Viking3520
FNG
Ok everyone just making it back to civilization after spending a little over a week in the far north on the haul road. To start with its a beautiful drive, 2nd the pot holes are so big at times that they could swallow cinder blocks up, so pay attention drop your speed down to 40ish and just enjoy the drive. You will get there.
This was my first trip north up the haul road, first caribou hunt, hell my first Alaska Hunt. But I have hunted and chased elk, deer, wild hogs, antelope, gators ,etc all over the lower 48 and have never been a road hunter. Let's just say I don't spare the boot leather and I always have to see what's on the otherside of the hill. So here's my first piece of advice. Make sure you have not good enough, but Great boots. My Kennetreks did the job nicely.
As I made my way north I would get out of the truck at the road stops and talk to the road crews. For one this helps stretch my legs being 6'6" in a truck for hours starts to get cramped and plus I can take a few minutes (turn off the truck and save gas) to talk to the road crew. Seen any caribou was a common question. They were happy enough to converse and tell me what they seen.
Get fuel in Coldfoot. Yes it expensive. But otherwise you will not make it. Just simple as that. Plus it's a decent stopping point to rest depending on your time of day. Don't go through the pass in the dark, it's too pretty of a drive plus you could miss out on a lot. Not to mention dangerous. Just make the drive in daylight hours. You are getting close now.
As I got into Caribou range (easy to tell by all the trucks on the road) I spotted hunters coming back from a failed stalk. Tired worn out and wet. I stopped and offered them a ride back to their trucks. It might have been a 1/2 mile for 1 hunter and only a few hundred yards for the other, but they were happy for the lift. It's just good field manners to help each other out. Remember people get hurt, go missing and are never heard from again up here on this hunt. Look out for each other. That's my next but of advice. There are plenty of animals to chase, and you don't have to act like one.
Take your time, think through your next move. Do you hunt the road or take the "Long Walk"? I tired the road for about half a day. Saw some really nice bulls first morning I did. Got within 85 yards with my bow and yes a couple other hunters messed that up. Ok guys,...there are plenty of animals. No matter how fast you run or sneaky you think you are, there I no where to hide on the tundra. So pay attention to the wind! Don't go straight at them if the wind is at your back. I don't care what people say. Wind and scent control matters. Just approach from down wind always best. Yes I am sure there are a number of people will say caribou are dumb and stupid and wind don't matter. But after being on the tundra with no showers I bet your own mother would run from the smell either way.
So I made the long walk, solo. I had enough experience not to rush the walk and pack smart. Keep the weight down. Leave the what ifs at the truck!. All you need are the very basics. If you have the extra weight available but it into a good sleeping bag/mat, and a good tent. It's wet out there and rained every day at some point on me. When you make it to the five mile mark choose your camp carefully. Don't camp next to duck shit filled puddle and expect to filter water out of them, it will taste bad. 2nd pay attention. To the majority of the wind direction so you orientated your tent the best way possible. Blowing rain can make life miserable. Take your time. Don't rush. Slow down and think it through, the animals will be there. After the hike I set camp filtered water( I advise taking one of those collapsible water bags that way you have a good amount of camp water at once). I cooked dinner, looked around with binos, saw a few caribou in the distance and called it and went to sleep. Tundra walk took it out of me.
The following day I could spend a long time talking about everything I did and should have done but let me say it like this. Take your time. Glass all around at camp and wait a few hours. If nothing shows up. Move to the next ridge you can't see over and repeat again, waiting a few hours at each ridge. Save your strength. Watch the time and repeat the same method in reverse back to camp as day progresses. You might just find what your looking for back at camp by this point t of the hunt. Caribou travel non stop, and there is no pattern to their movement across the expanse.
I was successful. Not a huge animal but was my first caribou and a solo trip on top of that. Wolves or a bear stole some meat from me while at camp after I bagged it and hiked it a few miles away from the carcass, relyaing the bags towards the road. Figured it was wolves cause a bear probably would have just laid there and defended the whole pile while stuffing his face.
