I recently got back from a few weeks guiding caribou hunts in the Brooks. This came mostly from my hunting journal with some research thrown in about current goings on. I feel grateful to be able to spend what time I do out there, and am constantly jealous of my friends who are able to trap it.



The Porcupine Herd is made up of approximately 218,000 barren ground caribou, who’s migratory range spans an immense 1,500 mile span across western Canada into Alaska. Each year the herd make the traverse from their wintering grounds in the northern boreal forests of Alaska and Yukon to their calving grounds along the Porcupine River to what is known as 1002 Area on Alaska’s coastal plain in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The herd’s yearly migration to and from their wintering and calving grounds makes for the longest migration of any land mammal on the planet.

Around the first of August each year I take the time to lay out my gear and begin packing for the better part of a month I will soon be spending on the southern slopes of the Brooks Range in northeastern Alaska in the pursuit of these animals. While I’m not held to quite the weight restrictions our clients are, it is still always tough to pack for how long I will be in the field. Eventually though, I am able to fit all of my gear into a pair of gym sized duffel bags, along with my empty frame pack and rifle in its soft case. 80 pounds feels like a lot to bring, but I’ve learned that having a couple of small creature comforts makes spending that amount of time in a tent much more enjoyable.

The weather this year was perfect this year a week later and I climbed into the outfitter, Charlie’s Cessna 180, soon leaving all trace of civilization behind. The mosquitoes were truly astonishing in number when we landed on the lake we use for our camp and it made setting up for the season something of an endeavor, despite the thick layer of bug dope I’d covered myself in. Nonetheless, by the time the clients had arrived with Charlie’s second trip everything was all in place and after a short briefing on things like the bathroom procedure (bring your gun and dig a hole) we were ready to hunt first thing the following morning.

That first morning started out well. We glassed up two caribou crossing along the far side of the lake from camp, as well as a cow moose and a pair of wolves elsewhere in the valley. Sadly, for the next several days, that was all we saw aside from an arctic grizzly cresting a distant hillside. One of the most difficult parts of being a guide is keeping a client motivated and into the hunt when you’re just not seeing any animals. They were out there and they were on their way. The herd was just late to arrive to the area that we were hunting. Adding insult to injury, I discovered during the fifth day of the hunt that the waterproofing on my boots had failed. I had debated buying a new pair heading into the season as mine had already survived three years of hard abuse, but convinced myself that they would be good for just one more camp. I was wrong, and the gallon Ziploc bags I wore as boot liners for the next several days were a constant reminder that it’s always worth spending that extra money on your feet. It really can make or break a hunt.



Unlike many other caribou herds, like the Mulchatna or the Western Arctic, the Porcupine herd has been consistently healthy in size, even growing considerably, since population monitoring began in the 1970s. While debate about management, land development, and the future of the species swirls around much of the population globally, the Porcupine has remained something of a positive beacon that some herds are still able to do well. While the changing climate is an ever-looming threat to arctic dwelling species, the development of their calving grounds in 1002 Area for the oil and gas industry may prove to be far more dire.

In 1987 the Secretary of the Interior, Donald Hodel, recommended to Congress that 1002 Area be opened for oil and gas leasing despite the Department of the Interior’s own environmental impact statement indicating that “expected displacement and reduction of wildlife populations and natural processes would cause a major reduction in the value of the area as a pristine, natural scientific laboratory." Two years later, the Exxon-Valdez disaster occurred and the development proposal for 1002 Area was soon shut down. Over the following 30 years several more proposals have been made to begin oil development of the region, but whether the political tide prevented any momentum or Congress was dissuaded by the economic and environmental burden of undertaking such a project, so far, the region as been able to avoid development and remain a pristine wilderness.



Finally, on day eight, we spotted a band of about 40 cows and calves emerging from the mist down the valley. Over the next several hours hundreds of animals began to pour through. We had gone from worrying about getting skunked while we sat in camp eating our breakfast that morning to now glassing and trying to find the client’s dream bulls within the herd.

At around 2:00pm we spotted a large bull with a group of about twelve cows descending into the thick willows of the gully below us. I grabbed my client and we moved to cut them off where we expected them to emerge. Soon, we heard the grunts and clicks of several caribou passing by, concealed just out of view except for brief flashes by the vegetation. We waited a little longer, but never got so much as a glimpse of the big bull’s antlers, so we began a slow circle back to where we had originally seen him.

Suddenly, I saw him about 75 yards away stepping out of the willows and my client and I dropped behind the closest spruce for what little cover we could manage. The bull gave us a clean broadside at 36 yards, and the client dropped him with a perfect double lung shot. It was an awesome moment after how discouraging the past several days had been. I quartered and skinned our caribou, then hauled it back to camp. No sooner had I gotten the meat on the pole then I heard the report of another rifle. Andy, with our other client had shot a bull of their own. I hurried to finish up with ours and hurried to go and help pack out the second. We were going to eat like kings that night.

The remaining two days with these clients were uneventful save for attempting a stalk on the valley’s white wolf that appeared to be interested in one of the gut piles. He eluded us, as he has done now at least a half dozen times to me previously. He is beginning to make me better understand Captain Ahab’s obsession with Moby Dick.



