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Caribou Hunting Information The Annual Caribou Cycle
Most caribou of the Beverly and Qamanirjuaq herds have traditionally wintered in the subarctic
forests of the Northwest Territories (NWT), Saskatchewan and Manitoba, with Beverly caribou
using range in Alberta in some years and a portion of the Qamanirjuaq herd regularly wintering on
the tundra along the coast of Hudson Bay. However, in recent years, few caribou have wintered
in northern Saskatchewan or the southern NWT, and reconnaissance surveys conducted since
2002 have found a major downward trend in the number of cows using the traditional Beverly
calving ground. Meanwhile, satellite collar movements have indicated that some collared Beverly
cows that previously calved on the traditional calving ground (which is primarily in Nunavut, with
a small portion in the NWT) have shifted their calving location north to an area near the coast of
Queen Maud Gulf. These alterations in the Beverly herd’s pattern of seasonal range use may
have resulted entirely from changes in movements and habitat selection, from a major decline in
the size of the herd, or from a combination of these factors.
The general areas and specific habitats used by Beverly and Qamanirjuaq caribou from year
to year are determined by a combination of many factors, including weather, snow melt, plant
phenology, predator avoidance and traditional use of the range. However, the general cycle of
seasonal movements traditionally followed by these herds can be described as follows. In spring,
the cows and yearlings are the first to migrate north to the calving grounds, followed by nonpregnant
cows and young bulls. Adult bulls follow up to a month later. After calving in early to
mid-June, the caribou begin to form larger groups. By mid-July, aggregations of many thousands,
including adult males, may be found on calm days. This behaviour is a response to mosquito
harassment, and it also reduces predation by wolves, concentrating the caribou in a small area.
Beginning at the end of July, a rapid migration back to the vicinity of the treeline occurs. In
August, the caribou disperse in response to warble flies and nose bot flies. In some years, a
migration back towards the calving grounds takes place. The timing of the fall migration from
tundra to taiga varies from October to December. The rut occurs in late October, usually within the
forest-tundra ecozone. Mature bulls separate from the cow-calf-young bull groups soon after the
rut. Traditionally by November, most of the herds are in the forest once again, although travel can
still be rapid until snow accumulation deepens to 50 centimetres or more in February and March.
The “traditional calving grounds” are the cumulative general areas that have been used for
calving over the years. However, specific areas used for calving in a given year (“annual calving
areas”) vary from year to year. Use of range by caribou during other periods is generally less
consistent and less predictable in space and time.
Review of the State of the Beverly and Qamanirjuaq
Herds
Nunavut
Spring arrived late in the Kivalliq Region in 2009, even though temperatures during the preceding
winter months were warmer than those experienced in the last decade. In summer 2009,
Qamanirjuaq caribou calved to the eastern and southern extents of traditional calving grounds,
reported Kivalliq regional biologist Mitch Campbell, with the bulk of the herd not reaching its core
calving areas.
The fall migration was normal in 2009 and hunters reported normal body condition in caribou that
they harvested.
Since the Government of Nunavut spearheaded the large-scale calving ground photo survey of
the Qamanirjuaq herd in 2008, the 2009-2010 year was a quieter one in terms of Department
of Environment activities relating to Qamanirjuaq caribou. Nunavut’s satellite collaring program
for Qamanirjuaq cows – in place since 1993 – continued to operate with 15 effective GPS radio
collars on Qamanirjuaq cows during the 2009-2010 period. The department also partnered
with Kivalliq Hunters and Trappers Organizations on a Kivalliq-wide caribou disease monitoring
program, which continued through its second year. This program uses blood, organ and muscle
tissue as well as lower jaws for age and physical assessment, all collected by hunters, to assess
disease and contaminant loading in caribou. Another ongoing project was the labour-intensive
Kivalliq Region ecological land classification (vegetation mapping) project that on completion will
be used in conjunction with GPS collar data to map areas of importance to caribou and other
wildlife across the Kivalliq, including both the Qamanirjuaq and Beverly Nunavut-range extents.
Manitoba
The latter part of August 2009 marked the re-entry of the Qamanirjuaq herd back into Manitoba
reports Daryll Hedman, Wildlife Manager for Manitoba Conservation. Groups comprised mostly
of bulls entered the province on the east side of Nejanelini Lake and migrated westward as far
south as South Indian Lake for most of the winter. Hedman reported that there was a substantial
number of caribou in Manitoba for the winter months with weather conditions marked by mild
temperatures and minimal snow coverage. Due to an abundance of rain during summer 2009,
few forest fires occurred. No fires were reported in 2009 on the winter range. During 2009-
2010, the main activities conducted on behalf of the caribou included three fall caribou patrols
on the fall range. Numerous winter patrols were conducted by truck, aircraft and snow machine.
Wildlife related charges regarding caribou infractions were made by Resource Officers. As well,
collections of stomach contents and genetic samples were taken for the GN-DOE.
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