Don't Threaten Me With a Good Time!
Mule Deer
Contributors to this thread:
It's hard to put to words the feelings one has as they're about to make a dream reality. I've always been a small thinker when it comes to my hunting aspirations, and yet here I am waiting on a plane to Alaska. Years ago my daydreams rarely left the back 40 whitetail stand. I remember 16 years ago when I moved to Colorado I dreamed of killing an elk with my bow. Then I needed a muley, a pronghorn, a bear etc.. These days it seems there's no end to my hunting dreams. I'm blessed to have met some great friends, bowhunting's finest, mostly through Bowsite. This is an account of great hunting, spectacular adventure and even better friends. Queue the music. Grab a drink. This is gonna be good!
Gear inspected by Russell. "Dad, you're ready"!
Oh, if you can't handle a few Bangs to go with the Twangs then read about the demise of bowhunting rather than this thread :)
We had planned this trip for 3 years . Kodiak Island.
October 27 2017 I Kiss the family goodbye and head to the airport ! Alaska here we come . Hunt
We did a practice hunt in Colorado this summer. Me , Will and Trevor . It didn’t take long to figure out we are cut from The same cloth. After 4 days in sheep country I knew this Alaska trip Would be a Special One.
October 27. Left my house at 2 AM to fly from Denver to Seattle where I'd meet Hunt. Then its on to Anchorage and from there to Kodiak. Excited? Understatement.
Made it to Seattle without a hitch but may have got a little ahead of ourselves at the airport bar in Anchorage and missed our flight :) 10,000 air miles later (I owe you Hunter) we made it to Kodiak. Trevor would meet us the next day. Nick was also supposed to be on this trip but got deployed. Next time my friend
Excited we hit the ground in Alaska . Thanks to a new friend we found in the airport. We had a local to show us the ropes the first night in the big city of Kodiak . Thanks Jon.
Decent time in Colorado on Trevor's sheep hunt :) Hunt and I were just on VACATION!
I think that first night in Kodiak was the only night we didn't get kicked out of the bar. Did I mention we had FUN on this trip
Looks like a totally awesome hunt with a great crew in the making! Bring it on!
Trev arrived the next morning. Gear loaded. We just need to hit the liquor store/grocery store. I'm about to explode!
Sat October 28. Trevor Flew in from anchorage . We met him at Island air office and go over gear.
I’m all in for this one!!!
Sounds like every trip I’ve made to Kodiak so far!!! Keep it coming guys
Two of my favorite spots; Henry’s and the Brewery! Shilekof Lodge lounge has great breakfasts. Looks like a fun start.
It was finally here. I had been dreaming of this hunt for years . It was here. We are excited.
Surreal for this ex Jersey boy
We do are shopping and last gear check. Bows , tags and whiskey. We are set for ten days. A little over a the 1200 pound limit but we make It work. Hey Will throw that backpack on The trailer and take your foot off The scale:)) Hunt
Excited for this ex Georgia boy.
We get to the dock. This guy comes up to our group and says. Who is Hunter? I am like that’s me. Hammertime he says and walks off. Nick had told our pilot to say it. The trip was Off to A Good start.
About 3 we load the plane . Now this is real. Hunt
Flight in was absolutely breathtaking. I was speechless. We flew over goats, bears and by far the most scenic, wild country I'd ever seen. For those that haven't been, the bear trails are insane. Looks like there isn't 20 square feet on the whole island without a giant hundred year old bear trail through it. I'd never even seen a grizzly; a whole new level of intensity I'd never experienced on a hunt.
The bear trails blew us away.
I hear a legend lives down there!!
Will and I put a serious dent in a bottle of whisky last night talking about this hunt. I'm there for the next one.
Bring this one home, boys!
Coming in hot. Our first choice had a camp at it. Turns out everything happens for a reason . Hunt
We'd originally picked a lake after talking to many friends (thank you to those that offered intel) but there was a guy already camped there when we landed so we flew a loop around and picked another lake without a clue as to what to expect. Fingers crossed. Sometimes fate is better than research
We hit the ground running . All Hands on deck . Soon camp is up and that awesome White string that is magically supposed to keep you safe from a 1000 pound bear. We laughed about it but it wasn’t funny. Will getting water while fighting off salmon.
They would just jump Out of the water. So we had to take a few photos. Did I mention we are excited!!! Hunt
I literally couldn't stop laughing about our bear "string". Thing ran on a couple D batteries and you could barely feel it when you grabbed on. Good thing we brought guns.
One of very few pics of the lake that didn't have a salmon tailing. The trip would be worth it just to catch giant salmon hand over fist all day long
When we first got there, there wasn't a dead fish but within a few days they were beaching themselves, through with their ritual and being absorbed back into the food chain. Nature at its finest
Trev and Hunt preparing our first meal. We had all of our meals frozen and vacuum sealed so all we had to do is come back to camp each night, throw a bag of stew or chili on the stove and start drinking whiskey. We did a good bit of the latter. I owe you guys for all the meals. When you come to CO I'll hook up the hotdogs and bread :)
Hunt taking notes after the first evening. Our camp was absolute luxury. You'd not want to do this in a 3 man Big Agnes
First night dinner. Elk stew . We had pre made all the meals Ahead of Time. It was a time saver and easy to Clean up. Some whiskey and we are getting ready for bed. Will Comes in and says Big Eyes outside the tent. Shit. Guns Out. I step Out with my light and it’s a Fox. We laugh and head to bed with dreams of Black tails Running in my head. We saw a few deer above camp. In the morning we will All Head that way.