Despite some inclement weather, Charlie was able to fly out the first two clients and Andy, then return with our second pair and another guide, Tyler. These two clients came as individuals and didn’t know each other prior to the hunt, which usually makes for a much more interesting dynamic in a camp.

By the third day however, our two clients had become thick as thieves and the weather had improved considerably. We split up to hunt separate directions, but remained close enough to be able to see or signal each other if need be. Shortly before noon my client and I spotted antlers silhouetted on the ridgeline above where Tyler and his client hunted. I got there and pointed to where we were looking. A band of about fifteen caribou appeared over the ridge, including two particularly nice bulls. As they milled about feeding on lichen, I decided to make a bold move and ran the five hundred yards or so to where Tyler sat with his client. After a brief conference, I darted back to my client and we set out further down the valley to where I believed the animals would pass; after Tyler and his client made a stalk on their bull.

My client was spry for his 62 years of age, but it was still tough going across the tussocks. Nevertheless, we settled in to the closest thing we could find to cover just as we hard a gunshot from where we had left the other two. Caribou don’t always run when one of their herd is shot, but these quickly reached us where we waited for them to pass. The wind wasn’t perfect and they were a little farther than I would have liked, but my client made an excellent shot to drop another large bull. We had two animals on the ground on what had turned into a beautiful, bluebird day.

Strong winds began overnight and the next several days were spent with weather just questionable enough to prevent Charlie from flying. Even with poor weather it’s not hard to enjoy time spent during fall in the Arctic. The leaves on the willows and cottonwoods change almost over the course of a single day, and the bright greens that covered the tussocked ground when I arrived just two weeks earlier had turned into a sea of reds and yellows. There are blueberries on every hillside, and on one afternoon we were able to share the bounty with a sow grizzly and her two cubs, feasting across a small drainage.



In January of this year, under the direction of the current Governor, Mike Dunleavy, the State of Alaska filed suit against the federal government in January for actions that prevent oil and gas leasing in ANWR’s Coastal Plain in anticipation of the incoming administration and their desire to “drill baby, drill!” on the heels of the legal action taken by the State of Alaska and an Inauguration Day Executive Order signed by the President, newly appointed Secretary of the Interior, Doug Burgum announced that the DOI would take steps to ensure the sale of oil leases and to up the entirety of the 1.56 million acres in the Coastal Plain to resource extraction. While the response from the oil industry has been tepid until now, these actions, as well as the later mandate included in the “Big Beautiful Bill” to pursue drilling in the refuge, have created an air of uncertainty around the future of 1002 Area and the Porcupine Herd’s calving grounds.

Finally, the weather lifted and the clients were flown out. Tyler and I spent one final night before taking down the camp and preparing to depart ourselves the following morning. I was the last to be picked up, and while I sat on the shore waiting for Charlie to return for me I reveled in the near perfect silence that had fallen over the valley, broken only by water lapping along the rocky beach and the occasional call of a raven. Reuniting with my wife and son after weeks away and taking that first hot shower are wonderful feelings, but leaving is always a bittersweet thing. As we climbed out of the valley, I saw a small band of bulls disappearing over the ridgeline beside us. Their migration continuing on as it has for millennia, and I couldn’t help but wonder if during my lifetime I would see it come to an end.

Great read! Worth it. What an adventure!

I appreciate that. I started taking notes in the field about a year ago and have found that I really enjoy writing about my experiences out there.

Great article, and excellent bulls! As for those bread liners, I have resorted to using them, and produce bags, many times in Alaska. Feet sure sweat, and not sure if my feet were any drier after a day in them, or if I had just waded in and been done with it!
Thanks for the ride-along!

Very good read, I felt like I was there with you.

X2

Very good post , Matanuska.Jim

I nominate for post of the week.

I'm skeptical exploration in the 1002 area would have much effect on the porkies. Plenty of drilling in the Central Arctic herds calving area. They are also in good shape. Caribou herds are named according to their calving grounds. Thus Porkies would do some calving on the upper porkie.
Are you working for Charlie Jagow?
Nice bulls. Friends of mine guide out of Chandalar Lake.

There’s research out there that’s indicated development, such as oil exploration, has an effect on ungulates, both in their migratory habits and calving. I was able to attend a summit in Anchorage a couple years back regarding caribou and reindeer globally and that was a topic that was discussed. To me, it’s just as simple as the juice isn’t worth the squeeze.

And yeah, I do.

That’s far too kind. Thank you

Very nice write up, sir. I went on a few trips north of the Brooks’. It is some amazing country up there. The grayling fishing on top of the caribou hunting made for great times and memories.

Thanks for the story. Those are 2 nice bulls, and the tops on the second picture are exceptional.

I hunted the Quebec Labrador herd twice in the late 80's, we killed some decent bulls but never saw points on any with the length of those two.

Thank You for taking the time to share that great outdoor adventure. You are a lucky man to be un such beautiful country and what you have experienced.

Used the bread bags to get our feet in the boots and to keep them dry, when we were in grade school. Great hunting story and awesome pics.