Wood Bison and a silver fox, just north of the Alberta/NWT line.
We rolled out of my driveway at 4AM on July 10th with a long drive ahead. Our destination by road was Yellowknife, NWT. From there we flew commercial to Norman Wells, NWT…
We were met by my lifelong friend, Al Klassen and his son Derek “Dak” Klassen. Al has been guiding for ARRO for 34 years. Dak started his career there as a packer when he was 17. Al and I hunted together for the first time in 1990 with South Nahanni Outfitters.
We had along a young packer, Carson, who’s 16 and learning the ropes of becoming a guide within the next few years. Carson is from Alberta, and way ahead of his years.
We left early on the next day, July 14th.
Camp one..if I recall I took this picture around midnight.
We spotted 8-10 caribou bulls and a handful of ewes, lambs and young rams over about six miles of hiking in to this spot..
The first basin we hiked into above camp one revealed several rams scattered around, and one really old one, but he wasn’t the right one and besides, we had a full 21 days of hunting ahead of us.
This was the start of day seven, and we had the daunting task of bushwhacking willows, black spruce, rocks and 8-10 water crossings, along with climbing 3,000’ vertical.
Right around the corner above my right shoulder, we stopped for a water break, and I spotted four rams bedded in the shale 3.5 miles away near the head of the basin. We knew they were rams, but that was all.
Wood Bison and a silver fox, just north of the Alberta/NWT line.
Uhh
The Next leg, the Arctic Red River, and base camp at Arctic Red River Outfitters..
We were met by my lifelong friend, Al Klassen and his son Derek “Dak” Klassen. Al has been guiding for ARRO for 34 years. Dak started his career there as a packer when he was 17. Al and I hunted together for the first time in 1990 with South Nahanni Outfitters.
We left early on the next day, July 14th.
B
Al, Dak, and “Crozier”.
The first basin we hiked into above camp one revealed several rams scattered around, and one really old one, but he wasn’t the right one and besides, we had a full 21 days of hunting ahead of us.
That old ram was in a really tough spot..
We continued on another seven miles to look at new country.
This was the start of day seven, and we had the daunting task of bushwhacking willows, black spruce, rocks and 8-10 water crossings, along with climbing 3,000’ vertical.
Right around the corner above my right shoulder, we stopped for a water break, and I spotted four rams bedded in the shale 3.5 miles away near the head of the basin. We knew they were rams, but that was all.
