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:
- 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: