Quebec Winter Caribou Hunting
11-30-2007, 12:20 PM
#1531
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Central Pennsylvania
Posts: 116
RE: Quebec Winter Caribou Hunting
Uh...um...well... I did see one hunter who had to shoot his bou 4 times before it was dead & that would be me!!! I took a shot on my first one crossing above me about 40yds. I hit him a little behind the shoulder through the ribs and he just kept walking. I trailed blood for about 100yds before I caught up to him and I shot him in the neck to drop him. I went back out to get my gutting gear and when I came back in, he got up and started to walk off. I could see a big blood spot on his ribs and at his neck. I shot him in the shoulder again and he dropped. Then I had to finish him off in the head. It wasn't a really great experience for my first time & I'm not someone who usually does something like this. I hate it when an animal suffers. Most white-tail I shoot behind the shoulder so not to ruin the shoulder meat & they usually go about 20 - 30 yds before bleeding out. I'm not one who likes to use a large caliber rifle and blow hunge holes in my game. I prefer a small caliber and good shot placement. With caribou, I learned you need to hit the shoulder or very close to it!! The second one, I shot in the shoulder & he dropped on the spot. I was using a .308 with 180 soft points. My first caribou hunt was definitely a learning experience! I've hunted white-tail all my life and I've taken my share too, but hunting bou was a little different for me.
As for other hunters and bad shooting, it was only the french guy that we saw do it, but we heard stories from others. We really didn't run into many other hunters where we hunted. I can honestly say, the places we hunted, there was very little pressure around us from other hunters. Most guys went north while we always elected to hunt south!
There seemed to be a good group of guys at Kisk the week we were there. I met nice people and had a really good time.
As for other hunters and bad shooting, it was only the french guy that we saw do it, but we heard stories from others. We really didn't run into many other hunters where we hunted. I can honestly say, the places we hunted, there was very little pressure around us from other hunters. Most guys went north while we always elected to hunt south!
There seemed to be a good group of guys at Kisk the week we were there. I met nice people and had a really good time.
11-30-2007, 03:40 PM
#1532
Fork Horn
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Montrose, Michigan
Posts: 102
RE: Quebec Winter Caribou Hunting
I am glad to see everyone has done well this season so far just like everyone is saying lots of bald ones and that was true in our hunt the first week i think when they were down in the area in october and went back up caused some stress on them taking the long trip back up to ungava bay and also all the breading they did but all in all everyone seams to be doing great up there and thats what hunting is all about. As far as the rude french people we ran in to a few of them when we were on the Transgatia road by km 410 and we seen some bou's crossing the road and we stoped just to watch them and they seen the bou and cut in front of us and all jumped out with their guns a blazing they shot the bou's right from the middle of the road right in front of us we just couldn't believe it. After that we ran into the conservation officers and told them what just happened and they went that way to check it out hope they all got fines.
11-30-2007, 08:42 PM
#1533
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 3
RE: Quebec Winter Caribou Hunting
congratulations to you all ,great hunt ,thanks for all the info,harness racer and myself will be going up next year . harness racer has been getting info from you guys cuz i have been too busy, but i do check once in a while whats going on and im envious,i absolutely love to hunt and and cant wait to go, the pics were great,hope to meet some of you next year.
11-30-2007, 09:45 PM
#1534
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 12
RE: Quebec Winter Caribou Hunting
ORIGINAL: cwcjr119
Regarding the snow in the carcass debate, when I first went in 04, I observed some locals doing it and I asked them about it. They said that it helped to cool the inside faster because the hair is so well insulated from the outside. If the inside doesnt cool wellthe meat will stay warm longer and spoil faster. I'm no authority but we did it in 04 and 06 with our bou and it surely did no harm. The one carcass from 04 that didn't get the snow treatment stayed warm all the way home and actually did seem to have a little "off" flavor but the meat was still good.
Regarding the snow in the carcass debate, when I first went in 04, I observed some locals doing it and I asked them about it. They said that it helped to cool the inside faster because the hair is so well insulated from the outside. If the inside doesnt cool wellthe meat will stay warm longer and spoil faster. I'm no authority but we did it in 04 and 06 with our bou and it surely did no harm. The one carcass from 04 that didn't get the snow treatment stayed warm all the way home and actually did seem to have a little "off" flavor but the meat was still good.
