Haul Road caribou update

[Erik in AK]

The rut's on but almost over.
Temp: 5 degress give or take
Snow: 2-4 inches
Pond Ice: 2-3 inches
Creeks: Watch your step--safe in spots

I'm seeing stalkable bulls close to the road every day between Toolik Lake and about mile marker 300. Although I did see about 30 or so further north this afternoon--west of the road, just south of Pump 3, on the flats above the bluff.

If you come up wear whites and prepare to crawl. Also, hunt at first light which is about 8 am. I saw big bulls with 40 yards of the road every morning for the past 3 days.

Good Hunting
Erik

 

[guppie9]

A little bit off topic, at least geographically, but has anyone heard anything about the 40 mile herd? It seems as if not much has been happening there.

 

[Erik in AK]

there was an article about that in the Fbx paper about a week ago. Something about The Taylor Hwy hunt was under quota so the Steese Hwy hunt will have a larger quota by about 100 animals

 

[Moosie]

Thanx for the Update. DID you by chance take any pictures of the bou ?

 

[Erik in AK]

Finally-I found a PC that gives me the upload icon

I took all of these in the last two days

 

[Elkhunter]

Awesome pictures. I especially like the first one.

 

[Tom]

It looks like 5 degrees, i.e. cold. Good pictures!

 

[TBinKodiak]

Nice pics. Kodiak is going to be a little on the balmy side for you, we were in the 50s yesterday and today.

 

[Erik in AK]

TB I'm stoked about Kodiak! I only wish I was getting there a few days earlier.

PM your ph # so I can touch base with you before I head to Homer

 

[TBinKodiak]

Well hopefully the weather will be good and you can get at least one or two days of hunting in. That's about all you should need to find a decent buck. Also if I'm showing you my spot there will be no shooting bucks bigger than the one I got.

 

[Erik in AK]

Some pics from today 21 Oct

The last pic is fuzzy 'cause I blew it up. This bull is high wide and heavy with decent tops and really good bez, but he was about 100 yards out. There were about 100 or so caribou within easy rifle range (out to 250) when I snapped these and I saw a real pig in the same basin but he wouldn't step away from his group for a pic. That bull was about a third again bigger all the way around than this one. He had tops with 5-6 tines each side all over 12". Bonus(for me) I saw a weasel today in winter white (aka ermine). Zipped across the road in front of me. I didn't realize they ranged this far north.

Enjoy

 

[Moosie]

Those are Awesome Pictures 'mate !!!!!

Good luck to all of you and Always take your Camera out, I love those pictures .

 

[justdada]

It's amazing how nice their hair is this late in the year, he'd make a great mount. Why don't you drag your bow out to PSIII with you Erik?

 

[Erik in AK]

I'd get fired. So I take pics, make notes and plan for the future...

 

[300wsm]

Just make sure you share those notes , picked up a bow from my SGT here and we plan to be up there next year, were do you find info on the bow hunting classes with AK F&G had them before but can't find then now

 

[Erik in AK]

Steve, call the # for Wildlife Conservation in the Anchorage Office, they have all the info

I'm seriously considering walking in (or skiing) in late Jan or early Feb before the big bulls drop their antlers. Depending on the weather of course, but as long as it stays above 25 below with winds 10 mph or less I should be OK. I figure 2-3 hours will get me the required 5 miles plus a little. It will all depend on where I "put in" The Galbraith Lake airport cuts the walk down to 2 1/2 to 3 miles. The UAF research site at Toolik Lake shaves off a mile and a half. Of course there's always the upper Kuparuk--you walk the full 5 but the first two are on access road and there's hundreds of caribou in there on any given day between mid August thru March

 

[Ovis]

Erik

Just wait a year and you can likely ride in the 5 miles on your buggy or sled. :MAD

 

[Elkhunter]

Just keep the pictures coming. They are awesome.

 

[Erik in AK]

Ovis,
Ralph Seekins has been getting his ass kicked over this. ATV's in the corridor are not likely to happen any time soon.

Personally, I don't have a problem with the idea of snowmachines as long as there is adequate snow cover and only if they were limited to the river bottoms below the mean high water mark. The problem with that is once snowmachines are allowed, that could (will?) create momentum to allow ATV's. I think the best compromise is to reduce the corridor to two miles from 15 October to 15 April. There's not that much winter pressure up here and for the guy who really wants winter meat, a two mile walk reduces exposure to the potentially dangerous cold.

 

[Ovis]

Erik

I really don't see this going through either. Way too many sportmen against it. I don't mind the current conditions up there, but wouldn't have a problem with them scaling back the corridor either. It could potentially cut back on wanton waste issues there as well. Though I might be counting my chickens before they hatch.

The hunting up there had to be half way decent this year with Ft Wainwright shipped out. Would you say so?