Where to hunt Mountain Caribou
Mountain caribou is a variety of woodland caribou that, predictably, dwells in the rugged mountain of the North-West. The southern population of mountain caribou that dwells in the south of British Columbia is threatened by predation and habitat fragmentation, but the northern populations are healthy and legal seasons are open in Alaska and some Canadian provinces including Yukon and British Columbia.
Price distribution
Requiring travel to fly-in camps in remote areas, mountain caribou hunts are typically between $10,000 and $13,000. In the same area a hunter can get to hunt many other species, including moose, sheep and (in some areas) grizzly bear, and combination hunts targeting more than one species typically are a better value.
Learn more from our blog story
It’s amazing how creatures can adapt to living in the harshest of environments. You’d never thought that something as unappetizing and unnourishing as lichen can support tens of thousands of robust and hard-going deer. Yet, here they are, all over the Northern Hemisphere: known as reindeer in Eurasia and as caribou in North America, the Arctic deer is the source of life for many indigenous peoples, and an irresistible attraction for hunters from the developed countries.
4 Oct 2018 CaribouWhen to hunt Mountain Caribou?
In the Yukon, mountain caribou hunting season starts August 1 and continues to October 31 (September 24 for special permit hunts). The same applies to Alaska. Outfitters, however, tend to prefer to hunt in September-October, when the bulls’ antlers are no longer in velvet, and they take winter fur, but before the rut is over and the bulls shed their antlers.
Hunting methods All hunting methods (4)
Mountain caribou are mostly hunted by spot-and-stalk. Unlike tundra caribou, they don’t usually have mass migrations, making your hunt more predictable. During the hunt they are typically high up on the open ground, where they are relatively easy to spot but may be difficult to stalk. Boreal highlands are some of the most difficult terrain to navigate, so a hunter should be prepared for heavy physical activity.
Why hunt Mountain Caribou?
Indigenous peoples had a 1001 use for caribou, aside from eating its delicious meat and making clothes and tents out of its warm pelts. Modern hunters bring back from caribou hunting a bull’s large and impressive antlers, that are uniquely shaped and combine palms with points, with a prominent eye guard. In addition to these trophies, which are for a true hunter only material symbols of the challenge of the hunt, a great attraction for mountain caribou hunting is the feeling of being in the middle of nowhere in the unspoilt wilderness of the rugged mountains and primal woods.
Interested in this animal? Create a subscription to get offers right to your inbox