With all thats at stake, the day shown on episode 5 of Alone was one of the most intense I have had. Here is the detailed description of what went down.
After last week's miss I built the reindeer fence. Early warning systems adjusted to have lighter breakpoints (to avoid startling the moose like the last one) had been placed around to give me a heads up. While checking my traps I heard a commotion in the area (my face in this moment was captured in episode 4 ). I quickly snuck over to my bush located at the mouth of the fence. After a short wait the young bull appeared quartering towards me and moving along the fence. I may of been able to wait and get a full broadside shot, but he was within 20 yards and often waiting means you will get no shot, so I took my shot! It felt like a great shot and as it struck him he spun around in a circle not immediately running away and not knowing what happened. I stared in awe at him for a second then thought "what an idiot shoot another arrow!". Just as I tried he trotted off, my second arrow sailed into the Moss.
But the shot felt good! I wish it had been a few inches to the left which would of guaranteed a double lung hit, but I had been encouraged by a moose cough and a bubbly splatter of blood. The next hour felt like an eternity, but from prior experience I know it's best to wait an hour or so before beginning your search.
I found a good trail of blood but it slowly dried up....and soon I could find no tracks or blood. Knowing I hit him in the lung, and that running uphill would be the last thing he would want to do I followed the shoreline. All the thoughts of "oh man, did it get away?" Swarming around in my head. Then I spotted some brown - and saw him move! I couldn't believe it, I was so excited to see him lying up there, but that was just the beginning. I immediately I ducked down behind a log. You want the animal to be calm, to not know what happened, and to slowly bleed out without fear and adrenaline. O felt bad for him, but if he were to see me he would of gotten an energy burst and could well of ran off or charged. I really couldn't risk it. I wanted so badly to finish it off, but the risk of me losing the animal completely and leaving it die in vain was too great. Finally (on video) it stood up, I gasped, he fell over, and died. I walked up to it and confirmed it. That was pure joy.
So intense.
The skinning and hauling never felt like too much of a burden...problems I was more than happy to take on! Of course it's exhausting, and that is why, in a short lapse in judgement, I got careless with my blade reaching in there. I was foolishly trying to avoid rolling him into his back again to open up his chest cavity (which I ended up doing anyway).
I then had it back at camp where I hung the main quarters in my shelter to smoke as I sat there and cut other strips off the neck and such to smoke in small pieces also (get as much smoke on as much meat as possible to get it to freezing temps). Other parts I hung up in trees to keep away from predators, though not high enough to keep out of the reach of bears. I figured if one came he would go for that lower hanging meat before he went for the smoky human scented shelter meat, and that I may even get a chance at him! But all that is for the future, we'll see how it goes down.
Skinned with a Leatherman only! (1st for humanity?).