Barren Ground Caribou

[CHL]

Wondering if any of y’all might have an outfitter suggestion for Barren Ground Caribou. Not sure we’ll be able to get into Canada again next year so probably have to be AK. Might do a drop camp with a few buddies (possibly) in AK. But if not, would love to hear some recommendations from y’all about anyone you’ve hunted with and had some success. Appreciate it.

 

[zwickeyman]

I heard that True North Safaris might be getting some tags back. Awesome hunting on Mackay lake. If they start back up I would definitely book a hunt with them

 

[cuervosail]

I heard that True North Safaris might be getting some tags back. Awesome hunting on Mackay lake. If they start back up I would definitely book a hunt with them

That's not going to happen anytime soon.

 

[zwickeyman]

Well thats too bad. Gary is a great guy and he got shafted by the government up there. Hunting was spectacular. I saw thousands of Bou and shot a 340" with my stick bow

 

[cuervosail]

I'm not sure why you say he got shafted by the government. I worked for a competing outfitter for 23 years, and I had vested interest when the tags dried up. When I started guiding in the 1980's, there was more than 450,000 caribou in the Bathurst herd. By the time, commercial outfitting was discontinued in 2010, that number had plummeted to +/- 30,000. The population continued to dwindle, to about 8,000 in 2018 - and reports indicate that it is still dropping. Not long after outfitters were shutdown, resident hunters were prohibited from taking a caribou. Then, restrictions were placed on aboriginal hunters, which have become quite strict in the past couple of years. The herd population has dropped 98% in 30 years. Gary and others put a lot of money into their operation but they were investing in a business that was based on a continual supply of tags to sell to non-residents. No caribou means no tags. I'm someone who was directly impacted by the shutdown of outfitters, but the government can't be blamed for the population drop.

 

[zwickeyman]

It sounds like you know a lot more about it then me for sure. What do you think the major contributors to herd declines is and or was. My comments were just based on what I saw but that was 2007

 

[cuervosail]

It sounds like you know a lot more about it then me for sure. What do you think the major contributors to herd declines is and or was. My comments were just based on what I saw but that was 2007

It is definitely not hunting. Historical harvest records are quite low. Caribou are a species that's vulnerable to population swings. It has happened many times to many herds around North America. Some crash quicker and/or recover quicker than others. There has been no identifiable reason for the Bathurst Herd's demise - many theories but no science to back up those theories.