If your curious about any specific just ask. Lots of good info already on here for this year. Keep in mind I do not encourage a solo hunt to this area unless you are very experienced, conditioned, and can handle yourself in stressful situations.
This was my first trip north up the haul road, first caribou hunt, hell my first Alaska Hunt. But I have hunted and chased elk, deer, wild hogs, antelope, gators ,etc all over the lower 48 and have never been a road hunter. Let's just say I don't spare the boot leather and I always have to see what's on the otherside of the hill. So here's my first piece of advice. Make sure you have not good enough, but Great boots. My Kennetreks did the job nicely.
As I made my way north I would get out of the truck at the road stops and talk to the road crews. For one this helps stretch my legs being 6'6" in a truck for hours starts to get cramped and plus I can take a few minutes (turn off the truck and save gas) to talk to the road crew. Seen any caribou was a common question. They were happy enough to converse and tell me what they seen.
Get fuel in Coldfoot. Yes it expensive. But otherwise you will not make it. Just simple as that. Plus it's a decent stopping point to rest depending on your time of day. Don't go through the pass in the dark, it's too pretty of a drive plus you could miss out on a lot. Not to mention dangerous. Just make the drive in daylight hours. You are getting close now.
As I got into Caribou range (easy to tell by all the trucks on the road) I spotted hunters coming back from a failed stalk. Tired worn out and wet. I stopped and offered them a ride back to their trucks. It might have been a 1/2 mile for 1 hunter and only a few hundred yards for the other, but they were happy for the lift. It's just good field manners to help each other out. Remember people get hurt, go missing and are never heard from again up here on this hunt. Look out for each other. That's my next but of advice. There are plenty of animals to chase, and you don't have to act like one.
Take your time, think through your next move. Do you hunt the road or take the "Long Walk"? I tired the road for about half a day. Saw some really nice bulls first morning I did. Got within 85 yards with my bow and yes a couple other hunters messed that up. Ok guys,...there are plenty of animals. No matter how fast you run or sneaky you think you are, there I no where to hide on the tundra. So pay attention to the wind! Don't go straight at them if the wind is at your back. I don't care what people say. Wind and scent control matters. Just approach from down wind always best. Yes I am sure there are a number of people will say caribou are dumb and stupid and wind don't matter. But after being on the tundra with no showers I bet your own mother would run from the smell either way.
So I made the long walk, solo. I had enough experience not to rush the walk and pack smart. Keep the weight down. Leave the what ifs at the truck!. All you need are the very basics. If you have the extra weight available but it into a good sleeping bag/mat, and a good tent. It's wet out there and rained every day at some point on me. When you make it to the five mile mark choose your camp carefully. Don't camp next to duck shit filled puddle and expect to filter water out of them, it will taste bad. 2nd pay attention. To the majority of the wind direction so you orientated your tent the best way possible. Blowing rain can make life miserable. Take your time. Don't rush. Slow down and think it through, the animals will be there. After the hike I set camp filtered water( I advise taking one of those collapsible water bags that way you have a good amount of camp water at once). I cooked dinner, looked around with binos, saw a few caribou in the distance and called it and went to sleep. Tundra walk took it out of me.
The following day I could spend a long time talking about everything I did and should have done but let me say it like this. Take your time. Glass all around at camp and wait a few hours. If nothing shows up. Move to the next ridge you can't see over and repeat again, waiting a few hours at each ridge. Save your strength. Watch the time and repeat the same method in reverse back to camp as day progresses. You might just find what your looking for back at camp by this point t of the hunt. Caribou travel non stop, and there is no pattern to their movement across the expanse.
I was successful. Not a huge animal but was my first caribou and a solo trip on top of that. Wolves or a bear stole some meat from me while at camp after I bagged it and hiked it a few miles away from the carcass, relyaing the bags towards the road. Figured it was wolves cause a bear probably would have just laid there and defended the whole pile while stuffing his face.
If your curious about any specific just ask. Lots of good info already on here for this year. Keep in mind I do not encourage a solo hunt to this area unless you are very experienced, conditioned, and can handle yourself in stressful situations.
