Caribou Hunting

The caribou or reindeer is an Arctic and sub-Arctic dwelling deer. In Norway, Iceland, Sweden, Finland and Russia, the caribou is known as the reindeer. In the wild, most caribou will migrate between their winter habitat and their birthing habitat. They possess very wide hooves that allow them to walk easily on snow and tundra. They also propel the animal when it swims. Caribou are excellent swimmers. There are several sub-species of caribou throughout the world with the Woodland caribou, Grant's caribou, Barren-Ground caribou and Mountain caribou residing in North America. Alaska caribou hunting and the Newfoundland woodland caribou hunting has seen a population decrease in some areas. There are approximately five million caribou in the world today. Caribou are always on the move for a couple of reasons. They are host to a great number of flies that lay eggs on their back and bite them constantly. The Woodland caribou also eats lichen which takes years to grow back. Caribou possess hollow hair which adds not only insulation in the bitter cold, but also buoyancy when swimming. Man has been hunting caribou for hundreds of years. Canada & Alaska Caribou hunting remains a favorite past time for many. Alaska caribou hunting is very popular in the state where there are 32 separate caribou herds. Caribou hunting in Canada is one of the more sought after forms of hunting with hunt-able herds in almost all provinces. Whether Newfoundland caribou hunting in Alaska or caribou hunting in Canada, one thing remains a constant the caribou is a truly magnificent creature, surviving hundreds of years of cold weather and predation, only to forge ahead in the animal world.

Tips for hunting the caribou

On the Trail of Caribou

After nearly two days of nonstop travel, first by car followed by three commercial jets and finally two bush plane flights, I was deep in the Alaskan wilderness, helping guide Wade Hanks set up a couple of two-man tents in a spectacular valley. I was tired, but with the excitement of upcoming hunts and the energy generated by finally being in the extreme wilderness (and out of airplanes), I felt great. Within minutes a herd of caribou, numbering around 100 head, skated across a nearby hillside single file, then climbed to the skyline, silhouetted against the deep blue sky.

This was my first trip to Alaska and the first caribou I had seen, outside of those mounted and hanging on someone’s wall. It was one of those special experiences that cannot be described in words. I sat down on the soft tundra with a 10x binocular to take a closer look at the caribou and absorb the beauty unique to Southwest Alaska.

The caribou is one of the most interesting members of the deer family, and few scenes are as stunning as a herd, mostly bulls, making their way across the skyline. Their antlers are unique, with a single (and sometimes a double) shovel extending from the base out just over the eyes and toward the nose, while a pair of “bez” run from the middle of the antler forward, usually palmated. The tops of large bulls’ antlers are often heavy with many points and palmation.

No two bulls are the same; some are heavier on top but may have smaller bezes and shovels or vice versa. Others may be more compact in terms of overall length and width, but very heavy, while some may have great length and width. Choosing a suitable bull is largely personal taste. One hunter may insist on double shovels with heavy bez beams and palmation, while another will prefer massive tops with many points.

Caribou don’t have a reputation for being particularly smart. In their defense, however, most have never seen a human and don’t understand the danger. When a hunter’s scent is picked up, they may retreat slightly, then continue their journey. They have reasonably good eyesight and usually know when to kick it in gear and leave the country.

In spite of the many great bulls seen, caribou hunting was closed in this particular area. After working hard to fill moose and brown bear tags, and packing meat, hide and horns to a hilltop, where a bush plane could land, outfitter Bob Adams (Adams Guide Service, PO Box 770941, Eagle River AK 99577) picked us up via Piper Cub. Returning to his main camp, which is more than an hour bush plane flight southwest of the tiny Alaskan village Aniak, we would have the opportunity to hunt caribou, which compared to hunting moose and brown bear was somewhat relaxing.

After hot showers we fleshed the moose cape and bear hide, then focused on caribou. Animals were plentiful, with a seemingly endless migration streaming from a distant draw that generally funneled them to within a mile of camp. We continued to hunt hard for several days, and some good bulls were spotted; but we always seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

One particularly cold and windy morning, we walked about a mile from camp, across the Kipchuk River, to the main caribou migration trail. Some nice bulls were within easy rifle range but were still just short of the size I was looking for. Midafternoon we headed back to camp to warm up by the fire and have lunch. We had no sooner sat down to eat, than three exceptional bulls appeared on the hillside about 100 yards from camp. By the time we scrambled outside and grabbed our rifles, they had whirled and run out of sight. The guide and I sprinted to the airplane runway, then across the river in an effort to cut them off, but they were on the move and too far ahead of us. Once a caribou is on the move, it is nearly impossible to catch him, so we returned to camp to grudgingly finish lunch.