First day was the worst weather we had. High winds and a bit of rain. We walked up the ridge above camp and immediately saw 2 bucks bust out and a herd of about 30 caribou. Most guys told us the chances of seeing bou was slim and to save the money. I will NEVER choose to not get a tag for whatever is remotely possible. We would have killed caribou for sure if we'd bought tags though maybe with the rifle. That'd be just fine with me
Split up a lil ways to glass. Can you see Hunt?
Did we mention the weather sucked. I had heard the stories. Now we are living it.
We spot a few deer below us. Hunt moves in. Just does
Soon we start to Find some Deer.
Nothing easy about this so far. There was a learning curve but we'll figure it out
It rained and rained some more. We learned a lot about the drainage and the deer that first day. But the weather beat us up and the country is way steeper and bigger than it looks . Way bigger.
That afternoon we moved along a ridge and blew the whole dang basin out. Probably 20 plus deer busted from about 700 yds away. ?. Not what we were expecting. Starting to think this might be more difficult than we imagined. Probably covered about 4 miles the first day and possibly to toughest 4 miles I've hunted. Never an easy step. We were water logged and whooped on day one. 9 tags to fill.......
The wind blew all night . Had to hit 60 plus a few times. It was raining and blowing as daylight broke. We are Tent bound. Lots of down time on a hunt like this. That’s why it is important to have a good team.
Mid day and Me and Will are chomping at the bit. Trevor is like you guys are crazy. One look from Will and we are getting dressed . Up the mountain behind camp We go.
Humbled on the first day. No worries, aint the first or last time I've been humbled while hunting.
That's all for me that Tonight. More tmro
Just arrived back home to Alaska from my Arizona Coues hunt safely. Awesome to read through and begin reliving the first few days of this trip. I'll go halfsies on the rest of the story tomorrow guys :)
I’m all ears boys! I wish I was up there just because of the top notch company. Persevere!!
Awesome so far guys! This hunt is on my short list! In for the rest!!!
Oct. 30th, Day 2 (not including the evening we were dropped off)
As Hunt mentioned, weather was ugly that day. We were starting to see some deer but still low on the learning curve. This country was brutally steep, much more so than the area we'd originally planned on hunting. With the salmon berry and alders stalking was a noisy endeavor
After 2 hours of more wind and rain we head back to the tent about 4 pm. It was daylight at around 830 am and dark by 530 at the start of the trip.
We are back at the tent doing chores and hanging out . When I look above camp and see a nice buck come out.
So it’s getting close to dark and the buck is slowly moving across the top. I decide I am killing it. I get a little antsy sometimes and with 3 tags in my pocket it was game on. I grabbed to camp gun and made a Move. Long story short I made a great shot and tag number one was in the books. Hunt
Making our way up to the buck. Steep is a understatement . We had broke the ice and sprits are lifted again .
What a neat place. Ocean in the back ground .
Nice buck, happy guy. Lets go kill 8 more
It was Halloween . I wish I could have been home To see Ridge. After working up my first buck. We split up and Trevor heads west and me and Will take the meat down towards camp and head south west for the rest of the day.
Not long after dropping Hunt's deer off at camp we find a group of deer. Several bucks and one nice one. Out comes the rifle. I'm ready to put something down. Long, painful story short, I prove I can't shoot a rifle, at least from semi long range. Missed multiple times and spooked the bou that were in the basin above us :(
Very Kool !!
Thanks for sharing
Good luck, Robb
We had the bou at under 200. Little did me and Will know but Trevor was a lot closer than us:) Will trying to get a range on a nice buck.
Almost had him but not quite. I learned a lot on this trip and one of them was to be quick. I'm used to having a little more time to prepare for shots but this was a different type of hunt. Shoot fast or eat tags. Lesson learned
When Will working in on the buck I had some action above me Also . So close to getting a shot . They head over the top and we follow.
Will works his way around the hill and soon we meet up again . The deer had moved on around. We talk and make a Plan to follow them.
Epic adventure guys! It has been too long since I have been on Kodak... This one is bringing back lots of memories. Guess I need to plan another trip!
Over the top and around The corner . We run into a Nice buck and doe in the alders. I draw back and miss low right. I peeked bad and knew it right away. He follows the doe up the other side and Will gives me a range. Never give Hunt 2 shots.
Second arrow was nocked as the first hit the brush. Did I mention you need to be quick:)
I can still see the arrow in flight . It was a great shot . Soon we see alders moving down the hill. Buck number 2 down. Happy Halloween.
Great stuff...great adventure.
Get to work. There's bears in these hills!
One thing about this hunt . It happens fast. At least for me. I think multiple pins are a must. We drag him Out of the alders and go To work.
