Sept 5th started out as an 18 day solo Alaskan moose hunt in memorial of the ten year anniversary of my friend Bart Schleyer’s passing. Bart passed away on Sept. 14, 2004 on a solo moose hunt in the Yukon. (See chapter in my book “Solo Spirits and Cherished Memories” or the article posted on www.brothersofthebow.com site). The planned dates of my hunt would put me in the Alaskan bush during this important date.

After getting weathered in for a couple days I finally started hunting the upper drainage of the valley I was dropped in the Chugach Mountains.

I saw several young bulls and cows at the upper end of the valley.

Looking back at camp (3 miles away), I decided it would be good to start to head downward so I wouldn’t be in the thick brush after dark. So I started hunting my side-hill back. With a little over an hour of day light left, I spotted a good bull about a half mile past my tent on the same side-hill. I dropped down and hurried to get a better look. It was the same bull I passed up 2 miles up valley from camp earlier. Since I passed him up already, my excitement dropped. BUT, he had another bull with him. At 150 yards, I could see he was much wider, so I got low and moved closer. I crawled on hands and knees, bear crawled, and belly-crawled the last 70 yards, staying below their line of sight, and using the dwarf birch as cover.

They were both above me, but I had a good wind as the cool 40 degree evening down thermals worked to my advantage. Glassing through the brush, I could see the lower bull had good swoop to his beams leaving head, and flared palms with long side tines. He did not have many brow points, only 2 on left and 3 on right, but his rack sure looked to be over 60 inches wide.

The bulls were preoccupied and racking brush, which allowed me to get among them. The upper bull kept looking in my direction, but he never knew I was there. I finally slid my pack off and crept up behind a spruce sapling. The wait was on. The sun was setting. I could get no closer.

Finally the upper bull moved down to the same plane as the wide one. Then the wide bull viewed the encroached personal space as a threat, and turned toward him. But once the first bull backed off, it turned around and headed up toward me. I glanced ahead and looked for a shooting lane, then back at the upper bull. His head was down feeding. Now all my attention went to the wide bull, as I rose to my feet. He came up the trail a little more, with me standing behind the spruce at 30 yards. I thought about shooting, and then about the clear lane. I waited.

With his head down moving forward, he turned to look over his shoulder at his buddy. This gave me a rare chance to turn my feet and take a perfect stance. I thought to shoot low in the chest. He took his step and stretched the front leg forward. The 66# Schleyer model Stalker recurve, made for me by South Cox, came all the way back and the long shaft was on its way. I saw my white fletching hit tight behind the shoulder as I heard a crack.

My fear of hitting a leg bone was only momentary as the great bull lunged forward, ran thirty yards, and died in 20 seconds.

Since I knew he was down, I got my pack and went to him from the back side while the first bull was watching me from a safe 80 yard distance. It was now a rush to record the recovery and get photos before darkness fell.

I cut up the bull and cooled out the meat in the dark. I quite often thought of Bart as I toiled over this most rewarding task alone. This was not my first time doing it alone, but slow knife strokes and safety was on my mind. I reached my tent after midnight. There was a bright moon and clear sky that dropped the temps below freezing, perfect for cooling meat. The next morning was PACK DAY!!!

Nice job Mikey!!! Congrats brother! I'll call you soon my friend!

Even though my 18 day hunt was cut short by an agreeable bull, my thoughts of Bart were with me as I forded streams, climbed up through the willow brush, and found grizzly scat and tracks. We are never truly alone in the wilderness. Peace to you my friend.

Great thread, great looking bull and great tribute to your friend. Thanks for sharing.

Ah Mike, Bart's smiling down for sure!! Congratulations

Congratulations once again Mike ...Looks like somebody will be eating good this winter and next! Very happy this hunt was full of many blessings and a tribute to Bart...

After packing all the meat to my camp (near the air strip), I shaded it from the sun and put a tarp over to keep out rain. This bull is great eating and no rutting smell. I protected it from bears by running three strands of electric fence. I had some friends loose their meat to bears after packing it out. I was too sore to let that happen. Ha!

It took several flight to get the meat out, but I cut it up and packaged it for shipment home. Using Alaska Meat Express to bring antlers and meat to Illinois.

A fine tribute to your friend, Mike. Takes a special person to go solo in the real wilds.

Nice tribute, beautiful bull and pictures, congratulations.

It makes my family so nervous for me to hunt alone on all these 2 to 3 week trips every year for so many years, but for some reason they are so happy to see me when I return.

We are happy to see you return too Mike...Ande and all the girls are asking many questions about the moose and Ande remembers you for what you done for her ...She say's Hello and you will always be her Hero brother...<")))><

Great tribute hunt Mike. I've enjoyed reading about Bart and Paul. I watched their video of the big brown bear they stalked together. I'll have to look for your book.

Wonderful bull. Congrats.

Nothing short of excellent!

Guar, the book “One with the Wilderness” is a riveting compilation of stories. Modern day equivalent of Bows on the Little Delta. Talk about no fear...

Awesome tribute,awesome story! Congrat! !!

Congratulations. Terrific story. Stay safe!

Sorry I missed you when you came to speak in Canandaigua two years back.

That's a dandy Mike! Must have been a blast! I'm afraid those days of adventure are behind me. Keep at it while you can!

Nice share and tribute. Congratulations Mike.

Congrats on a great accomplishment. Going it alone is not for everyone but setting and accomplishing personal goals is rewarding.

Simply Incredable alone in bush country. Great pictures and story.Congratulations Mike you earned it and awsome tribute.

Great thread and a great moose. Thanks for sharing.

Awesome story and spectacular pictures. Thanks for sharing and Congratulations. Going it alone like that is pretty remarkable.

So cool.

Good story, good bull, good going.

That is awesome! Congratulations and thank you for sharing!

Beautiful Bull, Great story, I am sure your friend was with you the whole time, looking down smiling. Congrats! Tom

A very nice tribute. And, congrats on your bull.

Great story and hunt, congrats again!

Very, very nice

great stuff!

Great story and trophy! I had not heard about Bart would it be rude to ask what happened ? REB

No. Here is link to an article I wrote about Bart.

http://www.brothersofthebow.com/html/solospirits.html

He died at Reid Lake in the Yukon. The cause of death was inconclusive, but speculation is he was killed by a grizzly.

Nice story,,Heck of a thing hunting in the "Last Frontier", congrats.

Super job Mike!! As many have said,Great tribute to Bart and one heck of an adventure!!ED

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