When did Caribou become a Premier Hunt

[Jwill]

Caribou hunting in Quebec closed in February 2018. The population took a terrible nose dive. It may never reopen. Climate change is the main cause listed by the Quebec government. I have travelled and hunted in northern Quebec extensively. The real cause of the population decline : Hydro Quebec flooding huge areas of tundra to create reservoirs to power hydro electric plants. They even reversed the flow of a major river !!! They effectively cut off the migrating caribou from wintering and calving grounds. I have toured some of the power plants east of James Bay. Impressive, But I would rather hunt caribou.

That was an interesting rabbit hole…10-22k caribou died in one migration event in ‘84 trying to cross the rivers! Sounds like the hydro plants were are least partially responsible.

 

[cne-elk]

Man I never thought about Caribou, but after this post on a forum page it looks pretty amazing think ill book a hunt......lol. Thanks for bringing my attention to it.

 

[TheBenHoyle]

The country for me was a real driver to get one, in particular mountain caribou. I probably saw about the same number of Stone Sheep as I did caribou.

Let's get real, you aren't going to find any country like that in the lower 48...not to the scale anyway.

Wow. Just wow.

 

[Nick87]

This thread makes me want to hunt caribou. Well maybe not the thread, but the pics do.

 

[Nick87]

This thread makes me want to hunt caribou. Well maybe not the thread, but the pics do.

Might have to be my "poor man's" yukon hunt.

 

[Dave N]

This thread makes me want to hunt caribou. Well maybe not the thread, but the pics do.

Yep. I had one booked many years ago but things went sideways with the group and we never went.

 

[huntin24/7]

I 'member when shed hunting and spring bear hunts were relatively unpopular... Now everyone and their dog, literally, wants to be out there shooting cubs and posting white-chalk sheds, like they're some sort of mega-all-around-hunting-beasts...

I used to enjoy taking the dog on a few low key walks in the spring to get some exercise and find a few sheds or regularly find a bonus shed or two hunting on the fall. The level of stupid shed hunting has become for so many has given me kind of a distaste for it.

 

[Bluffgruff]

Caribou- I am noticing the amount of guys pumped for a Caribou only hunt. I have spent quite a bit of time in Caribou country and hunted Caribou. Both Canada and Alaska. I always considered them the easy better then nothing, enjoying the region, kill and put meat in the freezer. Just my perception over the last 30 years. In Newfoundland I have walked close enough to almost touch them. In Alaska many times they have walked thru camp even between my lawn chair and tent as I sat there. We have screwed around acting dumb with our hands above our heads making dumb noises and they came closer to investigate. I often joked it was like shooting your neighbors cow. If they are there they are there. I get a bow stalk would add some complexity especially in open tundra. As numbers seam to have dwindled and cost of hunts sky rocketed I see this now considered a premier hunt. I have buddies from work that are super excited about hunting them. More so then moose which I offered to take them with me on. Instead focusing on Caribou. I revised my typical moose hunt to stay most of the time in Caribou country this year. Its Alaska so either way looking forward to going. But when did this transition happen to it becoming more of a targeted species then meat in the freezer or the side hustle of another hunt. Maybe just me but its what I perceive to have developed. Still will be a great time

Since 1996, we've lost a significant portions of 2 major herds in Quebec, and 3-4 in Alaska, accounting for losses of nonresidents US hunter opportunity that are quite noticeable. Supply and demand now dictates that these hunts are "scarce" in comparison. I may go on on $2-4k DIY non-fly-in hunt, but most people aren't going to do that. The outfitted market then dictates prices and value. Some people in 2024 paid $20k to hunt the best part of the herd that I paid $3k to hunt.

 

[Rainer]

Because Caribou herds are in steep decline. Quebec's herd seemed to have disappeared over night and herd numbers are plummeting across the north. With global warming and more industrial activity up north. I bet in 15-20 years their won't be any Caribou left.