(This is long-term planning, as my current savings are aimed at my 2007 Namibia hunt . . .)

I know that Mt Caribou season in the McKenzie Mts begins July 25 for non-residents. However, I don't see any(?) outfitters guiding for Caribou specifically until much later in the season. My assumption is that they are concentrating on sheep and the larger sums of money that sheep hunting generates . . . and that they don't focus on caribou specifically until sheep season is over.

Don't get me wrong, my dream hunt in the artic would be for Dall Sheep . . . however, my wife is also a hunter, and a compromise arctic hunt that we could both go on (i.e. afford for both of us to go hunting) would be Caribou - not that "settling" for Caribou would be in any way a dissappointment. We are both Teachers, however, and have to be at work by Aug 16 or so (unless TX changes the school start dates to after Labor Day like the legislature keeps threatening to).

Anyway, my questions are:

1. Are there any outfitters booking Caribou-only hunts in late July/early Aug?
2. Would the animals/the hunt be worthwhile at that time of year?

Thanks in advance,
Troy

Troy
For the money involved,I'd go when the bulls were hard horned and in the prime.

sure, but I have to go when I can go . . . my vacation ends mid-august right now (Aug 14 this coming summer, for example, athough I could probably stretch it a few days). I'm not looking to change professions (at least not any time soon), so I'm limited in my hunt dates.

I also note that the Quebec season for Quebec/Labrador Caribou starts Aug 1 . . .

Troy

Then IMO you are talking a meat hunt.Save yourself some coin and go to Alaska.

Before I went to the NWT on my Barren Ground caribou hunt I didn't thimk I would get my horns done with the velvet on, but after I shot it I quickly changed my mind and it looks great on my wall now! So don't worry about going at that time of year if you can find somewhere to go, for that matter, why not go for a Barren Ground caribou hunt instead? It should be the same price, maybe cheaper.

the NWT bou is either a mountain if it comes out of the mountains, or a central barren ground if it comes out of the flats. I've taken the mountain bou out of the mckenzies in mid august and they were just coming out of velvet then. Try stan stevens for an outfitter, he's been around a long time is very good.

In early August, I believe Stan Stevens only does combo hunts(sheep/bou).

Again, I'd suggest Stan Stevens, and book as late as you can. Generally, by the middle of August, the antlers will be fully developed but still in velvet, and it's your decision whether to strip the velvet or not. ~Arctic~

I second Arctic!

Arctic,bwest
He is going to have to start his hunt Aug 1st ,or very close to that ,to be back in time to start work Aug 14th.

The NWT being a premier hunt,He will be paying premium money to go when not all the bulls are fully hard horned.To me thats a meat hunt. He can go to Alaska,have the same experience and save serious coin.

Yes Stan Stevens would give a great trip.But I suggest he go the end of Aug early Sept.

JeffP,

I hadn't noticed any Alaska season's on Caribou starting that early (but certainly could have overlooked it).

I did see that Quebec's season started Aug 1. Would that sort of hunt be more appropriate to aim for?

All I'm doing right now is exploring options - and after Africa, what I'd like to do is go to the Artic (well, what I'd prefer is a Dall Sheep hunt, but I have a wife that hunts and we can't both do that one LOL).

Troy

Troy
If it was me,I'd go sheep hunting with Stan Stevens.My wife hunts too so I know that double
edge sword.
Unit 25 nonresident starts July 1.
The porcupine herd.
http://wildlife.alaska.gov/regulations/pdfs/gmu25.pdf
The Western Artic Herd should be similar.

If you guys have camping skills and gear you can save even more and do a DIY hunt.My wife
has done a few with me.

Lots of guys have luck in Quebec.Most are on the
early hunts.The later hunts,the bulls seem to have already moved pass traditional areas.
But that is the baine of hunting bou.Just cuz
they have been in location x on y date in previous years does not mean they will be this year.

Take her sheep hunting Aug 1st....

Jeff

maybe I should just sell my wife on letting me sheep hunt then book something just for her elsewhere (she isn't that excited about sheep, not to mention the cost). I was looking at Caribou as a "compromise" hunt - something we were both interested in. I'll look into a DIY hunt in Alaska - I have a friend that took a B&C bull on a DIY hunt (I don't know that he ever entered it, but is huge . . . and he said it wasn't the biggest he saw, just the biggest he could get in range of). Otherwise, I guess I'm looking at Quebec for Caribou if I go guided.

Thanks all for the responses!

Troy