Success in Alaska

[TADSR]

LOOKS LIKE YOU GUYS HAD A GREAT HUNT.

 

[TXPredator]

Well congratulation but I hoped you learned a valuable lesson always carry your caribou back to camp, you can pack in the dark I have never left a scrap of meat in a spot that I cannot protect it , I leave everything on the bone including neck and backbone split 2 ways it is about 75lbs apiece . My partner and I are lifelong Alaskan residents and are both approaching 60 I have been doing this a long time it just bums me out everytime I here the story about leaving a animal in the field . I got a buddy who solo killed a 60 in bull moose and leap frogged the whole thing back to camp it you cannot get it back don't shoot .

When you answer the question I will probably feel dumb. How do you split it in the field.
Also, how do you protect it in camp.

 

[HiRidge]

Great story and great photos! Too bad you lost your meat and cape but you'll always have the memories and that's the best part anyway.Thanks for sharing I enjoyed it!

 

[NevadaMike]

Awesome write up and photos. I put in for my first Alaska caribou tag a few weeks ago. I hope to experience a trip like this as well.

 

[Salmonchaser]

Great report, well done

 

[Uintah]

Thank you all for the kind comments! It was indeed the trip of a lifetime. Hopefully it was the first of many and certainly not the last!

 

[The Surgeon]

Great hunt, nice job!

 

[TXCO]

Congrats!

 

[Shooter2medic]

Excellent write up I really enjoyed all of your pictures. I’m planning to do the same Hunt the first week of August. Do you mind if I ask you what was your favorite piece of gear you took on the hunt? I’m trying to figure out all the equipment. And I like to hear what everybody has to say about their favorite piece of gear.

 

[ADKHTR]

Trip of a lifetime! Awesome story congrats!

 

[twdjr]

Congrats to all!

 

[Uintah]

@Shooter2medic that's a great question, but one that's hard to answer because for each different scenario my favorite piece of equipment was something different. For example, on the days that the weather turned rainy and snowy my favorite piece of gear was my SKRE rain jacket and pants. At night and on the days it was clear cold and windy it was my down jacket. There were several other times when my pack was my favorite, or my spotting scope was my favorite, or the knife I was using was my favorite and son on.... However, at the end of the day when I think back on all the gear I took and how it was used, I would have to say that my very most favorite piece of gear that was worth every single penny were my boots. I had Crispi Guide GTX insulated boots. And, I honestly can't say enough good about them. They were warm, they were comfortable, they kept my feet absolutely dry and for the first time ever I didn't develop one single hot spot or blister anywhere. I liked a lot of different gear for lots of different reasons. but in the end, I would say my boots were my favorite for this hunt.

 

[Shooter2medic]

@Shooter2medic that's a great question, but one that's hard to answer because for each different scenario my favorite piece of equipment was something different. For example, on the days that the weather turned rainy and snowy my favorite piece of gear was my SKRE rain jacket and pants. At night and on the days it was clear cold and windy it was my down jacket. There were several other times when my pack was my favorite, or my spotting scope was my favorite, or the knife I was using was my favorite and son on.... However, at the end of the day when I think back on all the gear I took and how it was used, I would have to say that my very most favorite piece of gear that was worth every single penny were my boots. I had Crispi Guide GTX insulated boots. And, I honestly can't say enough good about them. They were warm, they were comfortable, they kept my feet absolutely dry and for the first time ever I didn't develop one single hot spot or blister anywhere. I liked a lot of different gear for lots of different reasons. but in the end, I would say my boots were my favorite for this hunt.

Thank you so much. I totally understand what you mean. Thanks for the advise on the boots I am looking for a good boot. I will read your review on them.
Cheers

 

[ddavis_1313]

Curious how deep the river was and if you would be able to cross it


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[Uintah]

We were camped on the Noatak river which you would definitely need a raft to cross, and there was one in camp that RAM provided, but we never used it. Not sure on exact depth, but it appeared to be well above waist and even chest level and a pretty good current. In fact with all the rain last season when we were dropped off the current on the Noatak was absolutely ripping! Over time as the week progressed though the level and the speed of the current subsided quite a bit actually. Back behind camp was another smaller river that we crossed both going and coming every day. Depending on where we crossed it was only ankle to mid calf deep.

 

[ddavis_1313]

We were camped on the Noatak river which you would definitely need a raft to cross, and there was one in camp that RAM provided, but we never used it. Not sure on exact depth, but it appeared to be well above waist and even chest level and a pretty good current. In fact with all the rain last season when we were dropped off the current on the Noatak was absolutely ripping! Over time as the week progressed though the level and the speed of the current subsided quite a bit actually. Back behind camp was another smaller river that we crossed both going and coming every day. Depending on where we crossed it was only ankle to mid calf deep.

View attachment 360630

Did you rent the raft or was it provided for free?


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[Uintah]

Did you rent the raft or was it provided for free?


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No, we didn't rent it. It was just there in the camp along with a couple of life jackets and paddles, provided by RAM for whoever wanted or needed to use it.

 

[WMag338]

So badass!! Super jealous.

 

[Natekraft]

Thanks for the write up! I have this hunt booked next year with Ram. Curious if you used and rented their camp or if you flew your own gear up? Trying to decide what the best route to go on that part

 

[BriarBuster]

Day 5

After breakfast we headed back out to get the antlers from the last 2 bulls. During the night the rain had turned to snow and we awoke to a truly Arctic sight....Snow on the tundra!

Once everything was back in camp we spent time caping and skinning the heads and taking more pictures as a group. It was a nice day to spend busy in camp as it would have been miserable to be out glassing in the wind and snow!

Later that night around the storm broke and the sky cleared providing our first truly clear night sky. Around 10:30 when the sun finally disappeared below the horizon the northern lights began and did not disappoint. They were spectacular!

The following day, day 6 the weather was nice where we were but not in Kotzebue and so we spent an extra day in camp waiting for the weather to clear up so that we could be flown out. As is the case while we waited to be picked up and flown out we watched and photographed and filmed some big herds of caribou as they passed right in front of our camp just across the river.

Later on, during the morning of day 7, our plane arrived and we were flown out. As mentioned at the beginning, this hunt was everything I hoped and dreamt it would be and then some! Alaska is a magical place and it gets in the blood. Hopefully this isn't the only or the last time that I get up there to hunt!

Finally, a huge thanks and shout out to all of you on this forum who posted about your experiences both good and bad. The information found here was truly priceless in helping with both my preparation for and execution of this hunt!

Great great details and story. Outstanding!