Caribou Hunt

[Ragnor]

Hello all,
Anyone done any levergunning of caribou in the North Slope ? I am planning to go soon and looking for shared experiences. My first trip to that part of the world, very excited. Don't know what to expect. Be hunting 1st part of August.
Thanks!

[Pete44ru]

.

Not the North Slope (AK), but my Son took his Caribou limit (2) on a guided/fly-in hunt a few years ago, in NW Quebec.

He said that there were virtually NO close shots available at the time he went, like there are during migrations.

The 'Bou's he took were @ 500-600yds - distances he felt were too far for most leverguns, unless a BLR in one of the magnum chamberings was used. (He used a .300 Winchester Magnum rifle loaded with Barnes bulleted ammo)

He flew the racks back for mounting in the same planes ( 2 planes, a jetliner from Montreal to the Guide Base, then an Otter from the base, 300 miles to the riverside campsites) he took, and had the meat processed/flash-frozen by his guide service.

He, and the two buddies that were with him all like the taste of the meat, but (although I like venison) I didn't care for the taste.


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[stew71]

Not North Slope....but I've taken 2 in the last few years in AK....one up near the Yukon/AK border out of Chicken, and the other on Adak Island. Both were out in the open at around 300 yards with zero chance of stalking them any closer. Popped 'em with my -06 using 165gr Sierra SBT Gamekings. I was hunting with my wife's uncle and cousin who live in Anchorage so I didn't need to go the pro-guide route. Caribou are really just big deer. Not as tough as elk so any rifle that you can use on muleys or whitetails will do fine on a 'bou if you do your part.

ProTips...after downing your 'bou, keep your rifle loaded and handy while you're field-dressing it. A gun shot can be a dinner bell to a grizz in some areas. And bring a couple of gallons of skeeter repellent and a bug hat. Also keep in mind that you'll have to remove all usable meat from the carcass by law. If you have access to 4-wheelers, your life just became easier. Quarter it up, load into game bags, and head home. If you're packing in, bone out all usable meat, leaving only the gutsack, hide, hooves, and skeleton in the field. August in AK is still pretty warm....60+ so get the meat cooled down quickly and just expect some spoilage if you're away from a processor.

Pretty standard stuff.

Good luck and enjoy.

[ollogger]

My Dad in 1988 took two in Quebec with his Savage 99 in 284


ollogger

[bgmkithaca]

The caribou will still be scattered out far and wide in early august most likely. The north slope don't have a lot of cover for stalking so I would opt for something fairly flat shooting-don't have to be a magnum though, even then you will see game that is much too far away to shoot- luck of the draw.
Hope you have a good hunt, I would love to go back there myself.

[t.r.]

I booked a moose and caribou hunt in Saskatchewan, Canada back in the 1980's and my guide was a Cree Indian who knew the game and terrain quite well. I hunted with my Savage 99 in .308 shooting 180 grain core-lokt ammo. The caribou was downed at approx 150 yards with one shot through the chest. My bull moose was toppled with two quick shots at a distance of approx 125 yards.

.308 is a keeper!

TR