Kaitum
Well-known member
A few pictures of my trip last August to get us through the slow times of winter. I've done 4 trips in the Brooks in 5 years, that mountain range never disappoints. This trip was with two friends from MN. I thought I'd post some pictures that focus on other aspects of the adventure.
The drive from Anchorage to Coldfoot is an adventure in itself with plenty of scenery to take in.
While waiting for the fog to lift so we could leave the air strip there was time for some birding and wildlife viewing.
We flew low enough to spot a fair number of Dall's sheep and even a group of sheep hunters. Occasionally my eyes would glance over at the plane's GPS screen to make a mental note of our location when we'd pass a big group of sheep but after awhile I just thought "Who cares?" and just focused out the window.
One of my first day hunt traditions in recent years has been to bring along a pack of New York strip steaks for over the fire for the hunt's first meal. I wasn't about to let rain stop me from enjoying that meal.
Caribou were scarce but that's just the nature of caribou hunting. Plenty of wildlife tracks, both predator and prey, on the gravel bars.
Sometimes you're not the top predator out there. T Rex tracks.....?
In a seemingly barren landscape there are treasures to be found if one looks hard enough.
After notching a couple tags our meal quality greatly improved. Caribou tenderloins on Day 6.
Curt and I glassing a couple Dall's sheep rams from the safety of our bear fence. You know, in case something comes up on our six.... One of the rams we're watching here may be legal this year, but last summer it just wasn't close enough for me to cross the river for a closer look. Besides, I had a Tok sheep tag in my pocket, it was going to take a giant ram to get me excited at that point if I was going to end my Tok hunt before it started.
I've done enough float hunting to know hunting smarter beats hunting harder most times. Here Curt and I drag the raft upstream to retrieve his bull. I'll take floating over packing any day.
With our tags notched it was time to turn our attention to Arctic char.
Like the Brooks Range itself, a male Arctic char in spawning colors rarely disappoints.
Here's the downstream take out of our trip. I think its a likely spot to begin our next adventure.
The drive from Anchorage to Coldfoot is an adventure in itself with plenty of scenery to take in.
While waiting for the fog to lift so we could leave the air strip there was time for some birding and wildlife viewing.
We flew low enough to spot a fair number of Dall's sheep and even a group of sheep hunters. Occasionally my eyes would glance over at the plane's GPS screen to make a mental note of our location when we'd pass a big group of sheep but after awhile I just thought "Who cares?" and just focused out the window.
One of my first day hunt traditions in recent years has been to bring along a pack of New York strip steaks for over the fire for the hunt's first meal. I wasn't about to let rain stop me from enjoying that meal.
Caribou were scarce but that's just the nature of caribou hunting. Plenty of wildlife tracks, both predator and prey, on the gravel bars.
Sometimes you're not the top predator out there. T Rex tracks.....?
In a seemingly barren landscape there are treasures to be found if one looks hard enough.
After notching a couple tags our meal quality greatly improved. Caribou tenderloins on Day 6.
Curt and I glassing a couple Dall's sheep rams from the safety of our bear fence. You know, in case something comes up on our six.... One of the rams we're watching here may be legal this year, but last summer it just wasn't close enough for me to cross the river for a closer look. Besides, I had a Tok sheep tag in my pocket, it was going to take a giant ram to get me excited at that point if I was going to end my Tok hunt before it started.
I've done enough float hunting to know hunting smarter beats hunting harder most times. Here Curt and I drag the raft upstream to retrieve his bull. I'll take floating over packing any day.
With our tags notched it was time to turn our attention to Arctic char.
Like the Brooks Range itself, a male Arctic char in spawning colors rarely disappoints.
Here's the downstream take out of our trip. I think its a likely spot to begin our next adventure.
