Haul Road Caribou

In August 2009 I went caribou hunting on the haul road in northern Alaska.  My hunting buddy (now my husband), Nicholai and I were hunting with rifles so the law required us to hike at least 5 miles off the road.  We set up our tent about 5 miles from the road and set off with lightened backs.  After walking and glassing for a short while we saw a couple caribou far away, right away I picked one out and joked about how I would like to shoot him.  They looked really nice but seemed too far away to ever reach.  We started off towards them figuring that we may run into another caribou anyway.  After several minutes it became clear that we were actually gaining on them.  They must have been been barely moving because there is no way humans can keep up with these masters of the tundra.  I set off by myself leaving my backpack, belly crawling towards one.  I was not feeling very confident until all of a sudden I was with in 500 yard of him.  I started to get very excited and continued to stalk him.  I got really focus on keeping out of sight so the final time I looked up I realized that I was within 50 yards of him and I needed to take a shot.  I took one shot with the 250 savage that had been cut down for a boys hunting rifle. He dropped.  Then Nicholai came running towards me asking if he should shoot the other caribou walking towards us. I said yes and I hid behind my caribou.  The other bull came walking up over a mound and the two cows he was with spooked when they saw Nicholai.  The three of them started to run off.  Nicholai whistled and the bull bent his run, slowing down to a gallop, the bull turned broad side, so Nicholai took a standing shot.  We now had 2 caribou down within 15 minutes.  The rest of the hunt was not so easy or quick.  It took us 2 long days to travel, the now 7 miles back to the truck over the tundra.  It was the hardest walking I have ever done.  I had tendonitis for over a year, but it was worth it.  Someday I will post the whole adventure...