Caribou

Caribou Hunt

Caribou hunt in Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is home to a large number of wild Caribou. You will find the Caribou subspecies named Woodland or Forest caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) in all parts of the region, even roadside. The Woodland Caribou living in Newfoundland and Labrador is still remarkably fearless of humans. If you instead prefer a Caribou hunt for the subspecies Barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus), you best choice is Labrador since this is where you can find the largest Barren-ground caribou herd in the world – The George River Caribou Herd. This herd consists of approximately 750,000 Barren-ground caribou. The Wooland/Forest caribou population in Newfoundland is much smaller, but still impressive. Estimations show that it contains 80,000-120,000 animals.

Before you go on a Caribou hunt, you must obtain a hunting license. If you are a non-resident you can contact a professional licensed hunting outfitter and have them arrange your license for you. Non-residents must also be accompanied with a licensed guide during the Caribou hunt. In Labrador, a hunting lodge can have several hundred hunting licenses, while a hunting lodge in Newfoundland will have an average of no more than 20 licenses. Keep in mind that hunting outfitters usually provide Caribou hunt licenses on a first come, first serve basis. It can therefore be a good idea to contact them as soon as you have decided to go on a Caribou hunt in Newfoundland or Labrador.

When you participate in Caribou hunt in Labrador or Newfoundland, you should ideally use a .300 Win., a 7mm. Rem. or similar. Avoid rifles smaller than the .270 or .30-06. In Newfoundland, a 243 calibre rifle is required, but a 270 or larger is much better.

Caribou hunt in Alaska
During a Caribou hunt in Alaska you can encounter the Barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus). Alaska is home to around 950,000 wild caribou, divided into 32 different herds. Each Caribou herd will use a calving habitat separated from all the other Caribou herds, but during the winter several herds can live together in the same area.
Some of these herds are shared by Alaska and Canada's Yukon Territory. It is hard to exactly estimate the current number of wild caribou in Alaska, since the populations follow irregular cycles. Earlier, excessive hunting was the main cause of decline in Alaskan caribou herds, but this is no longer the case.

Each year, roughly 22,000 caribou are shot for food by local residents during Caribou hunt in Alaska. A few thousand non-residential hunters also travel to Alaska to enjoy Caribou hunt each year. A majority of these hunters come from the United States, Mexico or Europe. The Caribou hunt is of vital economical importance for the region, not only because it results in meat, but first and foremost because it creates work opportunities for the residents. The tourism sector created by the Caribou hunt is especially important in rural areas.

The meat acquired during Caribou hunt in Alaska must be taken care of and prepared for human consumption. By not salvaging the meat, you will violate state law. The Caribou hunt arranger will typically take care of this for you, and most non-resident hunters wish to bring at least part of the Caribou meat back with them after the hunt.

adult caribou
Picture by wikipedia user Chris73

Other network sites: Mammals, Birds & Reptiles - Insects & Fish - Plants - Sponsors
Caribou hunt