My Caribou story

[MarylandQDMA]

Well let’s see, where to start….. Well we (my brother-&-law and my future brother-&-law and myself) loaded up the blazer & closed trailer by 11pm the night before (11-15-04) we were to leave for the caribou hunt (11-16-04). We had to be on the road by 3am that morning. That meant we all got about 3 hours of sleep prior to leaving! Any way, as most of you know we were heading out from Burlington (sp) Vt. We hit the border and figured the Ca. customs would want to search everything (seeing how we were bringing firearms into Canada), but much to are surprise, they did not. In fact we were there for all of about 15 minuets.
Back on the road we realized that are gas mileage sucked and figured we were getting 10 miles per gallon. As we traveled up Ca. 117 we stopped at Mont-Laurier for gas and food, as the next town Val-D’or was approx. 200 miles drive. Well we had to stop on the side of the road and fill up prior to reaching Val-D’or. That is when we realized that we need more jerry cans for the rest of the trip. We had two and bought 2 more (glad we did as it turns out). So we now have the 18 gal. gas tank and 20 gals. of “extra gas”. The rest of the drive went uneventful until we got to the check point at the beginning of the James Bay highway.
We stopped in and registered (this is a must, my two traveling companions, did not want to) any how we got VERY important info about the hunting area, the road, SOS stops, and what to do in case of an emergency. Onward; as we made are way up the JBH (James Bay Highway) it was like driving on an old wash board. Bump, bump, bump, bump. I started turning green from all the bumping we were doing (this is where the motion sickness meds would have come in handy). Well as night fell on to are drive, the fog got thick. It was so bad, that you could only see a max of 20 feet in front of the truck (now remember there are no reflectors on the sides or in the middle of the road). It was so bad we could hardly see the painted lines. Well it took some time, but we made it to the “rest stop” by 8pm. (we figured 6pm). We got some dinner, a room and fuel. Then checked in with the fish and game dept. and got some type of paper that needed to be placed in the window of the truck wile hunting. Woke up 4 hours latter and headed out for the final leg only to realize we were robed! Yep, robed of a ½ tank of gas. Thank god we noted it only a half mile down the road and we were able to turn around, and not loose much time, or worse got stuck with out gas some where up there. Well after that little ordeal, we got to are turn off on the JBH (km. 554 I think) well now we had 300+ miles left to go, but on an ice packed gravel road with banks that drop off on each side any where from 2 feet to 30 feet (no guard rails either). Well it was slick; we could only go a max. of 45mph. but avg. around 38mph. most cars/trucks did this speed. We talked to two guys on their way home that spent 5 hours on their roof on the side of the road. They lost control and went off the road. Lucky for them, a semi came by with a Crain in tow. Stopped and got them back on the road. Only thing they were in a diesel, and the oil drained out, all 15 quarts. Again a guy stopped that happen to be caring 2 gal of oil and gave it to them. I think after hearing this story both of my traveling companions got a bit concerned at the fact that we had nothing should something like that happen to us (if I may add I told them we should have this and that should some thing happen). I don’t think they realized just how remote we were, I got the impression that they felt we could buy supplies 5/10 min. down the road (like around here) and that is NOT the case. When we finally got to the gas station, we got sticker shock! Gas was $5.00 per gal.! OUCH! Oh well not like you can go to the next gas station down the road. Just had to suck it up and pay it. Well back on the road for the final hour drive. After about 15-20 min of driving, we came to this long hill. Well as we started up it, the blazer broke free. We were in an all out fish tail w the trailer! We went back and forth about a ½ dozen times. I was in the front and saw 20+ foot drop offs on each side w/ NO guardrail. I thought to me self here we go! I pictured us going off the road and down the bank w/ trailer in toe! Luckily we made it, we all had to clean out are undies. But we got away unscaved. Well by this time we had been seeing lots of caribou, and could not wait to start hunting. We had driven thru the native hunting grounds and had seen them hulling out some nice caribou. Well at km. 358 we arrived at the outfitters! What a drive. We counted are blessings that we made it with out any “carnage”. Are rooms were not ready so we got a quick lunch and bought are hunting license. We now had the rest of the afternoon to hunt!
To be continued.......

Frank

[OJR]

Everybody should have to drive on roads like that at least once. Then they would appreciate how good we have it!

Great story!

