swampthing
08-29-2010, 11:51 AM
My son lives a long ways from me with his mother. Because of this we only get one hunt in a year before he goes back to school. This would be our 3rd year going up the Alaska Hwy for a combo Moose -Cariboo hunt for him. He has been able to get a moose the last two years in a row. We left 2 days before the opener and slept in our truck up the hwy the first night at the trailhead. The next morning we unloaded the ranger and headed in for 4 days of hunting. On the way in, we spotted 2 bull elk about 3km back in a basin. Heat waves were messing up the view in the spotter and we couldnt get a point count. They were at least 5 points. The son asked if we were going to hunt them in the morning, as I had an elk tag for a sept hunt I was planning. I told him if we went after the elk, it would cut into his moose hunting time. He said to help me get an elk would be just as exciting. I was proud of him. We continued on and set up camp. We made plans to look for the elk in the morning. The area would be good for moose as well. 4am came and we were off. Just as we were getting to the area the elk were spotted, we saw a group of about 14 elk just off the trail. As they took off running, we saw two bulls in the group. We were unable to get a point count as it was just barely light out. We parked and went after them, gaining the wind advantage. Over the next hour we caught glimpses of them, but eventually lost them. We continued on to a basin further back that has always been good for moose. We reached it and sat to glass. I was watching a small cariboo when I saw movement across the canyon. Bull elk! I broke out the spotter and had a hard time getting a point count. He moved just right and I saw the double brows, making him a 6 point. The son said "take him dad". I ranged him at 405 yards and set up over my eberlestock pack. I settled the 400 yard crosshair of the leupold scope on his shoulder and muscled through the BLRs trigger. I lost him in the recoil but heard bullet hitting bone. I found him in the scope again and he was hunched up. Before I could shoot again, he lunged forward and collapsed, cartwheeling down the steep hillside. All became quiet. I felt bad that I had just taken an elk on my sons hunt . I turned to look at him and the look of excitement on his face was overwhelming. He said "good shot, you got him dad". We sat and enjoyed the moment together, re-living the action that just took place. It took 45 minutes to cross the canyon and find him. He was a small 6, but had a huge body. He was stuck in trees on the steep bank. I cut his rack loose and he tumbled further down the canyon wall. The boning process was difficult but we got it done. The 8mm short mags 200 grain accubond had smashed both shoulders and exited. I was impressed. My 14 year old son barely lifted a boned out hind quarter onto his pack and we tied it down. I loaded the loins, what was left of a shoulder and the rack on my pack. We moved the rest of the meat bags away from the kill to a shady spot by a creek and headed off. We were 3.8km from the ranger. I saw the excitement on my sons face turn to pain. Fighting through the willows took its toll. With 1km to go, I took his rifle and strapped it to my pack. We made it out, exhausted. My son said that was the toughest thing he had ever done. I said get used to it, you have lots of years of packing in front of you. I grinned at his grit.
The next day we hunted moose on the way in and packed out the last of the meat.
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/thumbs/DSCN1748.JPG (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=20255&limit=recent)
We spent the evening glassing and planned our next days hike up a new valley.
We were on the ranger at 5:45 headed towards the new valley when we spotted a moose in a pond ahead of us. It was a small bull. He said it would do. I told him I would drive up closer, which would spook the moose. He would set up prone and most likely have to take a running shot. The terrain was open and I was confident he could pull it off. The plan worked and he took the bull in the back of the neck at 200 yards on the run.
We felt a little bad shooting one with so little work but it was good to have the machine so close to save work as the pain from the previous pack was still there. The day was spent with the butchering chores. We built a platform to put the meat inches above a creek to keep the meat cool.
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/thumbs/DSCN1813.JPG (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=20256&limit=recent)
Plans were made to spend our last day hunting up the valley we were trying to hunt when we got the moose. We were 3km in and looking for cariboo in the alpine. We spotted a lone wolf on the top of an alpine peak about 2km away. The spotter showed several wolves laying down. I howled and they replied. More wolves appeared on the peak. I told my son we may be able to call them in. We found a spot to get set up and I did a challenge bark. The wolves came running at full speed down the mountain they were on. I counted them at 18 strong. We lost site of them as they entered the timber. We had our clips full, spare ammo laid out and were ready. It only took about 10 minutes to spot them coming through the timber. They were heading downwind and I was worried they would wind us. I told my son to get on them and I would bark to stop them. At my bark, 3 stopped in an opening about 350 yards away. My son shot and wolves scattered every which way. I got 7 shots off and my son got 6 off. When the smoke cleared, he had 2 black wolves down and I had a silver one down. He had outshot the old man on running wolves. He looked at me with pie plate sized eyes and said that was the most exciting thing he had ever experienced. We sat shaking, talking about what had just went down. He said it was a little scary having 18 wolves running at you, looking for a fight. I told him not to worry as we were the ones with the guns. I have never been so proud. As we only get one hunt a year together, I always feel pressured to give him the best experience I can. This trip was about as good as they get. I was very proud of my son......I mean my hunting partner.
The next day we hunted moose on the way in and packed out the last of the meat.
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/thumbs/DSCN1748.JPG (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=20255&limit=recent)
We spent the evening glassing and planned our next days hike up a new valley.
We were on the ranger at 5:45 headed towards the new valley when we spotted a moose in a pond ahead of us. It was a small bull. He said it would do. I told him I would drive up closer, which would spook the moose. He would set up prone and most likely have to take a running shot. The terrain was open and I was confident he could pull it off. The plan worked and he took the bull in the back of the neck at 200 yards on the run.
We felt a little bad shooting one with so little work but it was good to have the machine so close to save work as the pain from the previous pack was still there. The day was spent with the butchering chores. We built a platform to put the meat inches above a creek to keep the meat cool.
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/thumbs/DSCN1813.JPG (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=20256&limit=recent)
Plans were made to spend our last day hunting up the valley we were trying to hunt when we got the moose. We were 3km in and looking for cariboo in the alpine. We spotted a lone wolf on the top of an alpine peak about 2km away. The spotter showed several wolves laying down. I howled and they replied. More wolves appeared on the peak. I told my son we may be able to call them in. We found a spot to get set up and I did a challenge bark. The wolves came running at full speed down the mountain they were on. I counted them at 18 strong. We lost site of them as they entered the timber. We had our clips full, spare ammo laid out and were ready. It only took about 10 minutes to spot them coming through the timber. They were heading downwind and I was worried they would wind us. I told my son to get on them and I would bark to stop them. At my bark, 3 stopped in an opening about 350 yards away. My son shot and wolves scattered every which way. I got 7 shots off and my son got 6 off. When the smoke cleared, he had 2 black wolves down and I had a silver one down. He had outshot the old man on running wolves. He looked at me with pie plate sized eyes and said that was the most exciting thing he had ever experienced. We sat shaking, talking about what had just went down. He said it was a little scary having 18 wolves running at you, looking for a fight. I told him not to worry as we were the ones with the guns. I have never been so proud. As we only get one hunt a year together, I always feel pressured to give him the best experience I can. This trip was about as good as they get. I was very proud of my son......I mean my hunting partner.