24hourcampfire.com
24hourcampfire.com
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Hop To
Page 1 of 3 1 2 3
#13702938 03/31/19
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 20,145
T_Inman Offline OP
Campfire Ranger
OP Offline
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 20,145
Well, I had enough people bugging (pun not intended....but this was Alaska after all) me to write a story about this hunt....and with late winter doldrums, I finally got this done.


February 2018 found me at my mother’s house in the Bitterroot where I was wolf hunting when the Alaska draws came out. Little did I know, I had drawn an Alaskan rifle elk tag on Afognak Island along with my old college friend and hunting buddy. Weeks later the ADFG sent me a letter warning that these elk could reach 1200+ pounds, to which I initially scoffed. Little did I know how true this would be.

Fast forward to late September. The day before the opener we were grounded in Kodiak due to weather…so we couldn’t fly in until opening day and subsequently not hunt until the day after. This was a bummer since our research had indicated that whomever gets into the herd first gets the shot, then the herd breaks up and goes into no man’s land.

Opening day we flew into the bush and after setting up our main camp we decided to climb the ridge to our east to A) get away from the bugs and B) hopefully locate the herd and bivy on top of them, ready to pounce the next day. We soon found out how frustrating the brush is on that island. Well we found the herd a few miles away down near the ocean with the bulls bugling like crazy. These Roosevelt elk were so massive they honestly looked like quarter horses down there. We slept on the mountaintop that night, sans bear fence, eager to get into the elk the next day.

The next day is was raining something fierce, so we decided to go back to our main camp to get better prepared and set up an actual spike camp closer to the elk instead of bivy camping like we did the evening before. The remainder of day two was spent hiking closer to the elk in the pouring rain, and finding a spot to spike camp.

The morning of day three was clear skied. Perfect. We got ready and hiked up several hundred yards to a pass that the elk had been on the other side of. Luckily, they had not moved too far from the pass and were in a great spot for a stalk. We spotted a herd bull and formed a plan. I belly crawled into range as my buddy hiked a couple hundred yards further along the ridge to where another herd bull was bugling. I set up, jacked a round in the chamber and waited for my buddy to shoot. I was anxious to yank the trigger, but didn’t want to mess up this golden opportunity to get two bulls down. This was my view for several agonizing minutes. The bull I have my sights on is on the left.
[Linked Image]

Minutes later my buddy shoots. The herd I am looking at goes on alert and starts looking his way when BOOM! I squeeze off a round and hear the unmistakable thwaaak of the bullet hitting home at 238 yards. The bull stood there like I hit him with an airsoft pellet instead of a .30 cal 200 grain old style speer grand slam. I jacked another round in and BOOM! The bull then collapses. My goodness we got two herd bulls on the ground!

I walk up to my bull: a solid 5x6 and honestly as big as my 16 hand quarter horse. Twice the body size of any Rocky Mountain bull I have killed. I guess the ADFG wasn’t joking or exaggerating about the size of these elk…
[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]

I head over to see my buddy’s bull, which was a 6x6 with some broken tines, but the same sized frame. AWESOME!
We had noticed a bear down the valley earlier, and had been keeping our eye on it. After we had the bulls down and were admiring them, we notice it’s about a half mile away and headed our way:
[Linked Image]

We sit tight and watch. When the bear gets to about 200 yards, the yelling begins, along with a shot a few feet in front of him. No reaction. Finally, he wanders off. No problem, but we gotta be cognizant. “I’ll stand guard while you butcher”, I said. I felt like I was back in Fallujah standing there, keeping watch. An hour later, the bear reappears 60 or so yards away. The screaming happens again, as well as another shot. He disappears for a while, then he suddenly shows up 30 yards behind me. OK……We can take a hint so we got the heck out of his way. Luckily we had just finished deboning my buddy's elk and had hauled the meat bags up the hill away from the carcass. The bear got to the several hundred pound carcass and jerked it under a tree without any trouble whatsoever. Talk about brute strength!. Knowing the bear was happy with his 5 star meal, I too was happy knowing he’d be content for a while and allow us to get my bull deboned and haul all the meat bags back to base camp.
[Linked Image]

We stashed the meat up on top of the ridgeline, a few hundred yards uphill of where we last saw the bear, then proceeded over to my elk, and started deboning it. We finished deboning my bull and got all the meat up to the saddle above spike camp right as it was getting dark. What a day!
[Linked Image]

We then spent the next 4 days straight hauling the meat back to base camp. I’ve packed meat out a lot further, but the bugs and brush on this island and the sheer amount of meat made this pack out a bit rough...but I have always enjoyed the work that goes into packing meat so I was enjoying the hell out of it despite the weather, bugs and brush. We saw a few more bears, but none gave us any more trouble, thankfully.

