When did Caribou become a Premier Hunt

[Nuts]

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

 

[MTTW]

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

Probably when people figured out how heavy moose are. Seriously, I think it has always been that way. I lived in SW AK in the 1990s and they were hitting Caribou hard with drop camps before the peninsula herd collapsed, that was 30 years ago. You can make Caribou hunting as hard as you want.

 

[Gulf of America]

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

I think it's just hunting in general. Caribou seems like a bargain compared to a $50k sheep hunt. People climb over each other to get NR deer licenses in MT to shoot a stinky forky off the road for $500. The scenery on caribou hunts I've seen shared looks worth the price of entry.

 

[Nuts]

The scenery on caribou hunts is pretty awesome. Walking the tussocks with a moose quarter not so much. Gotta embrace the suck

 

[Gellar]

I don’t social media has done any favors to people who were enjoying caribou hunts in solitude. Although the road accessible hunts have always been a shitshow.

 

[TOGIE]

And when/why did a 2nd choice/leftover antelope unit with shit public land become 3-4 points in Wyoming?

These are all the same questions.

 

[Carnage2011]

Youtube....guys sit on the couch at night and watch a dozen caribou hunts or antelope hunts and decide it's what they want to do. Same with spring bear hunts, shed hunting, and pretty much everything else.

 

[SaskHunter]

You have hunting media and influencers to thank for that...

 

[SaskHunter]

Youtube....guys sit on the couch at night and watch a dozen caribou hunts or antelope hunts and decide it's what they want to do. Same with spring bear hunts, shed hunting, and pretty much everything else.

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...

 

[Gellar]

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...

Blacktail deer seems to be trending that way too.

 

[Nuts]

I guess social media. Saw a post somewhere with a guy asking about moose sheds. Another about caribou sheds. We have stepped over them for years. Didn't realize they were so sought after.

 

[MTTW]

I remember when you could go bow hunting for days and see no other hunters.

I remember when you could jump off Carters bridge into the Yellowstone river in the summer without looking for boats first.

I remember my family drawing 5 mountain goat tags in 3 years.

I remember leaving big 6 point elk sheds in the woods.

All of those things had permanently changed before I ever saw a computer or a cell phone. During my life change has seemed fast and generally for the worse, I think it is unrealistic to not expect that to continue with or without social media/YouTube.

 

[Nuts]

This I can understand. I suppose I could do this to hunt squirrel. But I wouldn't pay $$$$$

 

[BuzzH]

I remember when you could go bow hunting for days and see no other hunters.

I remember when you could jump off Carters bridge into the Yellowstone river in the summer without looking for boats first.

I remember my family drawing 5 mountain goat tags in 3 years.

I remember leaving big 6 point elk sheds in the woods.

All of those things had permanently changed before I ever saw a computer or a cell phone. During my life change has seemed fast and generally for the worse, I think it is unrealistic to not expect that to continue with or without social media/YouTube.

Correct. When I drew my goat tag in Montana the odds were about 1/18, that same unit has absolutely ridiculously bad odds now. I remember putting in for sheep in lower rock creek with 1/24 odds.

I know everyone likes to blame influencers, but the 'net and the ease of applying has tanked odds worse than anything. The biggest jump in reduced draw odds is the computer, GF agencies with how to tutorials and credit cards. Back when a person had to call the GF agencies for an application, get a cashiers check or money order, apply by paper odds were much better. I know we're not going back but with little or no upfront costs, a credit card, and ten minutes of time...a person can apply about anywhere.

Everything has changed.

 

[CPAjeff]

Well, there's this:



And this:



And this:



My caribou hunt was simply fantastic - something I'd thought about for years. It took me to a place that I never would have traveled to otherwise. I'll gladly spend the money to do this hunt again and was worth every penny.