Top_Heavy's World

"I will crawl to the right and draw his attention, when he is looking at me, you shoot him" was my brain storm idea as expressed to Matt. I had my frame pack, a huge 6000 cubic inch, taco compression bag, on a Max Freighter Frame with comfort belt, over my shoulders as I crawled away from Matt. I was counting on the bag showing over the slight rise, that was between us and the huge bull caribou, that we were stalking. I crawled to a lower spot and I could see the entire bull. Not only had my plan worked, the 'bou was looking at me, but he was curious enough to be walking my way with peaked interest! The bull had turned broadside to Matt, less than 100 yards now. I watched him raise the rifle, my stainless Remington 700, and take careful aim. The rifle is right handed, for me, but Matt shoots left handed. We both knew at this range, with a gun this accurate, this bull was about to meet our entire hunting party!
The trip had been fantastic, 3 small planes taxied the 6 of us into the wilds of Alaska. We had driven from Cedar Rapids to Minneapolis, where we left the truck and trailer, boarded a plane and flew to our present location... somewhere around Taylor Mountain. I had taken my bull a few days earlier and my good friend Matt Schrantz was about to take his. He had taken time from his sporting goods business to hunt Caribou. We had tried for days to get one with a bow, but the area we hunted was just too open to close the deal. We were now running out of huntable days, and Matt was not going to go home empty handed. He had resolved to take the first "decent" bull. We had located this bull, much better than decent, from the camp. We planned the stalk quickly and I carried the meat pack and the knives. We were both hoping to take this bull.
The stalk had been perfect and I was about to watch my friend take a super bull. The bull staggered at the sound of the rifle, his entire body showing the hit. He attempted to run, but the well placed Swift A Frame had done it's job. Matt was thrilled, it is always good to see him smile. We caped and butchered the bull and loaded as much of the meat into the pack as I dared. I struggled to my feet, not as gracefully as Jason had with my bull, but I got there and we started for home. With the length of the stalk I figured we were on the next mountain, but as I cleared the first small peak, I could see the camp only a few hundred yards away! The winding stalk had brought us back to our base and the bull died less than 1/4 of a mile from our tent! The stalk was fairly short, the shot not too extreme, the bull wouldn't make the books, but this was one of the greatest hunts I have ever been a part of. Matt was exstatic, the bull was beautiful and we were going to eat fresh Caribou back straps on the tundra tonight! To have been able to be part of this hunt was a dream come true. I hope to get back for moose or sheep, because when you travel to Alaska.... Now you are hunting!