The next day large herds of caribou began pouring out of a draw a couple of miles above camp, so we grabbed packs and rifles and headed across the tundra to intercept them. Several good bulls were seen, but again we seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. As they passed by, they were either just out of range of the iron-sighted Winchester Model 1895 lever-action .30-06 rifle I was carrying, or they changed course enough that we lost sight of them in small ravines. Interested in hunting caribou in the Yukon? See our Yukon Caribou Hunting page to learn more.

In spite of not being successful, I was having a terrific time. Moose were seen on a regular basis, and during the two-week stay we saw 20 grizzly bears. Most were seen from main camp when glassing, but one early morning three young bears, probably three- or four-year olds, came in close to camp. When they spotted our movement, they took off across a snow-covered mountain.

With three days remaining before the bush plane was scheduled to pick me up, I was getting somewhat anxious to take a bull. Several miles above camp there was another migration trail, and I suggested to Wade we load our packs with lunch and dinner and make a full day of it. He seemed hesitant, feeling that with just a bit more patience, we would find (and get a shot at) a suitable bull from the main camp migration trail. Nonetheless, early the next morning, we were on our way to explore the distant country.

The southwestern Alaskan tundra is soft, and one often sinks six to eight inches with every step. Walking on the spongy surface requires a great effort, and it can be a real workout. Nonetheless, we made our way several miles from camp, crossing some beautiful country, and the farther we went, the better it looked, something like the grass looking greener on the other side of the fence!

Climbing a mound-like hill gave us an excellent view of the valley, and after an hour or so of glassing, we spotted a nice bull making his way along the base of a mountain but lost sight of him. We quickly harnessed our packs and hiked steadily to where he had last been seen. Because of our continual view of both ends of the small draw that concealed him, we were sure the old boy was still in the area. Nonetheless, we hiked the rim and spent a half-hour or so searching for him and couldn’t understand how he could have possibly escaped. Upon combing the draw a second time, we came within 30 yards of him be- fore discovering he had bedded in a small depression. We detected each other at the same moment, and he jumped and ran. At around 50 yards, a lung shot with a scopesighted Ruger Model 77 stainless steel .338 Winchester Magnum did the trick. (I had switched rifles in the event a big bull was found at long range.)

In spite of being pressed for time to make it back to camp before dark, we sat down and enjoyed the moment and admired the great animal. After accomplishing the field dressing Alaskan style and loading meat, cape and antlers in our packs, we headed for camp. We were having such an enjoyable day on the way out that we lost track of distances, but upon our return, it was realized we had gone much farther than intended.

On the way back, we periodically rested and snacked on berries growing from the thick tundra and observed many grizzly tracks along the river, so we stayed alert in the event we bumped into one. It was well after dark when we arrived at camp. We shed our packs and were glad to get out of the weather, devour some hot food and rest awhile. In his good-natured way but tired, Wade looked at me and said, “That was the farthest I have ever gone for a caribou.” To which I responded, “Yeah, wasn’t it great?”

One of the guides wanted to take a caribou, and since I was done hunting, offered to go along, as an- other set of eyes is always welcome. While glassing, a pack of wolves was seen as they closed in on a caribou, pulling it to the ground in just a few seconds. After killing it, they moved on without taking a bite, which was disappointing, as I had plans of making a stalk and bagging a wolf. For other places to hunt your caribou, also see our Manitoba Caribou Hunting page for more.

We also took time to hunt ptarmigan, watch salmon and char making their way up river and to study the show of the spectacular Northern Lights. As I sat on the banks of the Kipchuk River, I was already anticipating a return trip to the North Country and another caribou hunt, clearly one of the finest trophies of North America.

By Brian Pearce

This article and many more like it can be found by Successful Hunter Magazine. Visit them at www.successfulhunter.com