Loaded up Tues, Jan 8, for a day trip bou hunting from Fairbanks. 60 mile drive with the truck and trailer. Unload snogos and about a 15 mile drive up a forested valley to get on to an open ridge. Caribou sign and successful hunter sign (gutpiles) most of the way up the valley. Here is me, and then the pard as we topped out on the ridge:
Once we got on top we could see bou, but not close. A short travel along the ridge and a small herd moved up out of the valley to the side and began feeding. Drove the snogos a little closer, then walked about 500 yds behind a hill to get in range.
The pard made a good shot with his 300 win mag and we had one down. Here he is:
The rest ran off, or so we thought. Got the snogos and sled and rade over to our bou. The rest of the herd had just ran a couple hundred yds down the side of the ridge and I got a shot with the AR. Here's me with my kill:
I hit her twice. Once in the front shoulder breaking her leg. 2nd shot she was facing away and had raised up on her rear legs. Hit her in the back and destroyed the heart as the bullet entered the chest. I was shooting SSA 6.8 140 VLD rounds. First kill for me with this round. When we pulled the guts out I was lucky enough to find this laying on the ground:
Odd performance I would say. Weighed the bullet when I got home and it is still exactly 140 grains. I suppose I could have destroyed the heart with the first shot, but not sure. We looked for bullets when we butchered and cut meat. Did find one piece of copper outer in another part of the animal.
Anyway, we loaded up after gutting and prepared to head back to the truck. Here is the sled with 2 bou inside and me gassing up the snogo:
On the ride back another small herd crossed the ridge right in front of us. Wasn't quick enough to get a pic. Here we are back down in the trees on the way back:
All in all a good day. The sled unhooked from the snogo once going downhill and made for some excitement. Otherwise we were back at the truck at dark and home for a late dinner. Can't complain about that. These were both female bou, which is what we wanted. They are better eating this time of year. Most males have dropped their antlers by now.
I'll post this on the SSA forum also.
Once we got on top we could see bou, but not close. A short travel along the ridge and a small herd moved up out of the valley to the side and began feeding. Drove the snogos a little closer, then walked about 500 yds behind a hill to get in range.
The pard made a good shot with his 300 win mag and we had one down. Here he is:
The rest ran off, or so we thought. Got the snogos and sled and rade over to our bou. The rest of the herd had just ran a couple hundred yds down the side of the ridge and I got a shot with the AR. Here's me with my kill:
I hit her twice. Once in the front shoulder breaking her leg. 2nd shot she was facing away and had raised up on her rear legs. Hit her in the back and destroyed the heart as the bullet entered the chest. I was shooting SSA 6.8 140 VLD rounds. First kill for me with this round. When we pulled the guts out I was lucky enough to find this laying on the ground:
Odd performance I would say. Weighed the bullet when I got home and it is still exactly 140 grains. I suppose I could have destroyed the heart with the first shot, but not sure. We looked for bullets when we butchered and cut meat. Did find one piece of copper outer in another part of the animal.
Anyway, we loaded up after gutting and prepared to head back to the truck. Here is the sled with 2 bou inside and me gassing up the snogo:
On the ride back another small herd crossed the ridge right in front of us. Wasn't quick enough to get a pic. Here we are back down in the trees on the way back:
All in all a good day. The sled unhooked from the snogo once going downhill and made for some excitement. Otherwise we were back at the truck at dark and home for a late dinner. Can't complain about that. These were both female bou, which is what we wanted. They are better eating this time of year. Most males have dropped their antlers by now.
I'll post this on the SSA forum also.