...So I've never shot any big game. My aging father gave me is 1969 Remington 700 with only 40 rounds through it, and I've been in Alaska now for three years. Wednesday, I went out for moose for the second time. In Healy. Here's how the situation unfolded. I know how I feel, but I don't know if this is "normal" for hunters to behave this way. Was this fair or crazy-unethical?
The Scenario:
Three vehicles went out: me in my truck and two ATVs. I had to park my truck down on the river bed and hitch a ride up the side of the canyon. On a mid-way promontory, we spotted a Spike-Fork bedded down about 600 yards away - too long for an ethical shot. We decided to go higher, around the top of the ridge line and work our way back down to the animal so as to cut the distance in half - or less.
We quietly rode higher (if that's possible with ATVs) and the animal didn't flinch or care in the least, and we stopped up high and started the stalk on foot. Since I was the newbie, who had never shot an animal, the other guys didn't hunt but let me have a go at it, which I thought was pretty cool.
As we set off, we heard the sound of another ATV coming up from the riverbed, and noticed that they went all the way up to the top and got out and looked around. We were now across the valley from them, but they saw us moving down towards our quarry. They were watching us on our hunt.
When we got about 80 yards from the animal, (our angle was weird: it was behind some shrubs) the animal got up and at that moment, a shot rang out from across the canyon, striking near us - the two guys saw how close we were getting and gut-shot the animal with an over 700 yard shot. They fired again and put the animal down.
I never had a chance to even take a shot.
I know how I feel.
Are all hunters like this? Is this the guiding principle here in Alaska? Would that fly where you live?
The Scenario:
Three vehicles went out: me in my truck and two ATVs. I had to park my truck down on the river bed and hitch a ride up the side of the canyon. On a mid-way promontory, we spotted a Spike-Fork bedded down about 600 yards away - too long for an ethical shot. We decided to go higher, around the top of the ridge line and work our way back down to the animal so as to cut the distance in half - or less.
We quietly rode higher (if that's possible with ATVs) and the animal didn't flinch or care in the least, and we stopped up high and started the stalk on foot. Since I was the newbie, who had never shot an animal, the other guys didn't hunt but let me have a go at it, which I thought was pretty cool.
As we set off, we heard the sound of another ATV coming up from the riverbed, and noticed that they went all the way up to the top and got out and looked around. We were now across the valley from them, but they saw us moving down towards our quarry. They were watching us on our hunt.
When we got about 80 yards from the animal, (our angle was weird: it was behind some shrubs) the animal got up and at that moment, a shot rang out from across the canyon, striking near us - the two guys saw how close we were getting and gut-shot the animal with an over 700 yard shot. They fired again and put the animal down.
I never had a chance to even take a shot.
I know how I feel.
Are all hunters like this? Is this the guiding principle here in Alaska? Would that fly where you live?