Does anybody Caribou?

[joshimoto son]

Hi all,

Just registered today, although I have been lurking for about a year.
My college buddy and I were talking about making plans to go on a caribou trip.
Since he is busy working and raising a family and I am spending every last dime I have trying to become a successful BASS angler. We figured that five years would be enough time to save up and do our research for a quality cairbou hunt.

We are not cheap, we know the type of hunt we're looking for is not sitting under a big smiley face at Wal-Mart.

I will start out with an easy one, and then hopefully, as I get to know a lot of you, ask some more detailed questions.

What herd?

I'm just getting started on my research but I'm pretty sure there are five different species of Caribou... The Quebec Labrador(sp?) being the largest.

I would be greatfull for any input.

Thanks,

Josh

 

[Buschy]

Josh,

I will attach a link from this site. It should give you some information to start with on a DIY hunt in Alaska. Good luck and enjoy the planning, that is half of the fun!

http://www.hunttalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24282

 

[280rem]

Josh, I'm headed to Quebec in Sep. hunting with the Twin River Lodge. If you're talking a guided hunt then you should plan to book 2 years in advance. If you're wanting a DIY hunt, then i would lean towards Alaska. You'll want to research the area & ask lots of questions.

Best of luck!

 

[BigHornRam]

Josh,

I'm biased but think the backpack Mountain Caribou hunts in NWT, Yukon, or B. C. are the way to go. More spot and stalk than sitting in front of a migration waiting for a good bull. You can also combo the hunt for moose, sheep, or other than the NWT, grizzly as well. Even if you don't want to or can't afford to hunt the other game, you will see those animals on a regular basis while hunting Mountain Caribou. The mountain sceenery is better too, IMO. The hunts for them are generally more expensive, however.

 

[joshimoto son]

Buschy, 280Rem

This hunt will more or less be a one time deal, so I really think that a guided hunt would hopefully ensure better memories.

Believe it or not, we do share a little common sense , and although we have been hunting all of our life, we know that we would be a little too green to go up there and try it by ourselves. If after the hunt we figure that it was easier than we thought and we're bringing home a couple trophies that we shot in the first day... then so be it, I won't complain about something like that.

I would like to try and get mine with a bow, although I'm not against using rifle and will bring one with me, I have always enjoyed bowhunting more. That will be one of the things that I will be concentrating on when I start talking to my guides.

I have found some realy good websites already, and have been looking at some of the guides current schedules and were they are booked already. By doing this I can see what dates get booked first and get a good idea of when the best times are.

280rem

I'll check out the twin River lodge, can you tell me why you picked to go with them?

thanks,

joshimoto son

 

[280rem]

Josh, I didn't choose TRL my hunting party did, meaning i joined the group after they had already booked. I feel good about our choice as i know a few guys that hunt with them every other year. You won't see as much advertising from them because they don't need to. Typically they're booked 2 years or more in advance. We booked our hunt in May 2005. As far as the best time to go, it's hard to determine that because you never know what will trigger the start of the migration. No matter who you hunt with, always check references.

 

[joshimoto son]

Thaks for all the replies, The outdoor shows here in Michigan are starting up next week. The information you fellas gave me will help out tremendously for going up to the booth with some good questions.

I will probably do some more posting after I hit an expo or two.

Thanks again!

Josh

 

[carbonarcher]

If your thinking about Quebec, definitely look into Jack Hume Adventures. I hunted with them in 2003 and took two very nice bulls as did everyone in my party. We hunted very hard, didn't see the huge "national geographic" type migration, but they did everything they promised and the camps were very comfortable. I would hunt again with them in a minute.

 

[joshimoto son]

Carbonarcher,

did ya get em with your bow?

Josh

 

[carbonarcher]

Josh,

I killed one with a bow, one witha rifle, the rest of the guys in camp were all rifle hunters only. We hunted hard, my first bou, which I killed on day two, was 7 miles from camp by GPS. Second bou killed day 5 (I got real picky and wanted one with either double shovels or double back scratchers)was around 9 miles from camp by GPS. I got lucky and found one with really heavily palmated tops, double back scratchers and double shovels, although the one shovel is smallish. But other than the ground being wet, the terrain is easy walking, a guy can cover a lot of ground pretty easy in the camp we were in, and so can the caribou! Damn do they cover ground quick.

I would say in a week of hunting I saw probably 150 bou, predominantly bulls. It was a great hunt and everyone had a good time. After day 3, I was the only one with a Bou tag left in my pocket, so there were plenty of good bulls around.

 

[schmalts]

My advice. I did a Bou hunt in AK once. Don't go during the peak of the rut, unless you want to spend a bunch of money to haul home meat that the dog wouldnt want to eat. My meat was so rutted up you think it was pissed on. The things are discusting animals when rutting.

 

[Ovis]

My meat was so rutted up you think it was pissed on.

That's because it was...more or less.

 

[schmalts]

I dont know if it's a tale or not but i heard the bulls will actuall drink the piss from a female if he can find it puddled up. Thats one horney SOB. The way mine tasted i have to wonder if it is true

 

[Ovis]

I dont know if it's a tale or not but i heard the bulls will actuall drink the piss from a female if he can find it puddled up. Thats one horney SOB. The way mine tasted i have to wonder if it is true

They actually approach the cows from the rear and drink from the fountain.

 

[schmalts]

sounds like something greenhorn does with his old cougars. You know, the ones who had 4 kids and cant control thier bladders anymore?