I ended up eating a deer tag, but that’s OK. I could have shot a few, including one pretty nice buck the first day, but have no regrets. As much as I enjoyed the whole deal, the float plane ride out couldn’t have come any sooner, nor the shower and pizza that was waiting for me in Kodiak. I told myself that I wouldn’t be applying for this tag again…due to the bears, brush and bugs, but that all went out the window a day or so later, once the pain and soreness went away. I’d do it again in a heartbeat…

Then, on home to Wyoming for moose, elk, deer and antelope…never a dull moment…



BP-B2

Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 21,125
J
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
J
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 21,125
Nice bull and write up Ted!! Thanks for sharing.


Ping pong balls for the win.
Once you've wrestled everything else in life is easy. Dan Gable
I keep my circle small, I’d rather have 4 quarters than 100 pennies.

Ain’t easy havin pals.
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 15,638
G
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
G
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 15,638
Awesome stuff...


- Greg

Success is found at the intersection of planning, hard work, and stubbornness.
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 13,245
Campfire Outfitter
Offline
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 13,245
Congratulations on a fine hunt. I enjoyed your pictures and narrative.

L.W.


"Always go straight forward, and if you meet the devil, cut him in two and go between the pieces." (William Sturgis, clipper ship captain, 1830s.)
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 23,268
C
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
C
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 23,268
Nice. I have an etolin tag for this fall after putting in for 10 years. They are massive beasts. Did you get a weight on your boned out meat?

IC B2

Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 5,455
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 5,455
Good stuff! Congrats to you both on taking some really nice bulls & yes those elk do get big:)


"Rather hunt Mule deer than anything else"
"Team 7MM-08"
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 27,692
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 27,692
Very Nice


Member: Clan of the Turdlike People.

Courage is Fear that has said its Prayers

�If we ever forget that we are one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.� Ronald Reagan.

Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 20,145
T_Inman Offline OP
Campfire Ranger
OP Offline
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 20,145
Originally Posted by Calvin
Nice. I have an etolin tag for this fall after putting in for 10 years. They are massive beasts. Did you get a weight on your boned out meat?


The troopers weighed what meat we donated, sans the choice cuts that we brought back with us but I cannot recall what the weight was.
I do know we brought 14 game bags and used them all, between both bulls. Each bag was roughly 60 lbs if I recall so......420 lbs of boned meat each?

Sounds about right.



Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 18,895
S
SLM Offline
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
S
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 18,895
Good stuff Tiny.

Congrats again.

Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 43,726
Campfire 'Bwana
Offline
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 43,726
Ubah!

IC B3

Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 2,908
4
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
4
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 2,908
good write up t man

Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 13,622
Campfire Outfitter
Offline
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 13,622
Very nicely done!!

Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 24,616
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 24,616
Nice bone.
Glad you didn't die
or have to call Sierra.

Slave

P.S. Suck it.


Have Dog

Will Travel

Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,791
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,791
Congrats on a great hunt and thanks for posting the story.


SAVE 200 ELK, KILL A WOLF

NRA Endowment Life Member

Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 85,981
Campfire Oracle
Offline
Campfire Oracle
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 85,981
Way to Tin. Glad you had a good trip and successful hunt and enjoyed our great state.


If you take the time it takes, it takes less time.
--Pat Parelli

American by birth; Alaskan by choice.
--ironbender
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 2,341
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 2,341
Awesome, the mass on those antlers looks...massive!

Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,065
T
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
T
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,065
Nice bull.

And the clean-up department was present...


Defend the Constitution
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 23,506
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 23,506
Cool hunt Ted...Minus the skeeters and that ass-hole bear 😎


Curiosity Killed the Cat & The Prairie Dog
“Molon Labe”
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 21,959
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 21,959
Great story, and what a huge bull!


"For joy of knowing what may not be known we take the golden road to Samarkand."
James Elroy Flecker







Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 4,212
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 4,212
Great story! Thanks for posting!

Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 85,981
Campfire Oracle
Offline
Campfire Oracle
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 85,981
Originally Posted by Beaver10
Cool hunt Ted...Minus the skeeters and that ass-hole bear 😎

Just doing what bears do!


In my best Yogi voice......
Heeeyy booboo! There's an easy meal!


If you take the time it takes, it takes less time.
--Pat Parelli

American by birth; Alaskan by choice.
--ironbender
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 4,333
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 4,333
Nice write up! A buddy of mine has harvested 4 bulls on Etolin thus far and he got drawn again this year. You couldn't pay me enough to do one of those hunts! Haha, way too brutal!

Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 1,475
C
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
C
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 1,475
Well that's about as awesome as it gets!

A great elk hunt with terrific success, and then having to deal with a big ol' bear. And thank you for not shooting the bear, since you didn't have to.

Great story of a great hunt. My goodness those things have some heavy antlers!

Guy

Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 85,981
Campfire Oracle
Offline
Campfire Oracle
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 85,981
Originally Posted by FishinHank
Nice write up! A buddy of mine has harvested 4 bulls on Etolin thus far and he got drawn again this year. You couldn't pay me enough to do one of those hunts! Haha, way too brutal!

Well, sure, but your ankle is all fugged up....so there's that.


If you take the time it takes, it takes less time.
--Pat Parelli

American by birth; Alaskan by choice.
--ironbender
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 23,506
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 23,506
Originally Posted by ironbender
Originally Posted by Beaver10
Cool hunt Ted...Minus the skeeters and that ass-hole bear 😎

Just doing what bears do!


In my best Yogi voice......
Heeeyy booboo! There's an easy meal!



Hey Booboo, it’s all yours little buddy! I’m just gonna take my straps, tenderloins and horns and skeedattle. 😎


Curiosity Killed the Cat & The Prairie Dog
“Molon Labe”
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 3,428
T
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
T
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 3,428
Good story, Tinman! I remember your pics from last year, but the story adds to it.

Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 8,929
T
Campfire Outfitter
Offline
Campfire Outfitter
T
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 8,929
Thanks for sharing. Great memories.

Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 4,333
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 4,333
Originally Posted by ironbender
Originally Posted by FishinHank
Nice write up! A buddy of mine has harvested 4 bulls on Etolin thus far and he got drawn again this year. You couldn't pay me enough to do one of those hunts! Haha, way too brutal!

Well, sure, but your ankle is all fugged up....so there's that.


Still wouldn't do it if it was at 100%

Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,146
B
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
B
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,146
Oh but to be young again:) I have packed out these "small" Elk in Wyoming, but I think that would be a little too much fun for a old guy like me;) Great job on the story and the hunt though!

Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 15,262
B
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
B
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 15,262
Awesome story and hunt. Congrats on the elk! That’s an amazing hunt.


Semper Fi
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 50,593
Campfire Kahuna
Offline
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 50,593
Killing two at once and not losing one to the bear was amazing luck! Great job!


Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 21,959
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 21,959
I had always heard that Roosevelt elk were quite a bit bigger than their Rocky Mountain counterparts, but to be honest I had no idea just how much bigger. That's amazing!


"For joy of knowing what may not be known we take the golden road to Samarkand."
James Elroy Flecker







Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 8,185
P
Campfire Outfitter
Offline
Campfire Outfitter
P
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 8,185
congrats on the two bulls, i always hate when bears show up !


LIFE NRA , we vote Red up here, Norseman
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 7,205
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 7,205
Originally Posted by Sitka deer
Killing two at once and not losing one to the bear was amazing luck! Great job!


That’s what I was thinking. I’ve known a couple guys that have done that hunt and the bear stories are a nightmare. Seems that it’s impossible to get the meat all out before a Bear is on it, and your not!

Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 2,882
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 2,882
Sweet hunt, story, and pics. thanks for posting.

I think I'd rather deal with the bear than all the rain.

Joined: May 2003
Posts: 22,869
V
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
V
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 22,869
T Inman: I very much appreciate you sharing your Hunt and the great photos with us.
Congratulations on the Hunt and the draw.
I have been to Afognak on a Salmon fishing excursion and it is indeed a beautiful and wet place. Over a weeks fishing from a sleep on size Alaska fishing vessel we saw Elk on the shore of Afognak as well as Deer, Fox and countless Sea Otters swimming about in all the bays.
Great place I hope YOU get to pack another of those double chubby Elk out in the future.
Thanks again.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 4,293
W
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
W
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 4,293

Terrificly told story, Tinman.

Like I was there....which I wasn't.

Couldnt see the pics today. Maybe theyll flash up tommorree.

Not losing any to Mr. Grizzle is just flat out amazing, considering what is said about their noses. Of course you didnt lose any to sharks either. The blind luck of it all. LOL.

Well done.


Trump HAD the World, ", Trump saw our children, "
Trump saw a way to make a brighter day so he started giving
There was a choice he was making, he was saving our own lives
Its true he made a brighter day for you and me. --Trump WINS 2016
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 689
D
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
D
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 689
Great story and thanks for sharing. I've hunted Agognak but only packed deer. I know how tough it is. You worked hard!

Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 20,145
T_Inman Offline OP
Campfire Ranger
OP Offline
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 20,145
Originally Posted by Ralphie
Sweet hunt, story, and pics. thanks for posting.

I think I'd rather deal with the bear than all the rain.



Well I'd start praying for rain just to get rid of the damn bugs, then I'd pray for the rain to stop and I'd just deal with the bugs. That cycle was continuous...

It was a vicious cycle of miserableness and the bears were not even a part of it!



Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 29,664
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 29,664
Looks like a great experience. Even better with the pics.


1Minute
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 8,117
D
Campfire Outfitter
Offline
Campfire Outfitter
D
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 8,117
Great adventure and complete with pictures. That ship has sailed for me, but I still enjoy the reading.
donsm70


Life Member...Safari Club International
Life Member...Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
Life Member...Keystone Country Elk Alliance
Life Member...National Rifle Association
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 4,293
W
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
W
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 4,293

..Crumpst!!

The pics flashed up, and horry ballrz that bear is close!

love that adventure - Bugs, bears, and balls.

Glad he let you be, Theodore.


Trump HAD the World, ", Trump saw our children, "
Trump saw a way to make a brighter day so he started giving
There was a choice he was making, he was saving our own lives
Its true he made a brighter day for you and me. --Trump WINS 2016
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 404
Campfire Member
Offline
Campfire Member
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 404
Awesome story! I wonder if using a suppressed rifle would alleviate the dinner bell effect at all?

Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 17,726
C
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
C
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 17,726
Great story and pictures. Thanks for sharing. Glad you made it though with all the packing, and the bears didn't get any.


NRA LIFE MEMBER
GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS
ESPECIALLY THE SNIPERS!
"Suppose you were an idiot And suppose you were a member of Congress... But I repeat myself."
-Mark Twain
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 56,126
Campfire Kahuna
Offline
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 56,126
Great hunt story!


_______________________________________________________
An 8 dollar driveway boy living in a T-111 shack

LOL
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 8,793
Campfire Outfitter
Offline
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 8,793
Outstanding! An awesome hunt and write-up. What an incredible experience you and your Bud had, minus the bugs, of course.

A few times, when I was in AK back in the early '90s, I actually had to pack up camp and depart for a different location because the skeeters were so bad - thick clouds of them and they were miserable.

Last edited by High_Noon; 04/15/19.

l told my pap and mam I was going to be a mountain man; acted like they was gut-shot. Make your life go here. Here's where the peoples is. Mother Gue, I says, the Rocky Mountains is the marrow of the world, and by God, I was right.
- Del Gue
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 14
T
New Member
Offline
New Member
T
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 14
Great story, thanks for sharing.

Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 45,731
S
Campfire 'Bwana
Offline
Campfire 'Bwana
S
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 45,731
That's a lot of meat, well done!! (not the meat)



A wise man is frequently humbled.

Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 50,593
Campfire Kahuna
Offline
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 50,593
Originally Posted by High_Noon
Outstanding! An awesome hunt and write-up. What an incredible experience you and your Bud had, minus the bugs, of course.

A few times, when I was in AK back in the early '90s, I actually had to pack up camp and depart for a different location because the skeeters were so bad - thick clouds of them and they were miserable.

The skeeters were only miserable because you kept packing up and moving away from them! If you had just stayed put they would have been happy skeeters. Just saying!

wink


Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 3,188
T
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
T
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 3,188
Great write-up. A buddy I worked with when I lived up there did that hunt one year. He was a pretty experienced hunter and been all over the state. He couldn’t put that hunt into words, he looked like he had been drug behind a truck for a few days.

Congrats on the double


Stuck in airports, Terrorized
Sent to meetings, Hypnotized
Over-exposed, Commercialized
Handle me with Care...
-Traveling Wilbury's
Page 1 of 3 1 2 3

Moderated by  RickBin 

Link Copied to Clipboard
YB23

Who's Online Now
95 members (160user, 10Glocks, 308ld, 338reddog, 257_X_50, 10gaugemag, 9 invisible), 1,675 guests, and 755 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Forum Statistics
Forums81
Topics1,187,728
Posts18,400,766
Members73,822
Most Online11,491
Jul 7th, 2023


 







Fish & Game Departments | Solunar Tables | Mission Statement | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | DMCA
Hunting | Fishing | Camping | Backpacking | Reloading | Campfire Forums | Gear Shop
Copyright © 2000-2024 24hourcampfire.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5
(Release build 20201027)
Responsive Width:

PHP: 7.3.33 Page Time: 0.114s Queries: 14 (0.004s) Memory: 1.0480 MB (Peak: 1.3660 MB) Data Comp: Zlib Server Time: 2024-03-29 09:13:12 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS