Caribou
WORLD
CLASS MOUNTAIN CARIBOU
We work with 2 outfitters
in the Northwest Territories
that offer premier mountain caribou hunts. 2011 was a tougher than
normal season. The numbers were high, but the trophy quality was
down on the upper end. Success generally runs at or near 100% on
bulls with average gross scores of 375 to 380 Boone and Crockett and
typically about 25% score over the 390 record-book minimum. Both
outfits will typically take 22 to 30 bulls per year, either on straight
caribou hunts or as extra animals on the sheep and moose hunts.
Both hunts require a roundtrip charter out of Norman Wells priced close
to $1,000.
This outfitter takes about 30 bulls per season, including quite a few
record book bulls over 400 inches and the best bull of 2011 grossed
420. Typically the later hunts produce the better bulls and they finish
in mid-October. 7-day backpack hunts are priced at $7,500 guided 2x1
plus licenses and tax. Caribou can be taken on a $4,000 trophy fee as
add-ons for his sheep and moose hunts. He normally starts hunting
caribou in this 9,000 square mile area in late August.
Hunt CU119.
Pictures from
this Hunt.
Here is an outfitter that offers 10-day
backpack hunts guided 2x1 from July 26 to September 19 priced at $8,000
plus $100 preservation fund and 2 1/2 percent tax. He also offers moose
on the later caribou hunts for a kill fee of $7,500. HCU consultants Bob
Wodzisz and Cliff Graham have taken moose and caribou with this outfit.
Hunt
CU250.
Pictures from
this Hunt.
NEWFOUNDLAND
WOODLAND CARIBOU $5800
The outfitter we work
with had a quota of 32 tags and now it is at only 5. In 2011 all 5
scored on good bulls. Newfoundland’s
woodland caribou herd has been on a significant decline and the ministry
has severely cut the amount of tags to all outfitters.
6-day hunt guided 1x1 with nice
cabin accommodations is $5,800 plus $600 license and 7% HST tax.
Many camps are accessed only by helicopter and flights are included in
the price. Rifle hunts start mid-September and run to November.
Hunters can drive to
Newfoundland or fly to Deer
Lake
Airport
and be picked up.
He also offers an archery hunt during this special
season the last week of August and first week of September just before
the gun hunts. Success has been 100% on very good trophy sized
bulls.
Moose can be added for $4,000 and black bear for $500. HCU consultants,
Cliff Graham, Bob Wodzisz and Scott Steinkruger have all hunted with
this outfitter.
Hunt CU94.
Pictures from this
Hunt.
ALASKA BROOKS RANGE CARIBOU
100% SUCCESS AGAIN
This may well be the most
consistent barren ground caribou hunt in
North America.
It is conducted on the north slope of the
Brooks Range
in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The outfitter has recently
added a large area for more caribou hunting along with the new area he
opened in 2010 and is now hunting more of the
Western Arctic
Herd. Last fall was phenomenal. They had taken 5 hunters
here in 2010 and the hunting was terrific and it was consistent in 2011,
when all the hunters went home filling their tags. 7 caribou
hunters even took grizzlies on a $6,000 trophy fee. The average
bull taken gross scored in the 350 Boone and Crockett range. The
outfitter reported caribou just kept coming through camp the entire
season, it was fantastic.
This is a small personal caribou
operation and they typically only take a few hunters each week
throughout the month of August. They have a base camp with
showers, laundry facilities, family style meals, telephone and internet
access and is conveniently located in the heart of the Porcupine and
Central Arctic
herds summer range. Hunters take a supercub flight, included in
price, from base camp to a mobile spike camp amongst the caribou.
Tent camps include quality tents, gear, a competent guide and good food.
This is one of the few
Alaska
caribou hunts that have a very high rate of success on good mature
bulls.
August hunts are 7-day with 5 days of hunting, fully
guided 2x1 priced at $5,200 per person or guided 3x1 for only $4,500 per
hunter. Hunters have the option of taking a second bull for
$3,000. He also offers an unguided hunt for only $2,750 per hunter
that includes a tent and food.
Hunters charter out of Deadhorse for $1,000, license and tag total $410
and trophy expediting fee to Fairbanks is $200. Hunt CU505.
Pictures from
this Hunt.
QUEBEC-LABRADOR CARIBOU HUNTS
Last fall success ran
over 90 percent for each hunter taking at least one bull and most took
2. They have 27 camps and typically only take enough hunters to
fill 4 for any particular week. This gives them numerous locations
to move hunters if the caribou sightings are down. This outfit has
purchased additional camps north of the 57th
parallel giving them the unique availability to hunt both north and
south of the 57th,
increasing the odds considerably to access caribou. They offer a
couple hunt packages, ALL FAIR CHASE.
4X1 HUNT PACKAGE is priced at $6,800.
The 4x1 option is a semi-guided service for those who
do not require a guide by their side at all times in the field.
With this package, the guide will split up his time amongst the group of
4 and provide assistance with the field work after the caribou have been
harvested. A pack frame will be necessary for this hunt.
Food and cook is also provided.
2X1 HUNT PACKAGE is priced at $7,500.
For those of you who want exclusive attention and a
professional to carry out the field work, this is the package for you.
Each pair of hunters is accompanied by a full time guide on this hunt.
Your guide will help you spot, stalk and put an ambush on your caribou
and once your caribou is harvested he will look after all the chores of
quartering, deboning, caping and packing it out for you. A pack
frame is not necessary for this package. Food and cook is also
provided.
Hunts start August 28 and run to October 3. All
packages are priced to increase $100 per year for next 3 years.
All 8-day packages, 6 hunting, include roundtrip air
from Montreal to Schefferville, licenses, taxes, parking and shuttle
service in Montreal, lodging in Schefferville or Lac Pau, flights to
camp, boat and motor, meat boxes, English speaking guides, emergency
satellite phone communication, and cold storage in Schefferville.
The outfitter gives a $1,000 discount to students
accompanied by a parent, $100 discount per hunter for a group of 4 and a
$500 discount on repeat hunters.
Not included is a 7-day fishing license of $42, black bear license of
$150 or small game license at $85. Meals and beverages during
overnight, if applicable, in Schefferville or
Caniapiscau. Sleeping bags and towels, accommodations in Montreal or gratuities. Meat butchering and
vacuum sealing if required in Schefferville, normally $80 per caribou,
or overnight in Montreal.
Antler transportation on the return flight to Montreal, 2 split sets of
antlers or 1 whole set of antlers is included in price. 1 split plus 1
whole set costs $50 or 2 whole sets cost $100. Second cape costs $100
payable to the guide if not taken care of by the hunter. Hunt CU27.
Pictures from this
Hunt.
ALASKA DROP CAMP
HUNTS $3150
GUIDED $6500 FOR 2 BULLS
2011 proved to be a good
year for caribou hunting the Western Arctic herd in northwestern Alaska
east of Kotzebue. This outfitter hunts Unit 23, where you are
still allowed 2 bulls per hunter due to high caribou numbers. He
had 14 guided hunters take 27 bulls, one hunter only wanted one bull.
He also had 25 unguided hunters and one group went home empty, the rest
scored.
The Western Arctic
herd numbers between 450,000 to 600,000. This hunt takes place in Unit
23 and dates are late August to late September. The migration
really got going about September 10 last fall.
Unguided hunts are priced at $3,150. This is
based on double occupancy, and includes tents, cots, food, cooking
equipment, transportation of meat, capes and antlers back to Kotzebue.
Hunts guided 2x1 for 5 days are $6,500. Air support continues
monitoring the migration and his camps are mobile and can be relocated
if necessary. Non-resident hunting license is $86, caribou tag is $325
each and wolf tag is $35. Hunters fly to Anchorage and then onto Kotzebue where you
take a charter for about $500 roundtrip to camp. Hunt CU247.
Pictures from
this Hunt.
CENTRAL CANADIAN BARREN GROUND CARIBOU
The
Northwest Territories
has closed all their central Canadian barren ground caribou hunting to
non-residents, so the only place you can still hunt this specie is
Nunavut
or northern Manitoba.
Here you can hunt the Qamairjuaq herd and as of the latest census it has
over 450,000 animals. Manitoba only has 500 licenses per year for both
residents and non-residents, so this herd is not pressured.
Past years this outfitter has been at or near 100%
success on 2 bulls and 2011 was no different. 40 hunters took 37
bulls, including a couple bowhunters. The area is conducive to
bowhunt due to the cover and brush. Best bull gross scored 390
Boone and Crockett and the average bull grossed 335. In 2010 he
hosted 35 hunters and 31 scored mostly on 2 bulls each. The
average bull grossed 335 and the top 2 bulls went 395 and 386 (360 is
Boone and Crockett minimum).
7 days, 6 hunting, is $6,795 guided 2x1 or add $500 to
be guided 1x1. This includes 2 caribou, fishing and wolf and
ptarmigan hunting. Hunters must purchase their caribou tags at
$460 each, $32 fishing license and $150 bird license if you want to hunt
ptarmigan plus .0425% tax.
He has a main lodge that all
hunters are flown into from
Thompson
Falls
and this charter is included in the price. From there you will be
flown to one of 2 main camps that include electricity, wood heat, shower
house, satellite phone and satellite internet. Camps are located
on the Nunavut/Manitoba border.
Hunt dates are September 8-15, 15-22, and 22-29. Hunters fly from
Winnipeg
to Thompson Falls at about $600 roundtrip and
overnight. You are picked up early the next day and the hunt price
includes all flying from
Thompson
Falls. Hunt CU352.
Pictures from
this Hunt.