Heads are on a swivel . Guns out and the sun is out and life is good.
While we're cutting him up another buck shows below us. 110 yds. I drop down and close the distance fast. I get in to bow range several times but he's either at a terrible angle or moving too fast for a shot. Soon he's gone and I head back to meet Hunt. Deer's packed and we're headed back to camp. Helluva day!
You guys had a great trip! Congrats!!
Excellent documentation, thank you and good luck guys.
Very cool! I wish I could have gone.
Will dropped down the hill to chase another buck. I have always been good with A knife . But the bears bring a whole knew meaning to fast. Hunt
Loaded up heavy and ready to rock. Hunt
We made it to the saddle and can see camp and Trevor packing heavy also. Oh boy Halloween night is going to be a Good one
Little bit worried about this tag on Trevor’s bag.
Spectacular moon that night. The boys were in rare form!
Fresh Blacktail strap. I can't look at this without laughing out loud :) We had a great day and we hit it hard that evening, laughing, reliving the days adventure and telling of others we'd had. Too much fun
Rare form would be a good word for it!!! Trevor Please please Please go get more propane. I am going to die. Get in your f-cking sleeping bag. I can’t!!
Thats the moon! Pics don't do it justice
Thats the moon! Pics don't do it justice
As hard as I'd laughed in a long time. We tore it up most of the night. Hunts got some hilarious video of our first podcast entry, me talking some whiskey marble mouthed garble about how to find elk :) That was before we realized we drank too much
Still waiting on our contract to release our podcast series :) It's good
I believe Hunt's about to head off to work and I'm taking care of my boy today so hopefully post more later this afternoon. Plus we gotta let Trevor "Halfsies" Embry catch up :) Thanks for following. This won't disappoint
All you guy's eyes are glazed... did you bring donuts?? :)
Absolutely no disappointment here!
Oh it gets better way better ! Day 3 in the books. 3 tags down 6 to go. Hunt
No Donuts. But we did have the worlds best pop tarts!!!
And I mean The best. Like you would Kill a man for another one:)
This is so awesome guys! Kodiak is a bucket list hunt for me! I love reliving these adventures and the story is as good as the company so far. Looking forward to the rest!
Ha! More please! Love the threads that you guys post. Epic adventures, great hunts and the fun that you have is obvious and infectious.
"The wind blew all night . Had to hit 60 plus a few times. It was raining and blowing as daylight broke. We are Tent bound. Lots of down time on a hunt like this. That’s why it is important to have a good team."
I think you guys have it covered.
I'm late for work now! This is sweet. Thanks for sharing guys. Looking forward to the rest.
Epic adventure guys! Keep it coming:)
Oh ya, you knew this was going to be a good one. Congrats fellas. Tuned in - awesome recap so far!
And now you expect me to get work done! Awesome trip and this place is on my bucket list. I will be watching. Thanks for taking the time.
I'll jump in on Halloween Day, first two days were crap weather but Halloween day looked to be a good one. We head up the ridge above camp, then split off from there. I elected to go solo and loop off around the backside as they hunted up the main drain. Shortly after we split up I see the reindeer over in the tops of the mountains in their drain. Being the only guy with a tag, I head that way.
I crawl around the backside through the rocks and drop down above the reindeer. All cows and dink bulls, but I'm not one to save tags and all my bou hunts were over for the year, So I nock an arrow and get ready. 80 yards and closing. I get to 50 and as I get ready for a shot the rifle cracks off across the canyon. The reindeer start to scatter and I let an arrow fly at the biggest bull but he turns to run at the shot and it sails by him into the rocks. I laugh it off and hope that the guys at least have a nice buck down. Never realized how close they were until the shot. Still never saw them though.
I climb back up the the ridgeline and look over the backside for deer now. I don't even finish my snack before it is game on. Got a buck bedded 300 yards down from me, wind coming up the hill. I go into autopilot and sneak down for a shot. He starts feeding before I get there, but still made it to 20 yards before he left the cover of the big boulder above him. I send an arrow and bam, buck number one is down. Halloween Day is quite possibly my favorite holiday, so I wasn't going to let a deer hunt get in the way. Ricky Bobby with his first Sitka Blacktail for 2017.
I work him up as fast as possible solo to avoid bear problems (already down in the alders), then begin the hike up and over so I can drop back down to camp. Multiple bucks down, we may or may not have hit the whiskey hard that night. After seeing my kill pic, Hunt decides to model another costume in camp.
A Bowsite Classic Adventure!!!
Nicely done guys.....keep it rolling!!!
Mark
Awesome. Looks like a Great time
Man I'd love to been there you guys sound like a blast!! Keep knocking um down!!!
That night we celebrated. Trev dang near fell in the lake a few times. I think he did fall everywhere else :) He took the next morning off and Hunt and I were up early. We'd head out together and then split up. He was trophy bowhuntn. I was killing something come hell or high water. Perfect morning. Hard freeze and cold. Notice the salmon tailing right in front of our tent
Soon after first light we spot a nice buck, 150 yds. I debate shooting him with the rifle before deciding to try with the bow. I get to 45 yds, get a range and draw just as he starts walking slowly into the brush. Arrow hits him just above the spine, backstrap shot. No harm, no foul; back in the saddle. After we split up I'm on a buck right away and we play cat and mouse for a bit in/out of bowrange. Finally he's had enough and trots off a few hundred yards. I've also had enough. Bang! First blacktail
It was so steep I had a hard time finding a place where he'd set still so I could cut him up. A few pics and some quick knife work with the rifle out and ready just in case. We hadn't seen a bear around our basins yet but that would change.
So steep I lost him 2-3 times before I found some brush to hold him
So steep I lost him 2-3 times before I found some brush to hold him
I made the mistake of not taking off my release which I'll never do again. This will bite me later in the hunt. Either way, I'm happy and heading back to camp loaded. These deer aren't small! They have more fat on them than a bull elk
It took Will a few mins to get me going. But soon we are off. My head hurts
Great morning for a deer hunt . With one tag left and 5 days to hunt. I am just along for the ride. Hunt
Met back up with Hunt on the way out. He'd had a hell of a day and got some awesome pics. I watched him draw and pass a decent buck as he came down the valley. Wish I had a better camera
I decide this hunt is a vacation for me, a marathon not a sprint if you will. I elect to hang around camp to drink a beer (yes I hid the last one from town, no I'm not ashamed), nurse my headache, fish, and glass the surrounding hillsides for bucks. I see dozens of deer, bucks fighting, it was a great day!
I knew it. Last beer and a box of poptarts
After me and Will split up. I head up the drainage on the left side and Will is on the right. I see a few bucks. But nothing I want to put my last tag on. That is until a big 4/3 comes over the top and fights a smaller buck above me. It was a epic battle and I watch the bigger buck break a tine off. I head that way looking for It. Did I say it was steep!
I push the deer over the top. So I head that way. Above to the top and a shot rings out. Scared the shit out of me. But I see Will has his first buck down. I make it to a saddle . These saddles are goldmines for the bowhunter .
I push the deer over the top. So I head that way. Above to the top and a shot rings out. Scared the shit out of me. But I see Will has his first buck down. I make it to a saddle . These saddles are goldmines for the bowhunter .
I was in the sun now. Soaking it up like a lizard and.nursing my head. Soon I see some deer below me.
Then a eagle lands on the spine above me. Is this a dream !!
Keep it coming guys, tuned in and listening!
Soon he is in my lap. I am smiling ear to ear. This is why I do it. Most people only see this stuff on Tv. Here we are 3 guys that met on the Bowsite hunting together. Life is good.
Over the ridge he goes. I am keeping a eye on Will . I was going to shoot my pistol if I saw a bear. I wait till he is packed up and head his way.
Man, those things are porkers! Great stuff, guys!
Awesome photos, guys!
Love that set of the buck coming thru the saddle!
Getting a deer taken care of in a hurry takes on a whole new meaning on that island! Especially at dark!
Good stuff guys... really enjoying the ride.
Hero shot in a Ricky Bobby costume!!! TEmbry is my new favorite Bowsiter.
This is great stuff
Those really are studly looking little deer! What does one weigh on the hoof? Great story!!
Gotta love the pack list...bows, whisky, beer, pop tarts and costumes. And a wicked good attitude!
4 more days to hunt. 4 bucks down and 5 more tags to fill, but we were getting better at this. Waiting and observing, as it is with so many bowhunts, was the way to get it done with archery tackle. Also, if anything we are severely understating the difficulty of the terrain. If we weren't sweating through our clothes hiking straight up we were literally falling through nearly impenetrable alder thickets. We learned to glass a hillside and meticulously plan our route up. At first we were just barreling up the hills without a thought
Just as a quick aside, our camp was a tight run machine. We all pitched in. Cook, bartender, su chef, DJ.... Yep, Trevor had downloaded enough podcasts and music that we had a different playlist each evening. We would hunt until dark and then listen to Joe Roggan interviews over bourbon and laughter. It was like I'd died and gone to huntn Heaven
The night life was as good as it gets. We relived the day. Ate great home cooked meals. Drank whiskey and told stories late into the night.
Thursday Nov 2. Lots of people all across the country hunting deer during this time frame . We wake up early and see deer just out from the lake. The lake had a thin coat of ice this morning.
Here is the bear from the saddle.
Here is the bear from the saddle.
We split up today. I was going to hunt the saddle and Trevor and Will are heading to the other side of the lake. We walk together for about a mile and then split off in our own direction. 15 mins after splitting up . I glass the saddle from yesterday. Oh there a deer in it. Binos up. Shit that not a deer. Skyline and standing there is a 9 foot bear. He walks over and sniffs where I was sitting the evening before.. I wanted to run back to the guys but they had already went around the corner. I was a little nervous now .
I head to my spot. Like Will said now we are picking the best route and it’s helping with the climb. Those alders are brutal.. I see a nice buck with a smaller buck and head there way. All the time that bear is in the back of my mind!
