1 hour rest with only minor movements of their heads up and down Jim and I are getting cold and tired of waiting so I get Jim to make some noise and the smaller bull looks up and does nothing than I tell Jim to wave he arms and he does know the bull gets up and my primary target the larger bull takes note and also gets up, turns sideways and 1 quick shot dropped the large bull right back into his resting place.
At this point the smaller bull is in shock and stares us down before gathering the herd and running them all back and forth along our horizon about 100 meters away swinging 100 meters left of us and than running them all to our right 100 meters. It was a magnificent site to watch as they placed the second bull now into a position of leader after we had taken their dominant leader away. I had great respect for the large animal we had taken and a moment of silence was the least we could do to honour the Caribou.
IMG]http://i1096
http://i1096.photobucket.com/albums/g338/cas-has-cars/DSC05021.jpg
IT was a great hunt and I will tell more later of the challenges we ran into in regards to getting our reward back down the mountain.
http://i1096.photobucket.com/albums/g338/cas-has-cars/DSC05031.jpg
Cashascars