[JimT]

[texastrophies]

Interesting story so far. Sounds like you had fun on the drive. I bet that $5 gas was a shock. lol

[AJ]

Dang, it sounds like it was quite the adventure! Can't wait to hear "the rest of the story".

[Colorado Bob]

Sounds like adventure. 1 tip taken buy a locking gas cap !! Iron Buck & I are headed up there next year. Can't wait. We are going to hunt 11/20 thru 11/23. What were dates? Keep the story coming. CB

[MarylandQDMA]

CB, the dates we got were 11-18 to 11-22. be carful when draging, antlers start to fall of this time of year. we had one pop off on us.
I will contuine with my story when I return from Vt. after the new year (unless I can type wile at work today)
Frank

[billygoat]

Nice story, sounds like the gas mileage is killing you... we'll be waiting for the rest of the story.

[MarylandQDMA]

Well the story continues…. We dropped the trailer and just the necessary items (guns, hunter orange, knife and ammo). Off we went! As we drove up the road we spotted caribou crossing the road in front of us about 200/300 yards up. We drove up parked and went in after them. This was a lost cause because you can not keep up with them. Attempt one failed. Caribou 1 us 0. We got back in the blazer and continued on until we spotted some that were on the north side of the road wanting to cross. We drove past them and spooked them back in the woods, parked and walked back to where they were walked in and set up hopping they would come back out towards us. Well they did to are surprise, but being use to hunting deer and waiting for them to stop (witch never came) they walked past and no shots were fired. At this time it was starting to get dark and we decided to head back. Well as we were loading up my future in-law spotted some crossing the road. He walked into the woods where they were heading and was able to get a shot at a small bull. It ran about 50 yards when it finally died. Bull # 1 down. Well remember we only grabbed just a hand full of items and were not really prepped for hunting let alone a kill. We were about a ½ hour out of camp, Matt (my brother and law) left me and Tuffer (future brother and law) to do the dragging and gutting wile he went back for the trailer (hour round trip). This was at 3pm and it gets dart around 4pm. Well Matt got back and we got loaded up and we were set.
We got back to camp and got are room keys (20.00 per key as a deposit!), walked in the rooms only to find them looking like a really small collage dorm that sleeps two. Well it did not matter cause we were so tired any thing looks good (note to self- it is not like a hotel room(s). the bathroom was down the hall and had super HOT water. We got cleaned up and beat feet to the cafeteria. The line for food got long and you did not want to be at the end! Food was fantastic. That night we had stakes and misc. side items (mash taters exc.). Right after diner we got right to bed, to get up the next am at 4:30!
On a side note, I should have booked a guide for the next day as well (would have been worth it). Some how I forgot all about the guide option (guess it was a combination of being tired and being there and seeing caribou). We awoke to a snowstorm the next morning. We had 6” to 8“ on the ground and it was still coming down. Wind was blowing about 30mph. and the temp was right around 30 (thank god). Rumor had it that a big herd was just to the north and would be in the area by lunch time. We got a bight to eat and grabbed are “bagged” lunches. Dressed for the occasion and out the door we went. Mirage is at km 358 and we wanted to head out to km 400. according to the locals that was where you wanted to be. We made it to 395 and could not be leave the amount of caribou crossing the road. We parked and walked in on the north side of the road about 50 yards and set up. The area was some what open and could see a good bit. Here they come. Tuffer shoots first, big bull down, Matt not wanting to be out done shoots, small bull down. At this point we should have stopped and packed up the two that we had down. Did we NO. Well I was having issues trying to get onto a “good bull” I spoted some off on a distant hill and set up my bipod. I was glassing them as they came thro a clearing I can recall “not a shooter, not a shooter, no, pass, lots of points time to shoot. Got the scope on and bam. The caribou ran off and over the crest of the hill. I decided to hold off going after it right away, because of others hunting the same area. About a half hour latter I walked over. I looked and looked and was about to chalk it up as a miss then there it was (partly covered in snow) at first I thought it was a really small bull only to find out latter it was in fact a large cow! Well once I tagged it and walked back to the blazer to get a knife and my “deer sled” it was a good hour after I had shot. When I got back over to where Matt and Tuffer were, Matt had shot a big bull. So now him and Tuffer had filed both there tags. I had one left. At this point in time we had 4 caribou on the ground, scattered thru out the woods. Well we were standing there talking about what we should do, and who should do it, a big caribou walks up on us at 50 yards, me with one tag left, honed in on the opportunity to shoot. He dropped right there. All of us had just filed are tags. Now the fun part. We were about an hour drive from the camp, and our trailer, that we need in order to get the caribou back to camp. Well Matt was point man to drive back and pick up the trailer. Tuffer and I had the job of dragging and gutting 5 caribou. The farthest caribou was mine at 300yards off the road. The rest were only 100 yards. Thank god I had bought the “deer sled” that worked so well. I also I had a pair of snow shoes that came in handy. The cow was on the next ridge over and I had to head down into a bog and them back up the other hill. The snow in the area was about 16” to 20” deep and the shoes kept me on top. They also helped to prop up the caribou up in order to gut them, made it real easy having 4 legs sticking up into the air (and not fighting them). Well Tuffer and I finished up and got the caribou near the road and were able to sit and relax for about a ½ hour until Matt got back.
Matt arrived and we got photos and loaded the caribou up. Got turned around luckily the road was rather wide where we were and headed back to camp.
Once back at camp we found out that customs would not allow the brains and eyes into the US. Not knowing how to cape out the head, we paid mirage 130.00 U.S. to cape and quarter each caribou that we were going to mount (we each had one that we were mounting). The other 3 we skull caped and cut the head off and left it for Mirage’s bone pile. Packed the 3 hole ones down with snow, and they were ready to go. We could not pick up the other 3 until 10am. We got to sleep in and pack up. We were heading home. Got breakfast and loaded up the trailer, checked on are other 3 that were just being finished up. Hides and antlers packed in heavy bags and meat in was boxes. We checked out, loaded the caribou, gassed up and off we were, heading home. We decided that we would drive right thru to Vt. a 24hour drive! well once we hit paved road (10 hours in) we hit snow. Well the next 14 hours turned into 17 hours. We did stop once and parked in a truck stop and slept for an hour. We saw an assortment of animals on the way home including a wolf and bobcats. Well we finally made it back to Vt.
What a trip!
I am planning on going back, 2006.
Frank

