The contrast in hiking fairly unencumbered out here compared to a heavy pack is very noticeable, and maybe only because we just finished our 8.7 miles with 5 days worth of camp on our backs, because it's still hard. No matter how much weight is in your pack, the tundra is still trying to swallow your feet.
The tundra is not all that conducive to stalking. Do what you can. Priority is being downwind, of course. There looks to be enough of a rise to their north that we could slowly sneak up within 300 yards. A double up is not out of the question.
I've made clear to Bluffgruff that he get's dibs on whatever he wants out here, doesn't matter who saw it first. I'm riding on his coattails of hard work and learned experience in this country, he shoots first all day every day, unless he doesn't want to.
This is definitely a bull he wants to shoot.
It's time to move slowly. Take a few steps and glass, look for antler tips. There are cows further up the ridge that I worry about. But they seem to pay us no mind.
We know we're getting close, but we really don't know how close. We begin to crouch, and shuffle. Rise, look, move, repeat.
Finally they come in to view. It is an impressive bull. They are looking directly towards us and this rise did not bring us as close we thought, 500 yards maybe. No great way to shoot.
They're becoming unsettled, they know something is up over here. Despite how careful we really were, they sensed enough movement to know maybe they oughta roll. We should've tried to approach more from above them.
They rise and start to walk away, trot at times, briefly run, down hill, off to where the ridge our camp is on descends to a small creek and then a perpendicular hillside begins. They seem to settle down there. Definitely in play. But now another straight line mile maybe.
That was a 1.5 mile stalk though. It's now past 9 pm. It's been a very big day. It's rainy and windy. We need food. Time to call it.
The tundra is not all that conducive to stalking. Do what you can. Priority is being downwind, of course. There looks to be enough of a rise to their north that we could slowly sneak up within 300 yards. A double up is not out of the question.
I've made clear to Bluffgruff that he get's dibs on whatever he wants out here, doesn't matter who saw it first. I'm riding on his coattails of hard work and learned experience in this country, he shoots first all day every day, unless he doesn't want to.
This is definitely a bull he wants to shoot.
It's time to move slowly. Take a few steps and glass, look for antler tips. There are cows further up the ridge that I worry about. But they seem to pay us no mind.
We know we're getting close, but we really don't know how close. We begin to crouch, and shuffle. Rise, look, move, repeat.
Finally they come in to view. It is an impressive bull. They are looking directly towards us and this rise did not bring us as close we thought, 500 yards maybe. No great way to shoot.
They're becoming unsettled, they know something is up over here. Despite how careful we really were, they sensed enough movement to know maybe they oughta roll. We should've tried to approach more from above them.
They rise and start to walk away, trot at times, briefly run, down hill, off to where the ridge our camp is on descends to a small creek and then a perpendicular hillside begins. They seem to settle down there. Definitely in play. But now another straight line mile maybe.
That was a 1.5 mile stalk though. It's now past 9 pm. It's been a very big day. It's rainy and windy. We need food. Time to call it.
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