Back from the Yukon

[Starbailey]

I'm still in shock just how well my trip with Blackstone Outfitters went this year. This was the 4th time hunting with them so I knew what to expect . Past hunts had filled a fannin tag(1st), dall sheep, moose(2nd), and in 2023 with me killing a great B&C caribou but no grizzly. I realize just how difficult getting a bear can be as this was the 3rd hunt with a bear tag. Hunting is hunting with no guarantees. After I arrived in camp & had my tags in hand I was flown out to a comfortable cabin for the start of my hunt.
The next morning had my guide Eric & I on a hill glassing a river bottom for bear for several hours. With no luck we jumped in an Argo and headed out into the tundra. Several hours later Eric spots a wolverine working a hill side. Its the first one I've seen while hunting and decided to keep track of him to see if we could get closer. As we were within 800 yards he decides it's time to leave & moves off behind a large hill. Bummer, but we're grizzly hunting anyhow and start to glass. no sooner the little guy comes back around the hill moving in our direction. Eric starts blowing a predator call & here he comes! I set up in an opening and try to track him through the tundra but he will not slow down. I see a spot and wisper to Eric if he can stop him in that spot it might work out. Eric hits the call just on the edge stopping him at 275 giving me a perfect broadside shot. He rolled out of sight at the shot. First day and just killed a wolverine! At least I wont be going home empty handed.

 

[tstowater]

Congrats on the wolverine. Hard to get the cross hairs on one of them.

 

[bigunit]

Was going to shame you on such a tiny grizzly. I should read more carefully.

 

[Bullgh56]

Congrats! Nice.

 

[Starbailey]

Sorry for the story delay….
After the wolverine Eric and I continued on moving & glassing, moving and glassing. We spotted several different caribou herds with several nice bulls. With a boy tag in my pocket one big wide bull was tempting but I was on a grizzly quest.
The next day we moved to a different cabin that the last hunters said there was some bear sign along the river. We hiked a few miles from camp to a high ridge overlooking a lot of country. We spent the day hunkered down glassing. We’d move every few hours to get different looks but as evening came we hadn’t seen anything but birds.
We had moved up river 1/2 mile or so for our last look of the night when Eric says “bear!”
He quickly points out his location in the timber and we set up our spotting scopes for a better look. The bear was obviously on a kill so it gave us time to make sure it was a mature boar. We discussed how we could get closer but his location & wind direction would make it very difficult. I set up and got a comfortable shooting position & tried a few dry fires. I was confident in my ability to make the shot. With Eric on the spotting scope I waited for the bear to turn broadside head up before touching off. “Hit! He’s running to the left. He’s stopped. He’s upside down! Bear down!”
The relief in knowing the shot was good and to see the bear to confirm he was dead. We were pumped!
We watched him for 20 minutes before hiking down off the ridge to go take a closer look.