Cat and mouse up The mountain we go. They will let me get close just not close enough. I throw in the towel and head to the saddle. I spot a doe On the other side. She is below me and in the alders. I hit the can twice. Here comes a buck out lip curling the doe. It was awesome. He gets above me . It’s steep 37 degrees says the range finder. I adjust and send a laser beam his way. It hits him and he runs down the spine by me blood going everywhere. Tagged out
You guys likely have such hang overs that if a bear did come after you, he'd get you while you argued about who HAD to shot the gun!!! Too much fun guys and a great adventure!
I get him broke down in record time. Head on a swivel. I wish I could have soaked it all In. But that was not a option. I didn’t even cut the legs off:)
That yellow dot on the left side of The lake is the tent. Heavy and slow I head down the hill!
Man, that looks like too much fun!
I clean up camp. Fish, glass and skin my heads. Life is grand.
Those stout little deer are YUMMY!
You boys are doin all the good getting out after what appear to have been some excessive evenings!
From the shadows it looks like the sun is getting down on you Hunt Man. Shake a leg! Forget about that headache - suck it up and MOVE! You do not want to be on the side of a mountain with a backpack full of bear food on that island!
Lots of bucks . In this photo . Two fighting up top and a buck Chasing a doe in the middle .
Ok, I'm posting to mark my spot. GJ so far guys. Good stuff.
"Meanwhile, on the other side of the mountain" :) Trevor and I planned to split up and hunt opposite sides of the drainage. Plan was to fire a round if someone saw a bear. I took ten steps from Trevor and he hollered, Bear! New plan. We'd stay together and hunt up over the next ridge. We glass up some bucks and make a plan to sneak across this ridge and ambush em
...hanging on every word...
The 15 are one of my best hunting purchases ever. For my style of hunting they’ve make the diffence.
Outstanding adventure... you guys did it the right way... Ed F
It’s the simple things on a trip like this. A poptart has never tasted so good. Look at Trevor’s smile .
We also enjoyed a single barrel bourbon from Buffalo Trace. It lasted about 3 mins.
On our way to the bucks we glassed a smaller buck pops out, I range, call out 45 and Trevor puts one through him. Buck # 6 is down! I'm sure Trevor has better pics so I'll wait for him to post.
You guys are awesome! Hammertime!!!
I came extremely close to firing a round into the dirt when Will walked 15 yards away to alert him of the bear, that was the plan after all :). After an interesting morning and a few busted deer, we finally find another target up a mountain away from the bear (a big plus!). I’m up to bat and going first, will on my hip we crest a knob not even halfway to the target buck and I say “buck, what’s the range” will calls out 45 and I couldn’t resist such a perfect opportunity even though he was a smaller buck. Buck 2 in the bag, 3 tags left for the group total.
Cooling the meat off before stuffing back into the pack for the trip to camp.
Pretty sure it was a sow, but I had no plans of getting close enough to cup check and verify :)
Deadly team here, Hunter is a mile or two away packing out a dead buck as we took this picture finding our next target.
Will being Mr. Magazine Cover in this shot.
Covered a lot of ground, and very little bitching from anyone involved. Will hiked all those hills wearing rubber boots! Tough SOB.
The following day I had several extremely close calls, including a cat/mouse game in the cliffs with this stud. I was within 12 yards twice and never had the right angle for a shot. Win some and lose some.
Hunt beat us to camp this day. Somewhat certain this is the day all the pop tarts went missing :)
So your saying if there was a store up on that hill. You wouldn’t walk up there and get a poptart? Just asking?
This leads to ?
This leads to ?
This was the night that Trevor won the drunk award. Me and Will where going fox hunting and T said he was going. Saved his life for the first time of the trip that night . It wouldn’t be the last:)
I love it fellas. Great stuff men.
Friday Nov 3 . What a sunrise. I am just along for the ride. Packer / spotter. I like to put my balls on it!!
Simply badass!!!! .... and I chew Big Red!
And here we observe Hunter in his natural state, slightly buzzed and eating the cheese packets out of Velveta Shells boxes. :)
Putting this guy to bed then I'll add. Blacktail. It's what's for dinner. He likes it
Left foot right foot repeat. Bear tracks in a saddle.
I took lots of photos now. Hope you guys enjoy. Hunt
Nice spot to drop your antlers. We just left them for someone else to see. That’s the ocean on the horizon .
We had a couple days of incredible weather.
Trevor late in the day on bear patrol . Me and Will are waiting out 3 bucks between us and T
Will putting his balls on the bucks. 3 bucks . 2 good ones and we are in a good spot. We have watched the deer in this valley for days. You got this Will
We wait until the bucks commit to moving in one direction and I make my move. I can't see them once I drop down but have a good idea of where they are headed. I spot antlers. The bigger one is heading my way. I range him and shoot. Over his back. Remember when I said not taking my release off while cleaning up my first buck would bite me? The deer stays one course actually coming a little closer. I've got an arrow knocked but my release is jammed with blood and meat! I can't reset it with one finger like usual and need to put my bow down, deer in range, to reset the release. Between this moment and getting ready for the next shot range finder falls off my bino harness (had it tied with paracord for easy access). Complete debacle. Turn back for range finder. At this point I've come apart. Range finder isn't working. I guess 50 and shoot. Without aiming. Gut shoot him. Hunt has A I M painted on the side of his riser that faces him. Good advice :) I learned a great deal on this hunt but this scenario is forever burned in my brain. Mistakes I'll never make again. Bummed but not down. It's getting dark so we head back to camp. I plan to hunt this general area in the AM before looking for the deer.
