Caribou hunting

[CLL]

 My son and myself would like to hunt caribou in Canada or maybe Alaska next year, any ideas on how to do it without spending $3-5000 for high priced guides.

[sawguy21]

I don't know about Alaska but as non-residents, you will be required to hire a guide in Canada. There are also strict rules regarding bringing your own firearms.

[jdtuttle]

My Brother & I went two years ago for about 2,200.00 each That includes driving from NY two nights in a hotel . One up & one back. Food beer gas lodging and tags. We went on a self guided tour with Nouchimee (SP) outfitters on the Transgia Highway. We went the first week in December which can be risky weather wise. The Canadians call it a meat hunt because the caribou are dropping thir antlers. I harvested one with the bow & another with my 270. Both had decent antlers still. My brother also harvested two caribou. The camp is set up like a dorm & don't expect anything fancy. They give you a big breakfast and a packed lunch in the morning & a huge dinner in the evening. There is another outfitter just down the road but can't remember their name It's a little nicer & a little more expensive. A couple things to think about if your driving. Bring your own gas. No place to buy beer. The canadians usually speak french around americans until yu break the ice. We brought some venison sausage along and shared it & they were all speaking english after awhile. Gas stations are along ways apart, 400miles or so. So make sure you have a good 4wd vehicle & reliable trailer for your meat. We're talking about going again but may spend the extra money to go earlier.
Good Luck
jim

[sawguy21]

"The canadians usually speak french around americans until yu break the ice. We brought some venison sausage along and shared it & they were all speaking english after awhile"
:D :D :D :D Now that is downright funny.

[SwingOak]

I went with a friend of mine in '97 to Quebec - east of Radisson, which I think is in, or near, the James Bay territory. We went up in the middle of November. as a self-guided hunt. We were on time, but the caribou were late. My friend shot a nice bull out of a local herd, but the main migratory animals were still 100 miles north.

Most of the bigger bulls have dropped their antler s by the time they get that far south. By the way, the cows have antlers too, just not as big as the bulls.

I've got to say that I would have no problem going back up to hunt for meat, Caribou is tastier than any other big game I've ever eaten. But, if you want antlers you're going to have to fly farther north earlier in the season.

We were hassled when we crossed the border, and that was pre-9/11. You had to pre-register your firearms with US Customs back then, and I have no idea what you would have to go through now. It felt sort of funny sitting there in the waiting room at the US Customs office in Newark with a bunch of guys, all with cased rifles.

All I can say is you better bring along at least 30 extra gallons of gas/fuel, because if you run out you're screwed. Winterize your vehicle, and make sure it's in tip-top shape. We met some guys who had transmission trouble with a 1992 Ford 3/4 ton, and as it was going to cost $3500 for towing to the nearest Ford dealer, $3500 for the transmission, and another $3500 to fly it in, they just took the plates off and abandoned the truck there, as it was cheaper.

[CLL]

Sounds like the first thing I need to do is check the firearms requirements. I have a 300wsm and my son has a 7mag, and both of us are very comfortable shooting 250 yards. Do need to remember plenty of gas, gas station every 10 miles around here. Thanks for the info.

[SwingOak]

The other thing I'd add is this: bring cold weather survival gear. If you get stuck or you break down out there, it can get down to 40 below or more. without some form of heat, food, and dry insulating clothes you can die pretty easily. We drove for eight hours though the worst snow storm I've ever seen, and saw one logging truck going the other way the whole time. In hindsight, that was a stupid thing to do. It would have been safer to stay at the truck stop where it was warm and there was plenty of food and coffee.

One other note about Caribou - they look really big, but they are mostly horns and hair. The bull my friend shot was a giant, and I doubt it weighed more than 300 pounds.

Here's my idea of a perfect caribou rig:

4x4 Pickup truck, 3/4 ton, long bed, crew cab
ladder rack w/plywood platform on top
winch in the bed (for dragging 'bou up onto platform)
Snowmobile (goes in the bed)
50 gallon fuel tank (front of bed)
Generator (for engine block heater)
Small propane heater & fuel bottles
Rifle - .270 and up with a detachable magazine. A .30-06 is a great choice.
Really good binoculars
laser rangefinder (it never looks like they are 400 yards away on the ice, but they are)
1/2" rope - at least 100'

The reason you need a rifle with a detachable mag is because if you run into the same situation we did (caribou running late) you're going to be doing a lot of road hunting for local non-migratory animals, which for us meant getting up at 1:00 am and driving for six hours to where we saw tracks the day before.

Maybe the rules have changed, but when we were there, you could have your gun uncased in the front seat, as long as it is unloaded. Clip out means unloaded. That way, if you spot a 'bou you can jump out, load up, and shoot. It might be the difference between going home with meat, or not.

Oh, one other thing - keep a sharp eye for wolf tracks. Where you find wolves, you'll find caribou. Don't shoot the wolves, I think they are protected up there, and besides they keep the herd healthy.

[CLL]

I have a buddy I haven't seen in years that lives in Alaska, maybe I can mooch some information out of him. I understand you have to have a guide up there to. Right now need to get serious about my bow hunting.

[SwingOak]

Right now need to get serious about my bow hunting.

Me too - deer season open in  month.