I learned about the snow in the carcass from a friend who went last year, and they had good success with it.
As for me, after letting it cool for two days, we packed the cavities full of snow on Saturday night, and I arrived home on Wednesday AM, after having driven through temps in the upper 50's.
I found snow still in the cavity and ALL the meat cold with some still frozen. No complaints there.
I agree with others who have talked about how well the skin/fur insulates the meat. I guess it can work bot ways so it is important to get them opened and cooling before you leave.
11-30-2007, 09:52 PM
#1535
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 12
RE: Quebec Winter Caribou Hunting
ORIGINAL: BKMSTR
Getting him out with 3' of snow on the ground was quite....interesting!!
Bkmstr, I am not sure if this would have worked in your situation, but I had to haul one of mine 1600' through the wooded area, and did so using a "Dead Sled" which rolls up and fits on my pack. It really saved the day and I was able to get it out by myself. Maybe a consideration for next time?
Definitely worth the $25.
We hunted Depot 22 and had good success.
Is that bull stillin the lake, with only it's its head showing, off the Depot 22 road?
Camp Kisk in my opinion is one of the better outiftters up there. They are extremely personal and friendly and willing to help out in any way. The food, service, & help was incredible!! The road to Kisk was well plowed and we had no problem getting in & out.
They ARE good people and friendly, as you said.
Getting him out with 3' of snow on the ground was quite....interesting!!
Bkmstr, I am not sure if this would have worked in your situation, but I had to haul one of mine 1600' through the wooded area, and did so using a "Dead Sled" which rolls up and fits on my pack. It really saved the day and I was able to get it out by myself. Maybe a consideration for next time?
Definitely worth the $25.
We hunted Depot 22 and had good success.
Is that bull stillin the lake, with only it's its head showing, off the Depot 22 road?
Camp Kisk in my opinion is one of the better outiftters up there. They are extremely personal and friendly and willing to help out in any way. The food, service, & help was incredible!! The road to Kisk was well plowed and we had no problem getting in & out.
They ARE good people and friendly, as you said.
11-30-2007, 10:02 PM
#1536
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 12
RE: Quebec Winter Caribou Hunting
ORIGINAL: BKMSTR
Uh...um...well... I did see one hunter who had to shoot his bou 4 times before it was dead & that would be me!!! I took a shot on my first one crossing above me about 40yds. I hit him a little behind the shoulder through the ribs and he just kept walking. I trailed blood for about 100yds before I caught up to him and I shot him in the neck to drop him. I went back out to get my gutting gear and when I came back in, he got up and started to walk off. I could see a big blood spot on his ribs and at his neck. I shot him in the shoulder again and he dropped.
Bkmstr, again relying on the other chaps in my group who had been before, they stated the importance of a through the heart shot for quickly taking them down. Of course, that is what we would strive for but they did not seem to go down quick unless this was the case.
I'm not one who likes to use a large caliber rifle and blow hunge holes in my game. I prefer a small caliber and good shot placement. With caribou, I learned you need to hit the shoulder or very close to it!! The second one, I shot in the shoulder & he dropped on the spot.
It seems you emphasize here what I was told, although I was using the same caliber just a bit more powder and a smaller weight bullet-165.
Isaw several 300 win mag and not quite as many 30-06.
My first caribou hunt was definitely a learning experience! I've hunted white-tail all my life and I've taken my share too, but hunting bou was a little different for me.
It REALLY is different, as I learned, too. I enjoyed the hunt them while constantly being on the move looking for them.
Watching the guys at the "turkey shoot" just wasn't where it was at for me. It WAS nice to see the large racks, but Ireceived great pleasure from getting out and "hunting".
Glad to hear your time at Kiski was good. I hope to go back next year.
Uh...um...well... I did see one hunter who had to shoot his bou 4 times before it was dead & that would be me!!! I took a shot on my first one crossing above me about 40yds. I hit him a little behind the shoulder through the ribs and he just kept walking. I trailed blood for about 100yds before I caught up to him and I shot him in the neck to drop him. I went back out to get my gutting gear and when I came back in, he got up and started to walk off. I could see a big blood spot on his ribs and at his neck. I shot him in the shoulder again and he dropped.
