Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska Bull Down!!!

Weds Sept 18th, 2013




Well it's been a very busy week to say the least. Overall, collectively our hunters have done very well. We have killed 5 very respectful bull moose! All but 1 under 60" And three grizzly bears as of the night of the 17th. That includes all guided hunters and 5 groups of unguided drop off hunters. We still have two guided moose/bear hunters in the field thru the 20th.




Last Friday I was able to relieve myself from the chores of camp host/cook and actually get out into the field with a hunter and do some guiding:) It was extremely successful!




Both up and down river from Jeremy's base camp he has two winter trapping cabins that are a very basic 8x10 structure with bunk style beds, table and a wood stove. Both are located in areas that are frequently successful for harvesting moose every fall. They are small but very cozy and was a perfect setup for my hunter and I, Dr. Eli Whitney . So after a short 7 mile jet boat ride down to the lower cabin for a few nites to try out the area. We're were ready to hunt:)




Knowing that the Dr. Had a bumm knee I opted to take a canoe along that could be used to access the slough that surrounds the cabin and reduce the chance of him twisting and re injuring his knee any more. So after getting settled in the cabin we decided to get out and see the lay of the land and find a good vantage spot to either do some glassing and or calling from.




Last year i had been to the cabin to drop off a fellow guide and hunter but never got to see the area. So about 6:45 pm we loaded into the canoe and took the most directional route to the large pond beyond the beaver dam. After dragging the vessel up over the dam I could immediately sense that we were in some prime Rubbernosed Swamp Donkey country! The smell of rutting bull moose filled my nostrils with a flavor that I was all to familiar with:)




As soon as I pushed off the bank with the good doctor in the bow of the canoe, we rounded a clump of high brush and standing a mear 100 yards away, staring us down in chest deep water was a monster of a bull! Facing us head on with antlers high and ears perked, he didn't flinch an inch but he knew the gig was up.....




Doc's rifle was perched just behind him but within arms reach... We were both in amazement, but after just seconds of disbelief, I ordered the Doc to grab his gun, load a round and aim square at the forward chest of the beast. CRACK! The report broke the silence of that valley like the ripping of a chainsaw blade through a log. The moose leaped and spun even with that 300 grain chunk of lead deep in its brisket....Running 180 degrees away for a short distance....




At that moment my mind clicked out of anxious and excitement mode and into processing mode.... There was NO way that I could possibly dress and clean that bull in the deep swampy muskeg....especially in chest deep water with the Docs limited mobility ...." Don't shoot again" I ordered the Doc... "Let him walk, Doc.... don't shoot" I clearly needed him to advance towards shore and give me a better location for his sure death. The mighty bull stopped..... turned and stared us down for a few moments, shaking his antlers and shrugging off the water that saturated his hide,he was now broadside. It was then that I could see his ankles were out of the deeper water and he was on higher dryer ground...."drop'em Doc" I said.... With the second loud blast and confirming "Thummmmp" from the .375 H&H, the bull bolted straight ahead directly into deeper water... At least 6 feet deep! " keep movin buddy" I said out loud "get outa the water.... lets go.... Keep walkin...move move move....please lord don't let him die in the pond, ill never be able to handle him there" talking to him like a sheep herder and hoping the beast understood human language.... with what seemed like a full minute but was actually only moments, the critter stood motionless with its head hung low in the death position ...."mooooove, walk....common dude, get goin" i said, then, with one mighty blast of energy he bolted across the slough and reached the waters edge...."put another round in him when he hits the bank, Doc" ....as he stepped out of the water .... "Click" is all I heard from the weapon... The Doc had only two rounds in the magazine of the rifle and had not loaded a third.... The bull disappeared Into the brush!




Now mind you, the good lord heard my prayer! He had convinced that moose to get to dry land, but even with the bull out of the water, which was nothing short of a second miracle that the good Doc had encountered while on his Alaskan Hunting experience. We didnt know how deep into the brush he had run! Now I must track and dispatch him if need be. All unloaded from the canoe, rifle's filled with ammo and things all gathered, i could hear in the distance the wheezing and heavy choke like breathing of the hard hit bull. The moist ground and the amount to water brought out of the pond when the bull exited, I failed to find a drop of blood within the first 10 feet of the brush line. But looking down I could see the deep heavy embedded prints of his hooves in the fresh sphagnum moss and the trail that led down a tight corridor of alder and spruce for approximately 30 yards. We stopped and listened until there was silence..... Stepping just beyond the thick brush laid the Docs Trophy..... BULL DOWN!




His large body took up alot of ground and his massive 61" antler spread ensured that he was much larger then just your average bull. The 4 brow tines on the left and 5 on the right, along with all the points on the back pans were prom innate and impressive! The smell of his hide combined with the aroma of the entire area was a dead giveaway that this was truly a dominate mature bull that had seen several seasons of rut.




At that point it was 7:25pm... All the excitement and chain of events had only consumed 40 minutes from the time we left the cabin to locating him expired up high on dry ground....




God is good! And was 100% completely on our side that entire trip!




After field dressing half of the moose that evening, we headed back to camp by the light of the moon and head lamps. Cooked dinner and hit the rack full of smiles and happy thoughts. The following morning we headed over, finished dressing, bagging and packing out all the meat back to camp with the help of the trusty canoe.... Prior to the final load, we cleared three potential shooting lanes with the hopes of getting a shot at a Griz that would potentially come in on the kill sight and claim the carcass.




The following three days we watched the sight from a distance as not to leave anymore of our human scent in the immediate area. Unfortunately, the weather turned very cold and reduced the flow of carrion smell to far beyond the kill sight. We never saw Mr. Brownie at all... But upon departure, I was assured by the good Doc that the overall experience was a true once in a life time dream come true. And that the satisfaction of just harvesting a monster bull under what could have been a far less rewarding hunt was more then enough.




The cool thing for me is, I gained a new friend and chalked up another GREAT adventure for my archives!




Today is the 19th.... The season closes at midnight tomorrow. The nights have been clear and cold dipping into the teens leaving ice and low water levels.we have one guide in base camp with a hunter trying hard to rave st a bull that has been elusive all season. From the air he appears to be another above bull so hopefully by to Morris evening he will be hung in the meat shed and antlers added to the wall of fame!

heres the link to the pictures:) enjoy

http://s1266.photobucket.com/user/alaskanbuilt/library/fall%202013

Boy that is great when a "plan" comes together. So glad he got up on shore for you. That sure is a beautiful rack and looks wider than 61". I am sure you know but to us less fortunate to live and hunt like you do, these memories are what we live for. Thanks for taking me back

That canoe is setting low, nice. It would beat the heck out of packing that monster very far for sure. Nice story.

another beauty well done , congrats to you guys

Nicely done, all around! Congratulations and thanks for the post.

Nicely done, all around! Congratulations and thanks for the post.

Eli Whitney??? Working around those cotton gins (and a bunch of other stuff) must be hazardous. Amazing he's lived this long!

Beautiful bull! Love those palms, wow! Congrats!

Bob

Thanks for all the great responses!!! Off to brown bear camp now at Canoe Bay!!! Yeeeehawwww

Nice! Love the pics. Congrats!

Thanks for that nice story.

That is a nice Bull congratulations. Lots of hard work with great rewards.

Keeping the faith has it's rewards.

Nicely done.