Last day. 3 tags to fill. 2 are mine. Hunt and I make it to the saddle where he killed his 3rd buck and we've seen a ton of action. Almost immediately a nice buck is pushing does and appears to be headed our way. As luck would have it he comes right through. I sneak around some rocks and whack him. Arrow is high but he runs down and beds at about 200yds. I decide that if I think he's going to get away I'll shooot him with the gun and head down, arrow nocked, rifle over my shoulder. It works and I get to 50 and make my first good shot of the trip. I've got my first archery blacktail. Hunt watched the whole thing. I raise a hiking pole to signal its done but I'm sure he saw it. Good times!
Humbled for sure. Hunt scrambles down, we take a few pics and get him loaded
Maybe 4 hours to hunt and 2 tags to fill. I drop my pack at the top of the saddle and go looking for the deer I hit poorly the night before. This ain't the type of place you do grid searches but I hoped maybe he didn't go far. No luck. Dang near shot a fox making my way back to Hunt and T but he ducked into the alders before I could let fly.
I hunt these cliffs a bit after looking for the deer. I have a few does in range and thought about it. Almost got in on another buck before it was getting close to go time. I headed back towards Hunt and T. You can see our camp in the far left center of this photo. This is the closest we hunted to our tent
I make it back to the saddle and glass the boys WAY the hell up on a spine. They're signaling me to come up. Dang. This better not be for a photo opp. We're all beat up. Too tired to take a pic but wish I had. They were up on some "you fall, you die" type terrain looking over into the basin
Will watching the saddle. When I saw the buck coming I was shaking like I was ten again. Man I love this game
I begged Will to shoot this ptarmigan .
Trevor glassing up some bucks as the fog rolls in and out.
Now we are going back to camp extra heavy. Give me knife and hold a leg . Hunt
Before Will joined us I attempted a stalk one last time with my bow on a NICE buck. The fog kept rolling in and out and I never could get a clean shot. I backed down to Hunt and Will came up to join us. Daylight is leaving us in about an hour, so Will and I elect to scurry up the hill with the .06 instead this time. I get in position and dump the biggest buck in sight. I hand off the rifle to Will and he dumps the next biggest on the hill. Just like that we are tagged out.
I head back to the saddle to get my first buck of the day and Hunt and T go to work. I get back just in time to listen to the end of the latest Eric Church album and we roll out all 3 with a buck on our back to Out There Buzz. Appropriate :) What a hunt. All smiles
Outstanding on all accounts...
The next morning the weather is not looking great for pick up. I am convinced they aren’t coming. Will says wake me up when the plane is coming.
Soon we call and they say there coming. Hell yes.
If you put the booze in plastic bottles, it weighs a lot less. Better for flights.
I put mine in Vitamin Water bottles. Then no one knows it's booze and it decreases the risk of it getting swiped. And it makes me feel like I'm healthy for drinking booze because the bottle says "Vitamin" on it.
What a trip. But we still Have a few nights left!
Memories to last a lifetime!!
Loved every post in this one, way to go guys, super bummed I couldn't make it. I am sure there will be a next time though!
Bittersweet to leave but, heck yes there'll be a next time! I'm going every chance I get until I can't do this anymore. Lookout Kodiak City! The boys are bout to put the cherry on top of a perfect trip :)
Still in awe with the scenery though the flight back had a few "bumps" that took the smile off my face for a quick second :o
Taking my Dad hunting today but we'll try to wrap this up by this evening. Hope ya'll have enjoyed this as much as we have posting it
Great stuff. Loved every post. Kodiak is the best!
This sounds like just way too much fun!
Where did you guys store the meat while you were hunting?
Wow, wow, wow... What a hunt and recap. That was fun... Ed F
Fish and chips here we come.
Yummy. I think me and Will ate 3 times that night.
Will have you seen Trevor?
First clue of our blood trail challenge .
A- did a bear get Trevor?
B - Is Trevor alive?
C- Is he hiding in a Wheelbarrow ?
This trip was everything I had could have hoped for. We laughed so hard my ribs hurt. We hunted harder. The country was tough and physically demanding . Thanks guys for everything!! Can’t wait for the next time.
For you guys who say it on my bucket list . Do it now!! Kodiak is a wild place full of adventure. Thanks for looking . Hunt
Spectacular! Loved seeing the story from all three of you!
It was definitely Hammer Time!
Awesome Adventure! Congratulations on an epic hunt!
EPIC!! Couldn't wait to get to work each morning to catch up on the thread!
You guys are badasses. Congrats and thanks fo sharing the recap with us.
That was a fun read - thanks for sharing!!
You're right Hunter! I'm going to make this one happen! You guys had a hell of a hunt. Good partners, hard hunts, epic harvests, and wild places make for memories of a lifetime! Thanks for sharing it with us!