Bkmstr, again relying on the other chaps in my group who had been before, they stated the importance of a through the heart shot for quickly taking them down. Of course, that is what we would strive for but they did not seem to go down quick unless this was the case.
I'm not one who likes to use a large caliber rifle and blow hunge holes in my game. I prefer a small caliber and good shot placement. With caribou, I learned you need to hit the shoulder or very close to it!! The second one, I shot in the shoulder & he dropped on the spot.
It seems you emphasize here what I was told, although I was using the same caliber just a bit more powder and a smaller weight bullet-165.
Isaw several 300 win mag and not quite as many 30-06.
My first caribou hunt was definitely a learning experience! I've hunted white-tail all my life and I've taken my share too, but hunting bou was a little different for me.
It REALLY is different, as I learned, too. I enjoyed the hunt them while constantly being on the move looking for them.
Watching the guys at the "turkey shoot" just wasn't where it was at for me. It WAS nice to see the large racks, but Ireceived great pleasure from getting out and "hunting".
Glad to hear your time at Kiski was good. I hope to go back next year.
12-02-2007, 01:41 PM
#1537
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Dover PA
Posts: 13
RE: Quebec Winter Caribou Hunting
Can anyone give me the details on the reporting of caribou after the kill. We are hunting out of the Mirage and are renting snow mobiles. It is my understanding that the bou must be taken whole to this check station. My question is how far is this station from the Mirage and is it possible to drag them there on the smow machinesor do we have to find a way to transport them on my vehichle.
12-02-2007, 02:06 PM
#1538
Spike
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Burton, Michigan
Posts: 77
RE: Quebec Winter Caribou Hunting
In 04 and 06 you had to check in at the Quebec Ministry of Natural Resouces or whatever they call it, at km381 on the James Bay Road going up.That's where you check your animals in on the way out also. In 06 I believe you could quarter them as long as you had 4 legs and only 4 legs for every tag. So unless something changed which I have not seen, the check station is on your way back home. The wardens in the hunting zone make sure you have tags, and any harvested animals are tagged.
12-02-2007, 02:51 PM
#1539
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Nebraska
Posts: 26
RE: Quebec Winter Caribou Hunting
I just got back, we quartered all of ours and had no problems checking them in. I would get them into your vehicle. If they are as far on trans-taiga now as they were when we were there last week then you will have to haul them about 100 miles on a snowmachine just to get back to Mirage. You will check them at 381 and will need the tags readily accessable on the antlers.
12-03-2007, 06:02 AM
#1540
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Central Pennsylvania
Posts: 116
RE: Quebec Winter Caribou Hunting
We asked them on the way up at K381 what they wanted to see & they told us the animals could be skinned and quarterd so long as they could count pieces. 4 of ours, we skinned out and then froze whole (which wasn't too hard with temps at night down in the single digits) and they last two we quarterd. We stacked them in our trailer and covered them well with tarps for the trip home. At K381, they looked at the heads and tags and never even looked at the meat. I guess you just never know!!
Our bou were still frozen after the 1480 mi. trip home. I just finished butchering last night and I'm ready to go again!! The meat is delicious!! I pulled the fish out and fried in olive oil with some salt/pepper. It was the best I think I've had!
I only had two to butcher and I thought I would never get finished!!
Jonbarleycorn - I did not see the bull in the ice. We hunted mainly where the first lake on the right was right below the fish shack.
Next time, I will try a smaller grain bullet, although I must say that my .308 did plenty of damage to the shoulder meat!
Our bou were still frozen after the 1480 mi. trip home. I just finished butchering last night and I'm ready to go again!! The meat is delicious!! I pulled the fish out and fried in olive oil with some salt/pepper. It was the best I think I've had!
I only had two to butcher and I thought I would never get finished!!
Jonbarleycorn - I did not see the bull in the ice. We hunted mainly where the first lake on the right was right below the fish shack.
Next time, I will try a smaller grain bullet, although I must say that my .308 did plenty of damage to the shoulder meat!