[jdickey]

Hey Frank.... Great story and sounds like a heck-of-a-trip! I'm planning a woodland caribou hunt in New Foundland for 2006. Of course being from Texas, I plan on flying into St. John's.

Can you give me any insight as to the regulations and requirements, such as Hunter Safety Classes, do I have to go with a guide, and exporting the meat & antlers?

[MarylandQDMA]

MAD COW! US FISH AND GAME WONT LET THEM CAUSE OF IT.

[Colorado Bob]

Frank did you change your American money into Canadian ? If so how much Canadian did you take on the trip? Also was that $5 gas in US or Canadian? Does Canada still use the Imperial gallon----if memory serves me right it's about 5 quarts in the Imperial & 4 in the US gallon.

[stevebeilgard]

great hunt, frank. bob, a canadian (imperial) gallon is 4 litres. you buy coke by the litre, so you know it's almost 5 quarts to 4 litres. but, a litre costs 92 cents in the lower canada. much higher the farther north you go. basically, over 3.00 per us gallon.

[VtBowhunter]

Excellent time sounds like.

I plan on bowhunting for caribou in 2006.

[MarylandQDMA]

I changed my us cash for ca cash in st. alberns (sp) Vt. Back home here it cost money to extange it. up there being so close to the border it was free. I ended up with about 1300.00 in Ca. cash. most places took the credit card so we payed for gas with it (got best rate). It turnde out that the two I went with only had us money so I ended up becoming there bank and took 300 us from them and gave them 300 ca. for the hunting licens. also needed 20ca. for a deposit per key (seems all places do this). did I need all the cash NO. but it was nice knowing I had it should I have needed it.
gas was 1.20 ca for a litre once on the transtiga (sp) road. I think it was right around .89 cents ca per litre at the reststop at 381 on the JBH. if one person does not mind using there card and then getting payed when the bill comes do it that way. much easer. tuffer used his. oh if some one is home make sure they know that you are using the card, cause the credit cart company called my wife when I used mine and tuffers called his home when his got used. the wifes told the cc company that we were on a trip up there. ad that the charges were legit. any how once he got the bill, split it 3 ways it was 425 per person. for travel cost from Vt. (with an oil change at the end of the trip).
Frnak