My lovely and gracious wife managed to draw a Unit 13 caribou bull tag and was successful in filling it yesterday.

We arrived Thursday night and while setting up camp a fellow stopped to ask if we were hunting caribou. We said yes and he replied there was a decent bull just down the road. We headed out as quick as we could get our gear together but had no luck finding him.

Yesterday morning after a grueling long uphill ride on a very rocky trail we happened on to some caribou on the move. A couple of decent bulls but the only shot they offered was a brief sky lighted shot at about 350 yards. A little past her comfort zone for distance and neither of us would take a sky light shot.

We returned to the camper, napped a while and decided to head out a long low ridge that was covered in blueberries and overlooked some good country. We hadn't anymore than got the blue berry picking containers out when I spotted a young bull. After a short stalk to put us within 250 yards my wife, who was carrying her old 257 Roberts, decided my till now untried 400 Whelen should get some blood on it and made the 250 yard shot with it. The 400 grain Woodleigh hit the caribou, slightly quartered to us in the neck just in front of the right shoulder and exited the left shoulder. He dropped on the spot. That is probably one the few caribou in the state to be taken with a 400 Whelen. One caribou does not make a test but I would say the 400 is adequate for caribou.

Etta wasn't after a huge bull, she wouldn't have turned one down, but was more interested in a meat bull. Now she's all excited to can some caribou. We canned a quite a bit of my last caribou and is was excellent.

I am truly blessed to have a wife who enjoys spending time afield with me.

Mart


My huntress



Her caribou. Nothing huge but will be good eating.

Good for her!

I think that more than quite a few folks in the 1900-1950's used the 400 Whelan quite a bit in Alaska.

Kind of died and came back.

Waidmannsheil, wonderful story though.

Very nice! Etta is a very good shot!

Awesome, congratulations!

quote:

Originally posted by Aspen Hill Adventures:
Very nice! Etta is a very good shot!

Ann,

Thanks. Etta is pretty humble about her shooting but really is a pretty good shot.

Mart