OUTDOORSMAN features the Top Caribou hunting guides, Caribou hunting outfitters, and Caribou hunting lodges in Alaska and Canada offering Trophy Caribou hunts. Our listed Caribou hunting guides, Caribou hunting outfitters, and Caribou hunting lodges are some of the best in the industry and are proven professionals that offer World Class Trophy Caribou hunts.

About Caribou: The caribou, also known as the reindeer in Arctic and Subarctic dwelling areas, exists in nine subspecies. The caribou coat has two layers of fur, a dense woolly undercoat and longer-haired overcoat consisting of hollow, air-filled hairs.

A caribou swims easily and fast; migrating herds will not hesitate to swim across a large lake or broad river. Caribou have been hunted for centuries, and are an important source of food, clothing, shelter, and tools.[Wiki]

Use our outfitter request forms to obtain more information on these great caribou hunting outfitters.

Caribou Hunting Preparation and Tips: The excitement and planning that go into a great hunt are a lot of fun. The planning process builds anticipation, but don't let all that excitement derail you from taking care of the details of putting together a great Caribou Hunting Trip!

Get Fit for Caribou Hunting! The tundra terrain is challenging and you may have to hike long stretches in weather that is very different from home. Daily walking on an incline should help get you in peak condition. Carry your gear and wear the hunting boots you plan to take on the hunting trip so your feet will be in shape, too. In addition to walking and hiking, strength training for your upper body is important. Add push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups and any other 'ups' you can think of after your hiking. The added benefit of being in great shape for your caribou hunt is avoiding injury during the hunt.

Get Caribou Hunting Gear: Most any pro Caribou hunting guide will have a detailed list of recommended items you will need for a successful Caribou hunt. Your hunting outfitter has taken into consideration exactly what you should need and has also pared down to be practical, keeping in mind the weight limitations of the flight. Get quality hunting clothing, keeping in mind the camouflage to match the environment of the area you will be hunting. Comfortable boots are critical, as well as quality socks. Layering is important to keep you warm and dry. Make sure your weapon of choice (and your skill with that weapon) is in peak condition. Practice for much longer shots than you would for a whitetail deer hunt. Your hunting guide should have a designated area to get your archery equipment ready for the hunt and a place to site in your rifle. Another crucial devise is a quality set of binoculars, and a good digital camera for landscape pictures and trophy shots. Pack using compact, rugged, waterproof duffel bags.

Plan to Do Some Fishing: Caribou are always moving. If they are out of range on any day of your hunt, you may be in a position to enjoy some exciting fishing. If you find that big trophy Caribou early, it is a great way to enjoy the rest of the trip.

Communication with Your Caribou Hunting Guide is Key: Make sure you have a full understanding of what services will be provided during your hunt. Accommodations, meals, guide services, non-hunting recreation, alcohol policies, local customs (don't want to offend your guide). A guide will generally answer any question, but may not think to tell you everything before hand. And tell your guide what you are looking for in your hunt. Are you going Caribou Hunting for a big trophy or are you looking for meat? Find out how you need to plan to get your trophy home. If you are hunting Caribou in velvet, find out (from your local taxidermist) what precautions are needed to protect the racks.

Remember to Tip: It is customary to tip your hunting guide, especially if you have a great time and a successful hunt.

To wrap it up, make sure you are in peak physical condition and have a clear understanding of what you need to bring and what to expect from your guide. You are sure to enjoy the Caribou Hunt of a lifetime if you follow these helpful planning tips.

Barren Ground Caribou (Rangifer tarandus) Physical Description: Brown hair covers the main body of the caribou in the summer with the eye ring, rump patch, underside of the tail, and inside of the ears, feet, nose, and areas of the flanks being white. In the winter the coat turns grayish to almost white in color and gets thicker and longer than the summer coat. Both sexes grow antlers standing as high as three feet or more. Fawns are brown and unspotted. Mature caribou stand approximately four feet tall at the shoulder. Caribou average eight feet in length.

Average Caribou Weight Range: Mature caribou range in weight from 130 to over 350 pounds.

Caribou Reproduction: Breeding runs from early to mid-October. Cows don’t breed until at least 2.5 years of age. Calves are usually born mid-May to early June. Once breeding is complete, the gestation period lasts 225-235 days. Like most of the deer species, the males (bulls) will spar with each other. There are differing opinions as to why these fights occur: some believe that the males fight for a harem of females, and others believe that the males fight for space and accept the females that are in their space. During these fights the bulls will charge each other with their heads cocked downward. They will run into each other horns first, rear up, and on their hind legs and paw at each other with the front hooves. Injuries during this time are rare; however, the bulls will occasionally get their horns locked up, which can result in death for both animals.

Caribou use vocalizations occasionally such as a grunting roar during rut, an alarmed snort when spooked and a bawl.

In the spring the females will migrate towards areas known as calving grounds to give birth in safety. According to studies the number of predators on the calving grounds is less than the caribou encounter in the winter range. Instincts to reach these areas are so strong with the caribou that they are able to travel through adverse conditions like deep snow and rivers filled with icebergs. The young are born shortly after the females arrive. The calving grounds are full of new plant growth high in nutrition for both the mother (milk production) and the calf.

Caribou Food Usage/Selection: Caribou are herbivores and prefer mature or old growth coniferous forests associated with bogs, lakes and rivers. Major food source for the caribou are ground and tree lichens, grasses, sedges, green leaves of deciduous shrubs, and mushrooms. When the snow becomes too crusted to dig through, they will turn to eating shrubs, grasses, willows, and arboreal lichens.

Caribou Range: Alaska, Canada, Scandinavia and Russia are home to the largest herds of caribou.

In Canada the caribou are found in northern and northwestern Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Northwest Territories, Yukon Territory, Baffin Islands, Southampton Islands, Queen Elizabeth Islands and Newfoundland.

Caribou Habitat: Depending on the herd species, caribou range from the Atlantic to the Pacific and from Greenland south through northern Canada.

Common Caribou Hunting Methods: Caribou may be taken by rifle, shotgun, black powder or bow and arrow. Most caribou are hunted on foot while waiting for the animal to pass by. Some of the best hunting takes place during the migration periods. Hunters hide along migration routes and wait for an opportunity to harvest a chosen animal.

Caribou Hunting Challenges/Values: Patience is the biggest challenge that will face hunters of any experience level. To hunt caribou in either Alaska or Canada, you are required by local hunting regulations to employ the services of a guide or an outfitter. In addition to the tasty meat, the caribou’s hide can be used for clothing and many hunters display their mounted heads or antlers.

Interesting Information about Caribou: Both sexes grow antlers standing as high as three feet or more.