You are receiving this email because you are scheduled to hunt caribou with our outfit during the 2017 season, and we would like to take this opportunity to relay the most up-to-date information concerning changes to the caribou hunting regulations at this time.
We have always maintained a high importance on keeping our clients informed, and on offering transparency in our operations – there has never ceased to be some sort of dramatic uprising consistently since the date of purchase of this outfit from Jack Hume 15 years ago, but this year we write to you with the heaviest of hearts.
Late Wednesday afternoon our ministry announced a complete closure of caribou hunting in the province as of February 1st, 2018, as well as a 50% drop in caribou tags from our 2015 license allocation for the 2017 season. By teleconference, we were informed of these measures by members of the MFFP (Ministere des Forets, Faune et Parcs), followed by every member of the MFFP hanging up before any questions or clarification could be discussed. We know that this was an unjust and politically-driven decision, and if you would like to read their press release, please click here http://mffp.gouv.qc.ca/english/press/press-release-detail.jsp?id=11881. We could go into great detail about how we believe the statistics published on the population of the herd have been falsified, or moreover, completely invented, but that will not change the reality of our present situation. We are David, they are Goliath, and First Nations in this province are God.
Despite our anger, frustration and mostly sadness, we feel extremely fortunate to have one last opportunity to host hunters this coming season. You folks are the last caribou hunters that will visit our cherished corner of the earth for the foreseeable future – and we are going out with a bang together! As always, we promise to do everything in our power to maintain a high success level – and would really like to finish our last season with 100% success (yes, some of that weight is on your shoulders, so start shooting!)
With that said, for some of you, there are obviously some changes to your contracted hunt for which we need feedback. In November of this year, just one month ago, we lowered the price of our packages by $300 and included 1 caribou license instead of 2, with the option to buy the 2nd management tag at a cost of $500 upon arrival at base camp. We came to this decision after having completed the 2016 season (the first in our company’s 35 years of operation) with most of our clients harvesting cows as their 2nd caribou, in accordance with the ministry’s new regulations for that season. This did not sit well with us, it felt wrong and our decision to drop the initial package price and essentially increase the cost for those who felt compelled to harvest a 2nd caribou, was purely a deterrent. What a mistake that decision turned out to be given our current situation.
We are by no means greedy people, we have made a living as outfitters, and enjoyed every minute. Back to reality, we are running a business – a business that will no doubt end in one year from now through no fault of our own. A business that we invested significant money for that is essentially being tossed in the trash with no sign of compensation. This is not a call for sympathy, rather an explanation for the measures we are about to outline. Due to the 50% cut in licenses, we no longer have the volume to sustain our operation for one last season without making some changes.
2017 Season changes:
1. Limit of one tag per hunter for any size or sex caribou – 2nd tags for caribou with antlers less than 15” are not available due to license quota restrictions.
2. Abolishment of the drive-up package – license restrictions force us to prioritize those traveling on our charter aircrafts in order to be cost-effective.
3. The reinstatement of our package prices prior to November 2016, no matter what price you reserved for (discounts still apply):
· 1x1 Wild Card $13,000
· 1x2 Wild Card $11,000
· 1x2 fully guided $8,500
· 1x3 semi-guided $8,000
· 1x4 semi-guided $7,500
· 1x6 unguided with cook $7,000
· 1x6 unguided no cook $$6,500
In order to help offset the loss of income from the cancellation of the drive-up hunt, any new reservations will be priced at $1,000 more than the above listed prices. No new reservations will be taken before January 11th, 2017.
Please let us know by January 10th, 2017 whether you accept these changes and would like to maintain your reservation, or if you would like to cancel your reservation and receive a full refund.
Thank you for your understanding,
Richard & Amanda Hume
Jack Hume Adventures Inc.
Delay River Outfitters
86 Robinson Road
Wentworth, QC J8H 0G3
www.jackhumeadventures.com
Tel. 1-877-563-3832
Fax 1-877-563-5770
Cell 450-612-3832
Amanda and Richard,
This is so unfortunate and unfair to you. I am so sorry for so many reasons that this is happening to your family and to the wildlife in northern Quebec. It is not right and I can only hope that reality prevails in short order and the impact to you is not permanent.
