Caribou Successfull Archery Techniques

[Solitude]

Heading out on my first AK fly in/drop/non guided caribou trip in 2015.

Curious from you more experienced caribou archers out there, what techniques have you used to arrow these animals? Stalking, ambush, cut um off/run and gun, blinds, do they come into decoys, I assume calling is out/maybe not, etc?

Being a high country mile deer and elk hunting guy I am thinking these critters will be totally different than what I am used too and will require a different strategy?

What archery techniques have you used with success?

Thanks for your input in advance,
Brad

 

[colonel00]

Where will you be doing your hunt?

 

[Violent Hippie]

I cant offer advice BUT I wish you good luck and hope to do the same type hunt in the next couple years.

 

[Solitude]

Heading out if TOK.

 

[Nick Muche]

Your hunt out of TOK will be much different than where I hunted this past year on the North Slope... For all intensive purposes, it was my third attempt. I did two winter hunts prior to this past Aug. They all were fun and I learned a lot. There are a few forum members that have hunted out of Tok with archery tackle and I am sure they will chime in. I'd bet there is more cover there when compared to where we went, pretty bare up north.

Regardless, use the wind because they sure as heck do! Get in front of them any way possible. It can get windy, so practice as much as you can in the wind.

Have fun! I can't wait for August to get here so we can go back. You'll have a great hunt, who are you flying with?

 

[Ray]

Out of Tok, you will have terrain and trees in your favor. It will also help the caribou as it slows you down, and most caribou are shorter than the willows blocking shots. Most of the time caribou follow the easy terrain and you can get in front of them and wait them out for a close bow shot. Sometimes they wander all over the place making 180 degree turns. The ridge tops can tend to be more open and give you better views. You might be able to find a spot where they are headed into the thicker brush and get a shot before they get into it. There are lots of small clearings in a tiaga spruce tree ecosystem as well. Caribou will have well used migration trails through them as they are easy walking. I have seen caribou spend a day in a wide open grass/muskeg "meadow" well out of bow range and then they will get up and walk into the willows. If you are lucky they will move your way if you are in the spot they want to head to. I have been in several situations were caribou could smell me, but could not see me so they did not react much other than to bunch up and keep looking in my direction. The rack in my avitar is one of those situations that worked out well for me at 115 yards.

 

[colonel00]

One thing I would suggest is to get out and see if you can extend your comfortable shooting range. I'm not saying that you should take questionable shots but if you can extend your range a bit then that might really help. I hunted the North Slope this year and it is different terrain from what you will be in. With almost no cover up there it is very difficult to get close to the caribou but I was able to crawl within 80 yards of 4 bulls. Suffice to say, I had only really shot out to 50, maybe 60, yards before this year. I will see if I can get comfortable and confident at longer ranges before the next trip.

 

[bowuntr]

Ambush them, cut them off... Ed F

 

[Larry Bartlett]

Once you get dropped off, locate the travelways laid down in prior weeks. The bulls will use these highways made by cows and young bulls to reach their winter habitat. These are your ambush lanes. Just wait within your shooting range concealed by a spruce tree or thick willow bush. Give it time and trust the routes with fresh tracks in them. They'll be along soon enough.

Don't be tempted to rush after a group you might see 1/4-mile from your post, cause they'll bust you. Fortymile caribou have a lot of wolves chasing them in thick cover, so be patient and ambush them from travelway corridors.

larry

 

[bowuntr]

Solitude, Good luck on getting your reservation. .. hope it happens for you. I'm flying out on the 4th. .. woohoo... can't wait. Ed F

 

[elkeaterco]

Ambush like everyone is saying with the wind. They remind me of quail, running every which way with no reason then circling back down their original path. They are plum spastic compared to elk and deer. Good luck, I'm heading back up mid Aug to do the same thing.