North Slope Caribou Report

OXN939

WKR
Joined
Jun 28, 2018
Messages
1,790
Location
VA
Hunted 8/17- 8/21 with Arrowhead Outfitters. To keep it concise, it was a very rewarding but challenging experience. The North Slope is an extremely austere environment, and I was glad I killed my bull relatively early on in the hunt. A few of the more pertinent lessons learned/ reinforced:

- Conditions on the North Slope change quickly and aggressively. In the five days we were out there, we experienced three separate storm systems. Any gear brought into the field needs to be ruggedized and in good condition.

- Even with extensive physical conditioning, expect to be sore and tired. I trained for this hunt with several months of 6-8 strength/endurance workouts a week, and was gassed at the end of most days. We hunted hard, but even if all you have to do is a few miles of stalking and a pack job, the tundra is still a humbling environment.

- Our pilot, Les, was proficient, knowledgeable and friendly. Communication was as good as Arctic backcountry conditions would allow.

- The Dalton Highway is an event, and can even be an obstacle, in itself. Plan more time than necessary for every step of the way.

- The first three days, we saw between 225 and 250 animals, only two of which were mature bulls. The next day, we saw half a dozen shooter bulls all in one area. Eastern hunters inclined to look for specific areas/ patterns that increase one's odds of finding mature game animals will experience a learning curve when dealing with Caribou that seemingly appear and disappear at random.

Some of the pics:

Screen%20Shot%202018-08-28%20at%203.33.40%20PM_zpsvp4oscob.png


Screen%20Shot%202018-08-28%20at%203.33.52%20PM_zpsfk6d2exa.png


Screen%20Shot%202018-08-28%20at%203.33.22%20PM_zpsatlfjwif.png
 

muskydawg

FNG
Joined
Aug 28, 2018
Messages
1
After being up there do you think a guy could do this hunt with a bow? Or is to flat and open?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Joined
Jun 18, 2018
Messages
73
We’re making the trip next year, hunting north of the Brooks range. Any gear you didn’t take that you wish you had and visa versa?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
OP
OXN939

OXN939

WKR
Joined
Jun 28, 2018
Messages
1,790
Location
VA
Thanks gents, it was an experience of a lifetime. Gear I found useful that is commonly omitted from the lists I see here: solar USB charger, Garmin Inreach, ultralight cot, waterproof duffels for all your gear.

Also, I'd recommend everyone have some kind of ABC/GPS watch for a trip like this. One of the aforementioned storms hit and reduced visibility to about 50 yards while I was packing my bull back to camp. Not to speak in hyperbole, but you'd be weighing your chances of survival if you got stuck outside of camp in an event like that one. My Suunto Ambit 3 is smaller than a matchbox and was really nice insurance to have.


You can indeed do it with bow; I probably would have gotten within archery distance of my bull. More patience required, obviously, but doable. Big thing I'd be cautious of is shooting in the wind- August is windy up there, and we saw a guy screw up a shot taken above his max wind threshold.
 

AKBorn

WKR
Joined
Aug 14, 2018
Messages
639
Location
Tennessee
Congrats on your bou and great hunt report. Caribou are unpredictable, and will travel where they feel like traveling, much tougher to pattern than whitetails for sure. great job preparing for your hunt and enjoying a true wilderness adventure!
 
OP
OXN939

OXN939

WKR
Joined
Jun 28, 2018
Messages
1,790
Location
VA
They absolutely are! Very different than any kind of hunting in the lower 48 I've ever done.

One other item I'd mention- the Nosler E Tip copper monos we used (in 7mm-08 and .270) were phenomenal, dropped both of the animals we killed in their tracks. Also, with Alaska's game salvage laws that require even bloodshot meat to be recovered, it was nice knowing that lead fragments were absent from our meat. And, honestly, Caribou is so delicious I was glad to take every ounce I could get. All in all, the E Tips were one of the best performing pieces of gear of the trip.
 
Last edited:

mireland62887

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Oct 8, 2013
Messages
151
Location
Vacaville, CA
That's a great bull....

I echo all you said. Great raingear is a must, as well as moleskin. I can't think of anything that would be similar to walking on the tundra. It's like a giant sponge with a bunch of moving clumps of grass. We found our bulls 5 miles from camp and spend two days getting them back. As we sat in camp waiting for out flight out, we had shooter bulls walking within 200 yards of us. Nomadic creatures....

The drive up (Dalton Highway) was very enjoyable!
 

Johnboy

WKR
Joined
Dec 12, 2014
Messages
538
- The Dalton Highway is an event, and can even be an obstacle, in itself. Plan more time than necessary for every step of the way.

Can you expound on this? What did you encounter along the way?
 
OP
OXN939

OXN939

WKR
Joined
Jun 28, 2018
Messages
1,790
Location
VA
Can you expound on this? What did you encounter along the way?

Poor conditions. Construction delays. Mechanical issues. Much of the road is unpaved, and once you get north of the Brooks Range, potholes and the general quality of the road limit the speed you can safely drive to 45-50 MPH. A trucker with 15 years of experience on the road was killed in a rollover while driving it a few days after we came back south.
 
Top