Salmonloaf
Active member
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2024
- Messages
- 31
Well guys, back from the north slope of Alaska 800lbs heavier!
Truly the hunt of a lifetime. Went up north the day before opener for scouting and was able to spot roughly 25-30 muskox, some were satellite bulls but the majority were part of a singular bulls harem. This bull clearly was in charge, had 13 cows in tow and was whooping up on all of the satellite bulls. My thought was keep an eye on him until they all bed down and put a stalk together before sunrise, right? Well that’s exactly what i did, but when the sun rose the whole
heard had vanished..
Slightly discouraged i went to track down the 2-3 smaller satellite bulls from the day prior, they had moved a few hundred yards but nothing crazy. I put a stalk on one, got within 100 yards but couldn’t bring myself to continue knowing that giant heard bull was around somewhere.
On the hike out a smaller bull walked within 14 yards of me LOL i was asking God if this was a test because i didn’t know if i was strong enough not to fill a tag at 14 yards. I bit my tongue, re-quivered my arrow and walked out.
Boy am i glad i did… walked along the Alaskan Pipeline for roughly 1.5 miles and sure enough, there he was with all of the cows and a satellite bull in tow. Placed the longest stalk of my life, with 15 sets of eyes watching i didn’t want to risk a thing. Ultimately got to 40 yards and was pinned. Sat there for about 15 minutes until one of the cows began to drift away towards me leading the heard bull to walk in my direction…
this is where it got reeeeeally interesting. As i’m crouching in the bush the satellite bull busts me out, so i’m frozen.. motionless Praying the heard bull turns broadside. At this point he was 54 yards facing straight at me.. i don’t know of a setup in the world i’d trust shooting this caliber of bull at 50+yards straight on, so all i could do was wait and pray.
Either devine intervention, or pure dumb rut luck, the bull decides his cow had gone to far and he comes grunting over, yelling at her to get back in line. She obliges. the second she turns to walk back he turns back towards the heard giving me a beautiful broadside shot at 37 yards. Took everything in me to stay focused and remember all the practice hours and place a perfect double lung heart shot.. he reared up, and augered in. no longer than 5 seconds from
shot to death.
Needless to say the pack out was brutal, but well worth it. Got him home and to the taxidermist, green scored him at 115” so as long as he doesn’t shrink 10” (which is highly doubtful) in the next 60 days He’ll be my first Boone and Crockett and Pope and Young trophy.