[isawlogs]

I have been to James Baie a time or two  ;)   I worked there to put up the hydro electric project , was there through out all the seasons ,  if there is anything one needs to bring is insulated underwear .  ;D It dont get real cold there , yes it does get to hide the red line in a thermometer , but late november , early december , ya might get a -20C maybe ... mostly -15 Celcius  But it really is not cold out unless the wind picks up .
  The name of the road is Trans Taiga it goes from Route de la Baie James to Caniapiscau it is 600kilo long , gravel but wide , Well cleared in the winter , but not much agregat spread on it , so winter tired are needed , gas is available through out the terretory mind you it is more expensive by about .15¢/liter . Now through out is a big word here , Radisson ( the city at the end of the James Baie highway ) has gas , so do all of the outfitters .
  I have been to a few of the outfitters there , the one I prefered was this one

http://www.pourvoiriemirage.com/english/index_chasse_an.cfm

Here is the map of part of James Baie

http://www.pourvoiriemirage.com/english/an_localisation.cfm


I will look up the others for you if you wish , I can also go hunting for the JAmes Baie tourist package link if you would like . It is full of info that will be mailed to you ,
   If you do go to James Baie , take time out of your schedual well better yet , make time , and go and visite the Robert Bourrassa complexe , ( big big dam )  They have guided tours of the inside and out of the dam , I worked there for a long time  ;) . Melted quite a few rods into those big doors . 

  Here is the link to the tourist info ... fill out the blanks and send it off , you will get a nice package in the amil , you can get it in French to if you want .  ;D ( I willl put the English link up )  ;)

http://www.municipalite.baie-james.qc.ca/html/e_tourisme04.htm

  If anything else I can help you out with fire away .

[isawlogs]

If you do decide to go up there , let me know as you will be passing right in front of my door .  ;)  ( my old door , but seeing as I still own it we can stop in and have a cold one or hot one ,  ;D  )

[CLL]

Isawlogs, appreciate any help you can give me, as this will probably be the only chance I will get to do this. Sure would like for it to be successful. Seen a show the other day (hunting show), seems you have some big whitetails in  your area. Let several smaller bucks go here last year as I was looking for a mounting deer. Had a nice 140-150 class walk out 15 yards in front of me, only problem was I was putting up stand and had no gun with me. Can you say STUPID!!!!  Thanks for the help, would love to visit all the members I could while up in that country.

[SwampDonkey]

"The canadians usually speak french around americans until yu break the ice. We brought some venison sausage along and shared it & they were all speaking english after awhile"
:D :D :D :D Now that is downright funny.

Reminds me of a movie concerning a substance used to loosen tongues.  :D :D

[CLL]

Swampdonkey, reminds me of when I was a kid. We would take vodka and soak rice in it, put the rice out  for the sparrows(aggravating suckers) when they got drunk and could bearly fly we would swat them with badminton racquets. ;D  Reckon that would work on caribou????

[SwampDonkey]

Heck, if enough is consumed, I wouldn't doubt a fella could ride a caribou and steer by antler in the dark.  ;D

[thecfarm]

I sure would not want to swat a caribou with a badminton racquet.

[isawlogs]

   :D :D  Vodka should really be on ice ... not rice  ;)  ;D

There is a drink here you can buy that is called Caribou... it is wine with alcohol   alcohol with some wine    That is some good stuff to have out on the ice 

   Sausage , unless you are prepared to leave it at the border do not bring any with you , tried that and it stayed at the border .  >:(
 
   Register your guns at the border with the US customs , then it will be much easier for you to come across and to re-enter with the guns. ;) 
 
Do not shoot any wolves they are protected , only fair games if you are cree , algonquin or inuit ,
  Bring a snowmobile , one that can travel on snow faster then 50 kilo an hour , we had brought a small one the first time up and it really was not a good idea ... we where outrun by the caribou  : ( the following time I had my formula plus with me )
You sometimes have to travel out on the reservoir to get near them as they travel from one island to the next , its a darn good idea to pack a few gps and some extra batteries . You can order a topo map of the James Baie area for I think 15$ or so , it is a 1/50 scale map and about 3 foot square . If you need or want one let me know I can always go pick one up and ship it to you .
   I went up with my 270 remington pump and never had any trouble with the action , I kepted my mag in my mittens and had a condom latex cover on my gun barrel .
  I have hunted deer all my life it seems , I dont remember the first time out ... or the first one shot or ever not shooting one during a season . I do remember missing a few  :-\  I have guided for a few also .

     Marcel
   

[SwingOak]

What a coincidence - after my trip I bought  Remington .270 pump just for caribou hunting, and I haven't been back since. It's never been fired - I still have it in the original box.

The Mirage camp on the Polaris river is nice. And, they have gas/fuel there. What's more, when I was there they brought in a helicopter to fly their hunters up to the herd. At the time they told us they give preferential booking to return customers, and they had already booked the following year. We thought we would book a fishing trip in the summer to get an "in" for caribou. There's great fishing up there too.

The place we were at was up the road, and what a dump that was. The "guide" (who never seemed to leave the office) kept telling us the caribou were "almost here" for three days. I'll never stay there again.

At Mirage, they told us the truth, which was the main herd was still 100 miles to the north.

[CLL]

Watched a show on tv today and the land looked flat, then as if coming out of the ground came 5 nice bulls. I thought he shot the wrong one, but since he was paying I guess that was alright. :D
They did a lot of hunting from a boat, or should I say spotting, probably illegal to hunt from boat.
I know in Missouri we have a lot of deer killed during season, from people SPOTTING from a pick-up. ;D

[isawlogs]

Land around James baye maybe flat , but where the hunting goes on sure aint .  ;)

  You can not shoot from any motorised vehicle  , boat wiff motor fall into that category  :P   Nothing about going out and finding them in one .  ;)