Caribou/Moose/Sheep Fly-in hunt

[The Grinder Princess]

First morning: we bushwack along our lake, spotting several caribou. After a short scramble, heavy rain hits. But, before I get the chance to crawl inside our siltarp, Everett points-out three caribou walking right towards us – and one’s a bull. Everett glasses while I keep the bull in my sights asking, “Is he legal? Is he legal?” He finally gives me the go ahead.....bang! My first caribou (with a little ‘finishing’ help from Everett – hmmm, caribou are tougher animals than I thought). The weather clears as we bone-out the meat and carry our loads down to the lake. We leave our cargo on the shore and hike the rest of the way back. After dinner and a celebratory beer we put together our Pak-canoe and paddle down to retrieve the goods.


http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/North_trip_2011_030.jpg

Next day, we climb up to the saddle between peaks and carefully glassed the slopes – it looks like it should be prime sheep territory. No sheep, but we see our first grizzly down the valley.

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/North_trip_2011_049.jpg


Friday –unrelenting rain: We spend the whole day in camp where I lose several games of crazy eights and rummy.

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/North_trip_2011_064.jpg

Saturday - after circling around the mountain, we come up near the spot where I had shot the caribou. Everett spots another griz working the gut-pile. As I’m watching it: “Oh look, she has a cub!” ..... “Oh, She has two cubs”.......”No wait, there are three cubs!” The cubs were big- a few years old at least and watching us from only about 450 yards away. Just a little freaky. Phew - they move up a hill opposite from us away from camp.
On our last day we paddle down a chain of lakes/ponds to check out an area where we had spotted a moose, portaging 5-6 times. Glassing the slope where our moose was, Everett instead discovers, “Sheep!” No rams though. Still glassing, Everett suddenly asks me how badly I wanted that moose – I turn around and see the moose has kindly made his way down to the shore– surprise! No hesitation, “Get him!” Everett makes the 150ish yard shot, hits the moose and then hits him again to keep it from stumbling into the lake. Just under 7 hours later, we’ve boned it out and portaged it back to camp.
Amazing experience!
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/North_trip_2011_092.jpg

[srupp]

sweet the lake looks amazingly familliar...great adventure...lifetime of memories...never heard of a pack canoe but it looks stable...


thanks for sharing the great photos...bet the boo tasted exceptional...

steven

[nature girl]

Congradulations on your first caribou.
Even us women can be good hunters to.
Are you going to get a head mount done. You definately should. I look at my caribou on the living room wall every day.
Now your the second women that I have heard of that has gone on a fly in hunt good for you and Everett.

[pg83]

Congrats on the bou and the moose.

[yukon john]

Nice country, spent some time there myself!

[moose2]

Congratulations on a successful hunt the country looks beautiful. Thanks for posting the great pictures. Looks like I will be posting a caribou thread in the near future.
Mike

[The Grinder Princess]

Congradulations on your first caribou.
Even us women can be good hunters to.
Are you going to get a head mount done. You definately should. I look at my caribou on the living room wall every day.
Now your the second women that I have heard of that has gone on a fly in hunt good for you and Everett.

I stripped the velvet off the antlers while in camp and cut the skull leaving only a small base. I plan to sand the excess dried tissue gunk off of it and then get my oil paints out...... (in addition to hunting, I am also an artist) Then it will find its way onto my wall :)

[twanger]

Bushmill guarding the the headgear, love it, good on you two. Twanger

[guest]

Cool, congrats, sounds like you had a fun and successful trip.

Good Pics

CT

[Everett]

sweet the lake looks amazingly familliar...great adventure...lifetime of memories...never heard of a pack canoe but it looks stable...


thanks for sharing the great photos...bet the boo tasted exceptional...

steven

Thanks again for the info on the lake its a real pretty spot.

[Everett]

Bushmill guarding the the headgear, love it, good on you two. Twanger

That dog has some sort of strange fetish for Caribou racks.

[coach]

You saved so much money buying my camper that you were able to afford a fly-in trip?

Just kidding. Congrats on a great hunt! Thanks for posting the pics and story.

[porcupine]

cCongrats on a good hunt. Your dog looked like he/she had a good time too!

[kennyj]

Thanks for posting your story and photos. Really enjoyed them.
kenny

[BiG Boar]

Love hearing these kind of success stories. I bet it was a memory you'll not soon forget. Congratulations guys.

[Jagermeister]

That is a very interesting account of your hunting trip. What was the elevation of your camp? I thinking low as there are quite a few trees as compared to the scene with Everett and the moose.

[markt308]

killer way to start the season, congrats on the successful trip

[kitnayakwa77]

Looks like a great trip, beautiful country....counting the days until I go up north......less than two weeks to go!

[BCrams]

Exactly the kind of trip I like hearing about. It is all about the adventure and what huntings about!! Congratulations on a great trip!!

[Philcott]

This story and pictures brought back memories of the three fly in hunts I went on out of Dease quite a few years ago. It's awesome country. What did you use for a shelter? Tent? Tarps?

Congrats on a great hunt and one I'm sure you will remember for a long time to come.