BTW....was Ricky Bobby pissing excellence Halloween night? Ha!
Thanks for sharing, that looks a super adventure and a great time. Congrats!
File this one in the hall of fame.
Thumbs up all around guys. Nicely done, well at least until next time. THERE WILL BE A NEXT TIME WON'T THERE? my best, Paul
Great job Guy's. excellent adventure and write up by all. Great photo's too! Very inspiring! Nice bucks!
Great adventure guys! Really enjoyed reading the story.
Great read guys! Thanks for sharing!
Excellent. The writing reeks of a good time. You can see the smiles of you fellas as you are behind your computer.
Man, way to go guys. Great thread and spectacular adventure!
What an adventure! Congrats!
There's nothing like hunting Kodiak and you guys did it in style! Kudos to a great trip and recap.
Looks like an epic adventure! Congrats on a lifetime of memories.
Great thread guys! Grats on a great time!
BTW, who beat up Trevor?
The mystery continues Ike, we’ve basically settled on Trevor beat up Trevor. Rough first night back in civilization haha.
You've got me SO pumped for my November trip this year to Kodiak I can hardly stand it! KUDOS gentlemen...
Fantastic in all accounts ! I Quess C.
I don't have anything good to say, just that I'm extremely jealous....Ha! Kevin
Thanks for sharing guys, amazing trip for sure!
"The mystery continues Ike, we’ve basically settled on Trevor beat up Trevor. Rough first night back in civilization haha."
I think someone was bitter about missing pop tarts and the consumption of the last beer, Dr Watson.
blood trail result??? don't leave us hanging??
Congrats guys and thanks for the story and pics. To be young(er) again. I'll live it thru u guys! Spent a week on Kodiak nearly 25 years ago at Larsen Bay. Was all fishing that time.
Wow incredible trip, great job telling the story fellas.
Ding ding. We have a winner. C is the correct answer .
Congrats! You guys sure made use of tags!!
Outstanding! Congrats boys what an adventure!
Great story, I enjoyed it from start to finish.. Thanks Ed
You guys are animals on all accounts!!:) Congrats and thanks for taking us along!!! Matt
Looks like fun! I would have opted out of the hangovers after the first night! Those deer are so neat looking!!
I'm still laughing at HUNT eating the cheese from the macaroni box. LMAO
Good stuff fellas!
Helluva a story, helluva hunt. I can't wait to be there again in 2019, though I will be on a boat based hunt again. You guys got the fire lit too early, it will be a long 21 months until I land in Kodiak again....
Epic. Thanks for sharing boys.
Looks like fun! Thanks for sharing that with us.
Awesome in every way boys!
Once again: Just an awesome trip fellas
Congrats, great read. Explain the wheelbarrow.
This taken just before the bartender told me "your friend has to go" :) I believe the wheelbarrow probably looked like a nice place to crash. Hunt and I too focused on 3rd supper to notice T is MIA on the way back to the only bar that would still allow us. Thanks for the kind words boys
That was awesome, thanks for sharing, looks like that hunt will bring smiles to your faces for the rest of your lives.
Frickin. Awesome. Looks like a great time guys, thanks for taking us along and lighting a fire in us all!
Awesome what a trip. Thanks for sharing.
Man, I don't know if I could hang with you guys. I'd have to spend a week drying out after I got home!
Thanks for taking the time for the recap...epic!
Most excellent pictorial and write-up about an epic adventure!!! Maybe some day for me... Question though ,cause I have never had to keep my deer meat away from thousand pound raiders. How did you store the venison to keep the bears off it, and out of your tent?? Hot wire?
The trip of a lifetime until the next one. I think you guys had just as much fun putting this thread together as the hunt itself. Guys were asking about the wheelbarrow and what happened to TEmbry. Sometimes is better to leave the details out. Thank for sharing the pics and details. Best thread ever!
Awesome job guys. Fantastic story and deer. Definitely have my wheels turning now.
I was just about to hit the hay when I stumbled across this one. I couldn’t stop reading until the end. Sounds like one heck of an adventure fellas! Congrats!!
Tremendous job with both the story and the hunt! I want to know when you guys are going to start selling bonus/preference points to be in your hunting party next time. I definitely want to get in on the ground floor of that drawing, unlike all the state systems.
Awesome hunt! Thanks for taking us along. It look look a Kodiak hunt is now being bumped towards the top of the list for me.
I have been waiting for this one for so long!! It absolutely surpassed expectations! One of the greatest threads of all time. Well done boys! I don't think this is a crew I would enjoy spending time with. lol
AWESOME!!! CONGRATS to you all and THANK YOU for an entertaining and fabulous thread!
That was awesome on a stick....... thanks for sharing! What an adventure.... and another adventure.... and another.....
Cleaned up heads.
Cleaned up heads.
Thanks guys for the kind words.
We cashed the meat above camp in some alders. It was in the open on a north slope with no sun. We also had good visablity .
One night about bedtime. We had all laid down for the night when all of a sudden this noise comes from outside the tent. Me and Trevor jump up guns ready. Will did you hear that? No what was it. Sounds like a bear outside the tent. I have my finger on the trigger pointing at the door. Turns out it was Will and we laughed after he did it again going back to sleep. What a trip!!!
Great story, thanks for sharing!
Man you boys know how to to do a hunt recap!! And we're certainly no teetotalers but I don't know if I could hang with this group, my head hurts just from reading!
Loved it!
EPIC!!! Hopefully that kind of hunt is in my future, minus the heavy drinking (OK maybe just a few nips). I need an Alaskan adventure! Thanks for sharing fellas.
Congratulations on an amazing hunt.
Would you do a quick gear break-down to tell us what you considered necessities for this trip, what worked, what didn't, etc.?
The Bowsite "A Team" gets it done! Was there ever a doubt?
Thanks for taking us along for the ride, looks like you guys had the time of your lives !
Best of Luck, Jeff
Wow, you guys slayed it! Nicely done! Thanks for sharing the adventure!
Awesome thread guys! Thanks for sharing. That was a lot of fun!
Wow, awesome adventure! Great pics and story telling, I enjoyed reading it.
Will and Trevor can chime in if they want. For me this is what worked and what didn’t.
Trevor hooked us up with camp. Arctic oven was great and plenty of room.
Trekking poles are a must. With the heavy loads of meat and sloppy footing they saved me many times. I took muck boots and Lowas. The mucks are great around camp but I needed more support for hunting and the Lowas fit the bill. I was told To never leave camp With less than 8 arrows. Target rich environment and steep terrain is hard on arrows. One merino top most days and a vest with attack pants and gaiters was perfect. Throw a puffy and rain gear in the pack and I was set .
I would take a pair of pruning shears next time For the alders.
Food wise we packed perfect. We had breakfast in the tent most mornings. Then snacks during the day hunting. Pre made meals At night . We had pasta, chili, stew, pork loin , brats, and smoked chicken . Heat those up and make up a side and dinner is served. 15 mins tops and cleanup Was a breeze. . Thanks again . Take Charlie’s advice and do a trip of a lifetime every year . Hunt
What Hunt said. Also definitely fishing rods, propane heater, cots (there's no flat ground) and battery packs for phones/electronics. Podcasts at night were a great luxury. Add in great friends, like the type you'd want with you if you were going to war, and you've got the makings of a perfect trip.
Only thing I’ll add is bring an extra box of pop tarts to account for when Hunt eats em all :)
In all seriousness, we chose our group carefully. I think your hunting partner you bring is the most important decision over any piece of gear. Living in anchorage made it easier for me to ship down a big camp with extra luxuries. Doable from L48, id just plan far in advance and register as a known shipper with Alaska Air Cargo. Ship all camp gear up a few weeks in advance to your air taxis office, then just fly with bow and clothing.
I’ll be back down there the exact same time frame this year again, I think it’s become my annual trip to close out the fall season up here.
What a grand adventure ! Thanks for sharing !
Only thing I’ll add is bring an extra box of pop tarts to account for when Hunt eats em all :)
In all seriousness, we chose our group carefully. I think your hunting partner you bring is the most important decision over any piece of gear. Living in anchorage made it easier for me to ship down a big camp with extra luxuries. Doable from L48, id just plan far in advance and register as a known shipper with Alaska Air Cargo. Ship all camp gear up a few weeks in advance to your air taxis office, then just fly with bow and clothing.
I’ll be back down there the exact same time frame this year again, I think it’s become my annual trip to close out the fall season up here.
You already said that Trevor :)
Simply an awesome adventure. Congrats to the 3 Amigos!
Spectacular! Rare to hunt/live with someone you haven't grown up with and have a genuinely great time together. Congrats to all you guys. That's a brotherhood that can never be broken
Trophyhill. You are so right . It was amazing to how well we Lived together and hunted together. Not the bond the Paul boys share but close. Once again can’t Thank Trevor and Will enough ! Chose your partners wisely! Hung
Thank you so much for sharing ,it felt as though I was actually there. Love seeing guys live their dreams, and are able to take others where they will probably never get a a chance to go. best regards!
Well since this went TTT....I enjoyed the trip again. Thanks for sharing boys. It's very inspiring.
With a day off and a few blacktail backstraps on the smoker . I enjoyed this thread again. Hunt
Read the entire thing again this evening. Awesome.
Thanks for sharing congrats to a great adventure
How did I miss this!!
Very good reading for sure
Thanks for taking us along fella's
Good luck, Robb
Can’t believe I never saw this till today! Awesome stuff.
Wow, what a trip. So envious...
Here is another for you orionbrother!!
If you boys ever think about a do over… I’m in!
Not sure if a guy can have any more fun with his britches on…
You da man Hunter! I always enjoy otcwill’s recaps. Thank you.
I can’t remember all of the titles though. It’s difficult to try to search them up. Please keep them coming. I think others enjoy them even if they’ve read them before.
Honestly these guys should be on bowsite payroll cranking out hit after hit.
I've still never had this much fun on a hunt and that's saying something. Round 2 SOON!!
Best title of any thread on BS!
Man it was great to read this again!