Where's Rudolph?

[quandary]

Just got back from the Manitoba/Nunavut border from 5 days of looking for Caribou. We did a whole lot of walking and glassing;





But to no avail. We never saw a Caribou. The week before no Caribou were seen. They just have not moved into the area. Lesson learned don't go Caribou hunting in northern Manitoba until October when the migration is more of a sure thing.

We did catch some nice fish though;

 

[BCJR]

Sorry for your lack of success. That seems to be a common story regarding the migration.

 

[quandary]

This is the first outfitted hunt I have been on were I did not kill the animal we were hunting. Much less where nobody in camp even saw the animal we were hunting. Honest question as to what typical response/expection from the outfitter in a situation like this? Sorry that's the nature of the game, or it's unfortunate here's a discount for another hunt in a couple of years.

 

[FURMAN]

That is a tough one. I know going up north is very expensive and eating tags is hard to swallow. Last time I researched Canada Big Horn hunting was only in the ~70% success rate. I would have never guessed a strike out on caribou.

 

[BCJR]

This is the first outfitted hunt I have been on were I did not kill the animal we were hunting. Much less where nobody in camp even saw the animal we were hunting. Honest question as to what typical response/expection from the outfitter in a situation like this? Sorry that's the nature of the game, or it's unfortunate here's a discount for another hunt in a couple of years.

 

[BCJR]

So it sounds that your group and the previous group didn’t see any animals in 10 days? Do you believe the outfitter is experienced? Following a bad week from the previous group he should not have put your group in the same camp. Did he fly the area and scout? What were the odds of success presented to you prior to booking? If you feel he didn’t do his part then you should express your disappointment and displeasure. Based on guys not seeing an animal in 10 days not sure I would go back anyway.

 

[Arctic Aussie]

100% bring it up with the outfitter

 

[quandary]

So it sounds that your group and the previous group didn’t see any animals in 10 days? Do you believe the outfitter is experienced? Following a bad week from the previous group he should not have put your group in the same camp. Did he fly the area and scout? What were the odds of success presented to you prior to booking? If you feel he didn’t do his part then you should express your disappointment and displeasure. Based on guys not seeing an animal in 10 days not sure I would go back anyway.

The camp has been long established. There is also only the one Caribou camp. The Outfitter which consists of a large lodge for fishing, Moose hunting, events and the remote Caribou camp (60ish miles from the main lodge accessible only by float plane, as is the main lodge). The operation has been around a long time. There are no other camps to go to. There were 7 hunters in camp and 4 hunting groups, it was similar to the week before. We all hunted hard for 5 1/2 days, presumably the group before did as well. I believe it as simply a matter of the migration not having reached our area.

They did fly around a bit to see where the Caribou were. The reports were always 10 or 20 miles this way or that, the guides all believed the owner that was flying was BSing us. Not knowing what the rules for outfitting territories are in Canada it would be hard to speculate what could have been done differently. Certainly at a minimum the outfitter should find lakes they can land on and use for tented spike camps in these situations. Given the set up the outfitter has nothing more could have been done. The vagaries of a migrating animal.....

As it stands now given enough other little annoyances, which would not be bothersome if we killed Caribou, I would not book again with this outfitter. I would probably go to one of the more well known brands say Gangler's. But in all honesty they may be no different.

 

[BCJR]

The camp has been long established. There is also only the one Caribou camp. The Outfitter which consists of a large lodge for fishing, Moose hunting, events and the remote Caribou camp (60ish miles from the main lodge accessible only by float plane, as is the main lodge). The operation has been around a long time. There are no other camps to go to. There were 7 hunters in camp and 4 hunting groups, it was similar to the week before. We all hunted hard for 5 1/2 days, presumably the group before did as well. I believe it as simply a matter of the migration not having reached our area.

They did fly around a bit to see where the Caribou were. The reports were always 10 or 20 miles this way or that, the guides all believed the owner that was flying was BSing us. Not knowing what the rules for outfitting territories are in Canada it would be hard to speculate what could have been done differently. Certainly at a minimum the outfitter should find lakes they can land on and use for tented spike camps in these situations. Given the set up the outfitter has nothing more could have been done. The vagaries of a migrating animal.....

As it stands now given enough other little annoyances, which would not be bothersome if we killed Caribou, I would not book again with this outfitter. I would probably go to one of the more well known brands say Gangler's. But in all honesty they may be no different.

I suspect the outfitter knew the caribou would not be there that time of year.

 

[quandary]

I suspect the outfitter knew the caribou would not be there that time of year.

They have always booked the first two weeks of the season. I will say there were a number of people signing the walls of the shack with there names and date they killed a Caribou. Of the 59 "dates" on the wall only 13 were in the first two weeks of September in this very uncontrolled sample.

 

[BCJR]

They have always booked the first two weeks of the season. I will say there were a number of people signing the walls of the shack with there names and date they killed a Caribou. Of the 59 "dates" on the wall only 13 were in the first two weeks of September in this very uncontrolled sample.

By any chance did you notice the 13 kills in September…..what year or years?

 

[quandary]

The wall signing seems to have started mostly after COVID, 2020 at the earliest maybe. Can't remember what year Canada hunting was shut down.

 

[BCJR]

The wall signing seems to have started mostly after COVID, 2020 at the earliest maybe. Can't remember what year Canada hunting was shut down.

Did you book with a booking agent or directly with outfitter?

 

[quandary]

Directly with the outfitter. Sent an email to them last Friday asking about hunt area, spike camps, discount on a future hunt. Haven't gotten a response.

 

[BCJR]

Directly with the outfitter. Sent an email to them last Friday asking about hunt area, spike camps, discount on a future hunt. Haven't gotten a response.

So at least your an outfitter did not have a commission to pay to a booking company. If they are quality company you should get a response.

 

[quandary]

They were very responsive to emails leading up to the hunt.

 

[BCJR]

They were very responsive to emails leading up to the hunt.

Maybe in the bush still

 

[quandary]

The owners/operators are not in the bush. They also have Starlink at both camps.

 

[BCJR]

The owners/operators are not in the bush. They also have Starlink at both camps.

Good luck

 

[Joshf303]

4 of us recently spent 9 days in the South Brooks Range of Alaska and didn't see a caribou one...lots of miles on foot and hours behind glass, all from accomplished guys. Sounded like that was the norm everywhere in the SBR when we got back into ColdFoot. Migration was just non existent while we were there.

 

[quandary]

Was it unseasonably warm there?

 

[Joshf303]

Was it unseasonably warm there?

No Sir...average weather I believe. Pilot and the guides/outfitters in town lent it more to pressure and predators.