Mountain Caribou & Moose: The Classic BC Combo Hunt

Mountain Caribou are a major bucket list species for hunters around the world. And while Canada moose hunts are available in multiple provinces, the biggest live here alongside mountain caribou at the far northern edge of British Columbia. This creates a unique opportunity to harvest two amazing species with record book potential on both fronts.

What Makes Mountain Caribou Unique?

The mountain caribou is a non-migratory variety known for their incredible beauty. The style of hunt is much different from that of migratory caribou where timing and intercepting groups is crucial. These hunts take place in mountainous terrain using spot-and-stalk tactics. Early in the season, caribou may be found at lower elevations. But as the season progresses toward the rut in September, caribou gradually drift up toward the open tundra plateaus. Their visibility on these sprawling mountaintops lends itself well to exceptional stalking scenarios that will have the hunter’s heart racing.

The fact that these caribou don’t migrate vast distances makes them a reliable sub-species to hunt. Herds utilize mixed timber and open tundra that are accessible by horseback. Utilizing horses right from the camp places hunters in in prime caribou habitat on a daily basis. Older bulls develop a classic white mane and sweeping antlers that are truly impressive.

Massive Bull Moose

While glassing for caribou across the mountain plateaus, prepare for potential moose encounters. One of the reasons this makes a great combo hunt is that these two species share much of the same habitat. From a single camp, we can easily hunt both moose and mountain caribou.

As the moose rut gets underway in mid-September, calling can also be a great tactic for moose. But whether you’re on horseback, glassing across miles of country or calling in a bill, the overlapping nature of these hunts makes every day exciting and full of potential. Utilizing horses also makes it much easier to cover ground and bounce between drainages without hiking endless miles on steep and difficult terrain.

Record Book Opportunities

Harvesting a mountain caribou and a moose on the same trip is very realistic. But when you consider that there is record book potential for either species, that makes it a rare opportunity indeed.

Our area is just a stone’s throw south of the Yukon border, in northern BC at the headwaters of the Yukon River drainage system. Here in BC, they’re technically Canada moose. But there’s no question, they carry those big neighboring Yukon genetics. This makes them the largest Canada moose in the world.

Mountain caribou tend to have more mass and points than barren ground varieties. Our area in northern BC consistently produces record-book bulls. Early season hunters have the opportunity to find bull caribou still in velvet. But regardless of the time of year, these resident mountain caribou are present in healthy numbers.

Combo Hunts With Kawdy Outfitters

The moose and mountain caribou combo hunts are by far our most popular hunts. We do also offer combo hunts with mountain goat. In fact, it’s not unreasonable for a hard-working hunter to take three species on a 10-day hunt. It certainly isn’t easy. But a few of our hunters do it every year.

If you’d like to know more about the hunting experience, please feel free to explore the rest of our website. And if you’d like specific availability or answers to questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’d love to help you plan your ideal adventure!