NBFK
01-02-2012, 10:43 PM
I've been dreaming of this tag ever since I caught wind they were opening a season in the Zama area. I had spent several years up there working as a field electrician and got to stare at these immense animals all the time, wondering what it would be like to kill one.
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n613/alberta_bowman/403113_10151099106870072_798660071_22334957_274725 499_n.jpg
This hunt started out with alot of excitement and planning with my cousin. We drove up December 29th and arrived up there late that night. We woke up that morning with high anticipation of scouting large herds over the day day.
We put on around 250-300kms of roads we were familiar with only to come up with sightings of four bulls and two huge wolves. We watched the bulls until dark and knew these were the ones we were going to be on at first light.
Well we started driving and glassing well before legal light and I found the bulls bedded about 500yrds from where we saw them the night before. So we grabbed my bow and rifle and started to sneak on them. We slipped in before legal light and sat there waiting for the 10 minutes to pass so we could try and sink an arrow into one of these bulls. Finally it was time to make the final move and I had the big bull at 55yrds. He kept turning or standing on bad angles. I was shaking now and it was't the -27 morning it was bull fever! Finally I had him broad side at 60yrds on a fast walk and opted not to take the shot because I was worried about having to follow up with a gun. The bulls headed over a berm and we slowly crept over to see where they went. Well to our surprise these bulls were on a full gallop to some heavy muskeg. They were running straight away and finally broke broadside at 390yrds. My cousin was hitting them with his leica geovids and said this might be our last chance. So we layed my pack down and I hit the bull twice right around the 412yrd mark. He soaked the 180gr accubonds up and stood there, finally he got weak kneed and tipped over. We had a little celebration and a 100yrd dash back to the truck because I couldn't feel my hands. As soon as I got to the truck I called this young hunter and his dad we met the night before. Turns out they were only 10 minutes from us! We walked him into a gigantic bull that was standing near mine in some willows and would not move. We hit the 50yrd mark and this bull was getting nervous. After getting the young hunter to use our packs as a rest we got him to settle down and squeeze a shot off with his old 06. This bull bucked and made 20 yrds before falling on his face.
After this there were some hand shakes and the work started. Field dressing 2 bulls in 7 hours. Gutting was the hardest task by far. I used my Dewalt saws all with some crazy aggressive blades to quarter mine. After he was quartered it was 5 trips in and out with the sled back to the truck and trailer. I was never so happy to be back at the truck once everything was loaded. There was around 18" of snow and seems like we killed them on the only cold day of the week. I drove 2200kms in 3 days and so there wasn't much pillow time once you add two days of hunting/scouting.
Overall it was a good experience and a great hunt. My bull was aged at 6 1/2 years old and the young hunters was 8 1/2. The biologist said he had been up in the area for two weeks and had minimal sightings. So I'm happy we connected when we did so I get some holidays back for sheep and whitetails!
Enjoy
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n613/alberta_bowman/406476_145809568863671_100003038869386_197516_2145 839326_n.jpg
Where we slept........
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n613/alberta_bowman/402783_10151103312705072_798660071_22353910_206334 079_n.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n613/alberta_bowman/DSC00234.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n613/alberta_bowman/DSC00235.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n613/alberta_bowman/DSC00237.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n613/alberta_bowman/DSC00254.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n613/alberta_bowman/DSC00253.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n613/alberta_bowman/403113_10151099106870072_798660071_22334957_274725 499_n.jpg
This hunt started out with alot of excitement and planning with my cousin. We drove up December 29th and arrived up there late that night. We woke up that morning with high anticipation of scouting large herds over the day day.
We put on around 250-300kms of roads we were familiar with only to come up with sightings of four bulls and two huge wolves. We watched the bulls until dark and knew these were the ones we were going to be on at first light.
Well we started driving and glassing well before legal light and I found the bulls bedded about 500yrds from where we saw them the night before. So we grabbed my bow and rifle and started to sneak on them. We slipped in before legal light and sat there waiting for the 10 minutes to pass so we could try and sink an arrow into one of these bulls. Finally it was time to make the final move and I had the big bull at 55yrds. He kept turning or standing on bad angles. I was shaking now and it was't the -27 morning it was bull fever! Finally I had him broad side at 60yrds on a fast walk and opted not to take the shot because I was worried about having to follow up with a gun. The bulls headed over a berm and we slowly crept over to see where they went. Well to our surprise these bulls were on a full gallop to some heavy muskeg. They were running straight away and finally broke broadside at 390yrds. My cousin was hitting them with his leica geovids and said this might be our last chance. So we layed my pack down and I hit the bull twice right around the 412yrd mark. He soaked the 180gr accubonds up and stood there, finally he got weak kneed and tipped over. We had a little celebration and a 100yrd dash back to the truck because I couldn't feel my hands. As soon as I got to the truck I called this young hunter and his dad we met the night before. Turns out they were only 10 minutes from us! We walked him into a gigantic bull that was standing near mine in some willows and would not move. We hit the 50yrd mark and this bull was getting nervous. After getting the young hunter to use our packs as a rest we got him to settle down and squeeze a shot off with his old 06. This bull bucked and made 20 yrds before falling on his face.
After this there were some hand shakes and the work started. Field dressing 2 bulls in 7 hours. Gutting was the hardest task by far. I used my Dewalt saws all with some crazy aggressive blades to quarter mine. After he was quartered it was 5 trips in and out with the sled back to the truck and trailer. I was never so happy to be back at the truck once everything was loaded. There was around 18" of snow and seems like we killed them on the only cold day of the week. I drove 2200kms in 3 days and so there wasn't much pillow time once you add two days of hunting/scouting.
Overall it was a good experience and a great hunt. My bull was aged at 6 1/2 years old and the young hunters was 8 1/2. The biologist said he had been up in the area for two weeks and had minimal sightings. So I'm happy we connected when we did so I get some holidays back for sheep and whitetails!
Enjoy
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n613/alberta_bowman/406476_145809568863671_100003038869386_197516_2145 839326_n.jpg
Where we slept........
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n613/alberta_bowman/402783_10151103312705072_798660071_22353910_206334 079_n.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n613/alberta_bowman/DSC00234.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n613/alberta_bowman/DSC00235.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n613/alberta_bowman/DSC00237.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n613/alberta_bowman/DSC00254.jpg
http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n613/alberta_bowman/DSC00253.jpg