foxtrapper
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Post by foxtrapper on Jan 30, 2017 13:54:55 GMT -5
I hunted caribou in the nineties and have not known about the downward trends in population the past decade. Back then there were hundreds of thousands in many herds throughout Quebec. Seems the population crashed due to ? And they will suspend sport hunting after the 2017 season. Terrible news. Also found the outfitter I used back then was thrown out the business by the gov. Being sued by many due to defrauding hunters. The whole thing seems like a disaster!
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Post by BigBore44 on Jan 30, 2017 15:14:31 GMT -5
WOW!!  That isn't good at all. I went caribou hunting there in 86 or 87(?) It was a Great time. We had a large group of 16 hunters, 8 bow and 8 rifle, split into two different camps. Everyone scored and it was just a phenomenal hunt IMO, especially since I was 15-16yo. I hope it rebounds and comes back stronger than ever. I'd imagine this will take a toll on locals Dependant on the $$$$ that hunters bring in. BigBore44 |
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edk
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Post by edk on Jan 30, 2017 15:17:15 GMT -5
I hunted Newfoundland 20 years ago and they've undergone a similar crash in the caribou herd - and that's on an island!
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Fowler
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Post by Fowler on Jan 30, 2017 18:22:16 GMT -5
I spoke with a couple outfitters from Alaska and all of their caribou hunts are basically booked and they are upping their rates for 2018 because if you want to hunt caribou you have a lot less opportunities to hunt them anywhere today, supply and demand.
It seams just a couple years ago they were talking about the eastern herds being a record populations and that they were becoming overpopulated for the habitat but I might be wrong there. I hope they right the ship though, they are a cool animal.
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Post by bulasteve on Jan 31, 2017 8:51:09 GMT -5
Reasons ?
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Post by bushog on Feb 5, 2017 11:31:45 GMT -5
I hunted the Mulchatna heard around groundhog mountain in AK near Iliamna in 2001 and there were streams of animals...thousands.
So I'm told by the outfitters they basically are no more...
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Post by BigBore44 on Feb 5, 2017 12:45:11 GMT -5
Steve I could be wayyy off base here but, I Wouldn't Doubt it's from "Man's Hand" somewhere along the line  We ARE our own Worst Enemy!!! Mother Nature knows what she is doing but, throw in some know it all scientists/geologist/ecologist or whomever and, poof there goes her natural fix....IMHO of course  This is really bad news anyway you slice it. I don't mean for us hunters but, for the people that actually live on caribou and depend upon it as a staple to survive. BigBore44 |
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Post by justahunter on Feb 5, 2017 15:28:00 GMT -5
This may not be the reason for Quebec or Alaska declines, but the locals could shoot 5 caribou a day all year long when I was in Alaska in 2011. I doubt many are doing that, but the possibility exited. Could a disease have gotten in the herds?
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Post by sixshot on Feb 5, 2017 17:56:44 GMT -5
Are you sure that was 5 Caribou a day for residents, that's over 1,600 Caribou per person. You take a family of 4 & that comes out to over 6,000 Caribou for one family. I'm thinking if that's true that just might put a pretty good dent in the population, I thought it was much lower than that, must be wrong.
Dick
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Fowler
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Post by Fowler on Feb 5, 2017 18:00:34 GMT -5
I seem to remember it being 5 caribou for each family member, might be only for the hunting age family members but it still is a pile
If meat.
However with modern wildlife management we hunters have very little bearing on the overall health of the herds. Yes there are exceptions but generally we are not the main factor in a herds big population drops. Hard winters or disease are far more likely causes but certainly not the only possible ones.
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Post by bulasteve on Feb 6, 2017 8:30:32 GMT -5
The TV show, Dr Oakely, Yukon Vet has an episode or two where she deals with caribou. I saw one, missed the other and don't recall what the issue was ! It did stick in my head that the caribou were in danger. If you have that HULU thingy or similar you may want to find and view.
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Post by jaydubinwi on Feb 10, 2017 18:38:57 GMT -5
Hunted caribou in Quebec back in 98. Had a great time even though the main migration didn't quite get to us. Back then I wondered if or when the numbers would crash. Would definitely go caribou hunting again
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joej
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Post by joej on Feb 12, 2017 14:37:24 GMT -5
The bag limit can be 5 Caribou a day but I would think there's probably 361 days a year that you don't see a caribou within rifle range. I know for upland game - some days I limit out, most days I don't.
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Post by BigBore44 on Feb 22, 2017 17:05:36 GMT -5
My dad just told me that he seen on the news, the caribou are "supposedly" dieing off due to so many Skeeter's sucking their blood out...?
Think that could be?
I figured he was gonna say Skeeter's giving them some disease but, nope. They claim loss of blood is doing it.
Thoughts??
BigBore44
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Post by bulasteve on Feb 23, 2017 9:40:02 GMT -5
That's scary, most of us here have Skeeters disease ! Some of us have Elmer-itus too ! Ok, so if the skeeter population climbs drastically and/or they have a new different disease to pass ? Could be, I guess. Two worst places I've been, skeeter-wise were the Assateague Island with it's salt marshes and the Wind River Range in the last of the timber before breaking out above. Altitude =latitude sorta. For temps and flora and some fauna, think the ole rule of thumb is 1000ft higher like a 100 miles further north. Does seem like in places with shorter seasons, the skeeters are more viscious and desparate !
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That isn't good at all.