[srupp]

Did you manage to do any fishing for grayling?? lol I know some of the grizzly tracks we saw up there were exceptional..idicating some BIG well fed bears..that must have been a priceless moment seeing grizzlies in the wild...

well done well done indeed..

cheers

Steven

[GoatGuy]

Great pictures, beautiful country, sure miss it. Congrats!

[Springer]

Wow Congrats on your Bulls. That Caribou looks like it could be related to the one I got there back in 05 , only yours is Bigger.
http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp189/Springer428/pics052.jpg
http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp189/Springer428/048_48.jpg

Recognize the backdrop ??
http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp189/Springer428/092_92.jpg

or this backdrop ??
http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp189/Springer428/076_76.jpg

Ya how was the fishing??? It's not everywhere you can cast from camp and bring in the supper.

Thanks for posting the pics , brings back memories , and yes lots of rain .

[srupp]

great memories Phil...and awesome tasting cariboo...and Andy did pretty good also..

cheers

was it REALLY that long ago??

steven

[buckguy]

Congrats on a great hunt. Thanks for sharing.

[srupp]

looking directly above Phils head in the last photo is where I wwas glassing stone sheep//////////////

Srr

[The Grinder Princess]

Jagermeister: We camped pretty much just off the lake - the moose was taken at about the same elevation (about 4500 feet).

Philcot: We had planned on having a 4 man tent for our basecamp and the fly and groundsheet from our smaller 2 man tent to take up for some spike camping. But, the rain was so crappy that we didn't want to be too exposed up a mountain, so we ended up day-hiking out of basecamp each day. We also used our siltarp a lot. We got really good at throwing it up in no time - using two hiking poles and tent pegs, Everett had developed a good system.

[srupp]

Grinder Princess...did you finish the artwork??

and did you experience any high winds this area is famous for??

cheers
steven

[Lillypuff]

Thanks for posting great job

[arcadia]

Great Trip. Nice Photos. Thanks for sharing!

[Mik]

Congrats on both the Caribou and the Moose. Looks like you both had a great time, thanks for sharing the story and pics.

[Everett]

looking directly above Phils head in the last photo is where I wwas glassing stone sheep//////////////

Srr

There were 6 sheep just a little down from there and across the valley but all ewes with lambs. There was a grizzly feeding right were Phils head was. The first Griz we saw was big long bugger nice red coat second one was rounder but without the length.
Didn't catch a single fish and I tried only saw one jump and it was in the second lake in the chain. Water was real high the beach at the campsite was 4 feet under water.

[gerrygoat]

Congrats to both of you on your caribou and moose. I'm curious did you have any trouble with keeping the meat cool especially the caribou?

[Everett]

Congrats to both of you on your caribou and moose. I'm curious did you have any trouble with keeping the meat cool especially the caribou?

Went down close to freezing every night only hit 8 or 9 join the day so no problem the drive home was more of a problem as it was 30 degrees in the trench when we hit radium but we only lost mayby 10lb that went to the dog portion bag.

[srupp]

The rams seemed to like the hanging valley to the south...I am seriously jealous over your amazing trip...it truly is one of THE prettiest places in Bc..did you get up to the "crash site"?

Thanks Everett.....the photos made me feel like I was back there again..


wonderful photos...you camped in what we called the "alberta CAMP"LOL and my first introduction to Zambuka....lol

cheers

Steven

[spear]

Right on, great photos. Great to see your heeler in most of them.

[Rattler]

Great story and pics...thanks for posting. Congrats on your Caribou as well.

A hunting trip you surely will never forget...

[Everett]

The rams seemed to like the hanging valley to the south...I am seriously jealous over your amazing trip...it truly is one of THE prettiest places in Bc..did you get up to the "crash site"?

Thanks Everett.....the photos made me feel like I was back there again..


wonderful photos...you camped in what we called the "alberta CAMP"LOL and my first introduction to Zambuka....lol

cheers

Steven

Yes we saw the crash site checked every valley withen a days walk no sign of Sheep till the last day and they were to the North of the last lake right opposite Phils head in his pic. They were low down on the mountain as well.
I realy liked the country small mountains and pretty easy walking once you got above the trees.

[Shade Tree]

Looks like a great place to hunt out of. I am heading north of there in two weeks, nothing better than caribou back strap fried up...unless I could be so lucky on a big ram...

[6616]

Great trip you guys, thanks for posting GP.

[Good Old Outdoors]

Great hunt you guys had! Its gorgeous out there! Makes me excited for my fly in hunt coming up in 2 years with my dad, that's plenty of time to get us both in great shape for hiking those slopes chasing sheep, caribou and of course moose. That's a dream hunt for my dad and I.

Congrats on the great hunt!

[srupp]

Hmmm since Everetts trip..2 more crews went in...still no grayling however 370, and 383 caribou and the 3rd looked great just not sure the score..
Cheers
Srupp

[Hitman0]

Thanks for the post - I am flying out of Dease for Boo and Moose next week so I found it very interesting>

[srupp]

Hmmm good luck and straight shooting
Cheers
Srupp