My son and I are booked for the 9/3/17 fly up hunt, 1x6 with no cook. We plan to keep the two spots as originally booked, which I believe is what you are saying below, and understand that that the opportunity for a reduced price for the one tag option is not available nor is the chance to purchase a second tag.
I wish you the very best as you sort through this with hunters. You guys are doing the right thing in the face of a wrong thing that is being done to you. That is worth something in this world even though it hunts.
I look forward to seeing you in the fall and thank you for your integrity and professionalism.
This is like banning the import of polar bear trophies to stop global warming. smh
it seems like with no season the family will lose all the assets, the camps, the base, etc. that was used to run the operation, and is now useless, with no seasons on the horizon. May have been owned, may have been mortgaged, whatever, but 35 years of acquiring camps and buildings, and equipment spread all over the northland and building something to pass down to others in the family is gone based on an ill informed decision. and the decision makers don't even accept questions on the conference call??????????
Maybe there is some way to repurpose some of the infrastructure, but probably not as the whole thing was based on caribou outfitting. This is just so wrong on so many fronts.
If the Indians can take 10's of thousands for free how come 500 hunters annually can't take 4-500 bulls and pump $5,000,000 into the provincial economy to do it???????
And Bou is right, the shear loss of money and equipment... Stuff that took 35 years to get out there and set up. You can't just go reclaim it in a weekend and take it home. So so sad for all parties involved.
kota-man said it best.......................................a real TRAVESTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(for ALL involved!)
I don't believe even if the Government decided they wanted to shut down native hunting that it is within their power. Has to do with the treaty. Indians in Canada are actually a separate NATION. Our government has no power over their hunting. That is the sad reality. I have no idea how our country is supposed to work it is such a broken system. They are a separate nation, but yet have entirely free healthcare, paramedic services, less tax and on and on and on. Did you know our government picks up first nations from the reserves and flies them out to hunt moose, because they have shot everything that lives within any driving distance of the reserves? Did you know our government has been flying Inuit from Quebec/Ontario to Manitoba and Nunavut to shoot caribou for years? This is what kind of a messed up situation we are dealing with. Did you know that natives from MB went to SK and poached moose on a person's private property that has NO HUNTING and NO TRESPASSING signs on it and drove over the farmers crops to get their moose? SK Conservation officers actually pursued the case and charged them (bless their souls, Manitoba officials will never touch an indian case) and now the natives want to fight it because they say hunting is their right private land or not. THAT is the type of stuff we are dealing with here. We're talking about private land not even being private! A few hundred caribou tags are pretty small fries compared to many of the things they are asking for, so I don't think you're going to get much traction. By all means have at er.
Before anyone says I'm racist think again. I married a woman with native blood, and I love the people, but there is so much stupidity, confusion and entitlement problems it is insane. Our emergency responders here get verbally assaulted, spit on and attacked every single day. Abused every single day. What is the solution? They are forced to take courses on aboriginal awareness and culture. Asked questions and basically told that we are a racist people towards natives and we need to change, when it is exactly the opposite. My buddy is a paramedic and they go to pick up a lady the other day drops her hat. Turns to the medic and says: "Pick that up." That's the way many of them expect to be treated lol
I'd better stop before I get riled up ;)
This is after we paid for them to build the Resorts they are here promoting.
They showed up 1 day late and finally climbed behind their booth at 11:30 this morning. Show started at 10:00 sharp.
All on our Canadian tax dollars we paid.
You have to see the reality that they will be getting paid regardless of whether they sell hunts or not, so there really isn't much incentive to do it. Unlike the rest of us who don't see a paycheque if we don't perform.
Set aside programs only cause division and resentment.
Key difference Mike is their nation was not conquered. They signed a treaty. Their nation is still around today. As I said we have 2 separate nations in Canada occupying the same space. It's messed up and both parties agree on that statement.
They were here FIRST, everyone else came after them, so they can get whatever they want when they want. And let's not mention that they are not paying taxes on what they buy. The rest of us 13%
