Bowhunting Caribou - Part 1
I probably get more questions about caribou hunting than any other species. Perhaps that is because I have successfully bowhunted them a number of times, made a couple videos on the subject, and written several feature stories on the topic. More than likely, however it is because of the shear fascination bowhunters seem to have with caribou. And, why not!
Caribou have the largest antlers in relation to body size of any member of the deer family. They are majestic creatures that signify, perhaps more than any other animal, the wild and vast open spaces that still cover much of North America. Then there is the picture many of us have in our minds of thousands upon thousands of these magnificent creatures passing in close range as the herd migrates by. Actually, it is those pictures of mass migrations that cause so many bowhunters great disappointment every season!
Before we talk about hunting these awesome creatures of the far north, we should establish exactly what it is we are hunting. There are five sub species of caribou recognized by both the Boone & Crockett and Pope & Young Clubs for record keeping purposes. The SCI adds a sixth, the arctic (Perry Island) caribou, but as bowhunters we will stick to the five main sub species starting from East to West.
The woodland caribou inhabits primarily the Island Province of Newfoundland where there are huntable numbers and an established guiding/outfitting industry in place. While the woodland's body size is similar to other sub species, their antlers are significantly smaller in frame (length of main beam and overall width of rack) than its more western cousins are. While woodland caribou "migrate" about the island to a degree, the mass migrations one might experience with the large herds of other sub species just does not exist in Newfoundland. Over-all success ratios for bowhunters chasing woodland caribou in Newfoundland are not as high as other sub species, and the tag fees and cost of travel are a little steeper than many other areas offering caribou hunting. This keeps the numbers of hunters down somewhat, but there are plenty of reasons to hunt the woodland as well. While their racks ar e more compact, they have a much higher tendency for "double shovels" and a full compliment of top and rear points to make for an impressive display/mount. Serious trophy hunters wanting to add as many species to their collections as possible, will travel to the far North East in search of the elusive woodland, as that is the only place he can be found. The "neatest" thing about hunting this animal is the weather. Because Newfoundland hangs out off the coast into the Gulf Stream, the weather the end of September and beginning of October is far milder than most areas offering caribou hunts. This allows the hunting of stags during the rut in October without a major sacrifice to the harsh weather this season brings to most of the North Country. Hunting any member of the deer family in the full rut is more fun than any other time!
Moving slightly east (from Newfoundland to the Hudson Bay) we come to the ever-popular Quebec/Labrador caribou. If you live east of the mighty Mississippi, this is what you probably think about when the conversation turns to caribou and/or caribou hunting. And, with good reason! The last estimate I heard of the population of Quebec/Labrador caribou was well over a million head. There are dozens of outfits that specialize in trying to put hunters in the migration path of this huge heard, and there are thousands of hunters that succeed in being all but run over by thousands of them each year. It is these experiences, coupled with a dozen or more videos and hundreds of magazine articles, which fuel the fire in our hearts to go north and chase caribou! Most of these hunts are set up and promoted as migration hunts, meaning that the hunters go to a camp and, from there, go out every day to sit by the water's edge waiting for the herd to pass by. If it happens, it is a sight you will not soon forget, but my guess is that less than 50% of the hunters that go north each year actually see the migration. Unfortunately, the rest sit around waiting for it to happen because they were never prepared to go "hunting" for caribou (more on hunting later). The Quebec/Labrador caribou has one of the largest "racks", and certainly the greatest tendency for palmation. Their racks are usually quite wide, and the occasional double shovel stag with good mass will be spotted.
Once you get to the Western side of Hudson Bay the caribou you run into are the Central Canada caribou. These caribou are very similar to their eastern cousins in herd size, habits, and hunting methods. The two main differences are minor antler structure changes and ease of travel. If you live in the East, you can travel to Quebec less expensively than Northwest Territories (where you find the largest numbers of Central Canada caribou), however if you live in the central part of the country this charges in favor of Northwest Territories. The Central Canadian caribou has racks a bit smaller (over-all) and much more narrow than his Eastern cousins. There is less tendency for palmation and a greater tendency for the top points to branch on the bigger stags. Once one has seen a number of caribou from various regions, it becomes easy to identify the sub species by the antler configuration. Hunting is a bit different in NWT from Quebec, as clients are required to be guided. This improves the quality of t he hunt and increases the percentage of success as well.
Continuing west across the barren lands of Northwest Territories, one comes to the mountainous region, which makes up the western most portion of Canada. This is home to the Mountain caribou who's range extends into the Yukon and British Columbia as well as western Northwest Territories. The mountain has the largest body size of the North American caribou, and also the most massive antler structure. Typically the main beams, and all the other points, are heavier and darker in color than any of his cousins. It might be an optical illusion, but I believe the manes are whiter as well giving a greater contrast to the antlers and making for a striking appearance. The mountain caribou is hunted mostly by horseback, although back packing is also a favored way of getting into the country these animals call home. Hunts for mountain caribou tend to be a little more "pricey" than most other sub species due to the additional costs of getting back in to where they live and the requirement for guide/clients ratios being very high in the Western Canadian Provinces. The success ratios are very high and the possibility of combining other species is very good.
Finally we work our way to the great barren lands of Alaska, and the Barren Ground caribou. This is arguably the largest antlered sub species, with a large body to match. Like the Central Canada, there is a tendency for branching of the top points and minimal palmation, however the racks can be very wide and tall.
One of the first questions I get about caribou is, "Where should I go to hunt them?" To answer that one needs to know where the person lives that asked the question, and what his/her goals are as a trophy hunter. As a generalization, and for hunters looking for one "caribou" for their trophy room, I would recommend looking at the sub species closest to where you live. Hunting costs are fairly close across the continent (for similar services/times) so travel costs can become a deciding factor. Remember to not only consider the flight to/from the hunt, but the cost to ship home several boxes of meat, capes, and antlers after the hunt. This can be a very expensive proposition from some locations, and needs to be considered in the planning stage.
Another consideration is what type of hunt do you want? An older person in real bad shape should opt for a migration hunt, and hope to be in camp during the right week. If so thousands of caribou will march by, hopefully with-in bow range! If you like to get out and "hunt", than a place with good hard ground and plenty of caribou country would be a good choice. but bring your compass! If a person is looking to add variety to their trophy collection, they may plan to hunt two or more sub species of caribou over time.
Next month we will get into hunting methods, equipment, and judging a trophy. Until then,
Good hunting,