We just got back from our 8 day hunt. Weather was great, no rain. Since weather was so nice the great migration had not yet started, however we did see about 75 to 100 caribou...it seemed like the same groups just milling around the area waitting for the other herds to start. We flew out of Sodotna Alaska for about 1 1/2 hours into the Mulchatna drainage basin. The day we arrived we had a herd of 10 or so caribou pass by at around 300 yards with 5 of the biggest caribou we would see during the hunt..true trophies, unfortunately you cannot hunt the day you fly. We had hopes we would find them in the morning but not so these animals cover ground. Latter that day my partner shot a nice bull 1.8 miles as the crow flies from camp (GPS) He shot his at about 200 yards after a 200 yard crawl with a 280 Remington, two shots to put him down this equated to about a 3 mile haul to bring the meat back, unfortunately we didn't have a camera so no pictures were taken. The next day after watching for most of the day in 30 mph winds I returned to camp to get something to eat and a herd of 30 or so animals meandered into our valley about 3/4 of a mile away. We glassed them and there was about 5 or 6 bulls. I figured they would move on so I continued to make dinner and sure enough they bedded down. I had to walk parallel for a 1/4 mile to get a small bunch of trees between us before I could start my stalk of 3/4mile. The wind was blowing 30mph into my face so I knew they could not smell or hear me, all I needed for them to do is stay put which they did. I initiaslly though they where bedded down directly on the other side of the trees maybe 200 yards so I figured it would be an easy shot. If anyone has hunted tundra it has to be the worst walking conditions imaginable, spongy, water , rocks, clumps of undergrowth thats grabs and trips you, mud holes, crevaces, frost heaves,creeks and if you short legged like I am that multiplies the problems.
None the less I got there and my partner did not indicate that they had move (since I could not see them) I got my shooting sticks ready and chambered a round into my 375. When I got to the other side of the cover the herd was still bedded down but they where considerably farther away than I initially thought. I left my range finder behind and there was no cover to use plus it was 1 1/2 hours to dusk I figured it was now or never. I glassed the herd and found the biggest bull by himself. He appeared almost white, I placed the cross hairs on his upper back and fired, nothing.. the bull stood up so I crossed haired a foot over and fired...nothing. This time I went 2 feet over and fired and "wop" came the report that I hit him. He stood there hunched up as the herd started to move away. I watched as other animals walked around him and I was certain he went down. I waited a while than started my approach, when I got there I did not find him so I glassed the herd and found him limping at the rear of the herd with what appeared to be a broken front shoulder. The distance was a little farther and the wind was still gusting. I finally anchored him at an estimated 600 yards since I was holdiing 4 feet over him, I had one round left and was waitting for him to either lay down or go over the ridge wherein I good get close enough should he need another shot. My partner somehow snuck around and figuring I was out of ammo started shooting, funny thing was I thought it was other hunters shooting since I did not think he could have gotten there so quickly but he has long legs and it was him. He had a nice rack a littlesamller than my partners but a much bigger body. The first hit went through his front shoulder breaking it but exited through his lower neck not hitting any vitals or major arteries. This bull was a heck of a trophy mainly because of the stalk, and distance. I had the rifle sighted in for 2" high at 100yd and had the trajectory table taped to the stock which indicates that if my shooting style was good the bull was at about 450 yards or so when I hit him. I was using 300 grain Sierra SPBT at chronograrhed 2530 out of a browning stainless stalker with 26" barrel, this combo would print slighly less than a MOA if I was shooting good so I knew the gun had the power and capability to do its job at that range. I 'll post pictures when I get them .

Here is a picture of my bull, we did not have a camera with us for my partners. There are three identical lakes we where camped at the farthest one away in this picture. The herd laid down between the second and third (closest) and if you look real careful in the right of lakes 3 & 2 you can see the tree bunch that I used to stalk them. As it looks it was windy and cold .


[ 09-28-2003, 18:44: Message edited by: raamw ]

Very nice.........Sounds like you had a true Alaska hunt. Congrads!

[ 09-27-2003, 20:56: Message edited by: CK ]

very nice caribou.....love it....It's still on my "to do" list.

What part of Alaska is Mulchatna located?

That's a beautiful caribou, and great looking country.

The area we hunted was in southwest Alaska, 200 mile sw of the town of Soldotna on theKenai Pennisula over the Alska Range Mountains near Lake Clarke Here is a picture out the window of the float plane at 10,000feet



[ 09-30-2003, 01:54: Message edited by: raamw ]

That picture from the float plane sure caught my eye. I have a picture that looks like a carbon copy. I guess I should not be to surprised as I hunted the same area in 2000. I was surprised to see that we are practically neighbors. I live in Morris IL.
We did not have the nice weather you had as it rained 24/7. Even with the weather it was a great experience.