A Unique Subspecies: The Mountain Caribou
Mountain caribou have found their way into the imaginations of many hunters and we’ve seen the demand for these hunts increase over the past decade or so. They are a very unique subspecies of caribou and it’s easy to see why they are appearing on the bucket lists of many hunters.
Mountain caribou are actually not a subspecies all to themselves. Scientifically, they are woodland caribou. But for record keeping purposes and to delineate between differences in size and shape, Boone and Crockett split the woodland caribou into three groups, which most hunters now recognize: woodland caribou, Quebec-Labrador caribou and mountain caribou.
Among all the animals that fall within the caribou species, Mountain Caribou grow the heaviest antlers, though their spread is not as wide as some. They are also the largest bodied caribou. Bulls can weigh up to 600 pounds.
Mountain caribou are not migratory like the barren ground caribou of Alaska. As you’d expect from any caribou, mountain caribou tend to wander and keep their feet moving constantly. But their home ranges are much smaller than the migratory subspecies and they travel in smaller groups.
One of the most exciting things about hunting in mountain caribou country is that the caribou rut coincides with the moose rut. For that reason, many of our hunters choose a combo hunt that includes both moose and mountain caribou. Hunting these two impressive species together provides an exciting and action-packed experience.
There’s no doubt, mountain caribou are a beautiful and impressive animal. For more information on our mountain caribou hunts and other combo hunt opportunities here in northern British Columbia, please contact us or call us at 250-306-8624. You can also read more on our Mountain Caribou Page.
Written by Ryan McSparran
Ryan McSparran is an outdoor writer, a hunting and fly fishing guide, and very proud to be a part of the Kawdy Outfitters team.