Contributors to this thread:
How many of you are fortunate enough to be hunting with JHA this year? This will be my 17th time with Richard and Amanda and hopefully won't be the last. Hopefully things get straightened out up there and they can continue to operate for many more years. JHA is a class act and deserve to be treated better by their government. See you on the tundra. Rory
I will be there in September
Have a great time! I sure hope things change, and I can bring my youngest daughter in 2019.
Take care. Mike
August 28th through Sept 3rd. Perfect dates last year.... hopefully they will be for me again this year.
5 other trad shooters and I will be sharing a camp up there August 28th - September 3rd. Man, am I excited! Darren
This may be incredibly ignorant...but JHA?
"This may be incredibly ignorant...but JHA?"
Junior Harpoonist Association. The club was formed here about 10 years ago. RTK, Bou bound, me and dozens of others have long been members after hunting with Richard Hume.
17th year for me hunting with JHA. Will be up again Sept. 3 thru 9. That has always been a great week for me. Those of you going for the first time are in for a treat, best time ever! CPA, to bad we couldn't hook up again to do a caribou hunt together. See you on the tundra. Rory
We will be up the 9th to the 16th... three of us in camp. Wondering if any other bowsiters are booked that week as well.
I know Rory. It's B.S. what's going on in Quebec. But, considering all the events that have happened over the years, Tutulik, the blockade, the guy shooting at the Shefferville Airport, the winter slaughter, etc. I'm not surprised. If I had the opportunity to hunt one last time this year I'd find the money and go with you so if somebody cancels last minute let me know. Maybe we can do Alaska for caribou or a western hunt for mule deer, elk, or antelope in the future since it appears your JHA trips are over.
Hey Dan, yes it looks like Quebec may be toast. Been searching around for another hunt but haven't decided on anything yet. Holding out hope that Canada can get their shit together. Sort of looking at moose in Newfoundland but it looks like a logistical nightmare!! Open to suggestions and am always ready to go at a days notice. See you on the tundra. Rory
newfoundland is well worth the logistics issues rory.
you have to do it at least once
Bou, did you fly or drive? I have the time but seems like it would be alot of driving, although it never bothered me to drive from Minnesota to Montreal. See you on the tundra. Rory
Good luck to those going....was supposed to go next year but at least this finally pushed me to do a DIY Alaska hunt.
the season is sneaking up on us!
Heading up August 28th as well. Last specie of caribou I need to complete my bou slam!
Packed everything and I am looking at being about 10 pounds under. Might toss a second fly rod and a solar charger.
Sept 15-22. Halfway through the NA29 with my bow and the Quebec caribou has been my white whale. It's go time!
What did I miss? What is this winter slaughter you mention?
Trail153..... you're beating me this year... I'm only half packed. Bet I could be ready in 10 more minutes though. Really ready for some more tundra time. August 28th can't come soon enough.
Good luck to everyone going this year. It's a great hunt run by great people. I just hung my bull from 2016 up. Hoping to be able to do this hunt again someday...who knows if that will ever be an option now.
Just got mine back from Pierre a few weeks ago. Man...I wish I was heading back up again. Good luck to everyone this year. Safe hunts......
Just got mine back from Pierre a few weeks ago. Man...I wish I was heading back up again. Good luck to everyone this year. Safe hunts......
Starting to get packed too. SNOWING UP THERE NOW!!!!! See you on the tundra. Rory
Almost done packing. See you on the tundra. Rory
Question ...I am bringing a light weight down sleeping bag ( 30 degrees) do I need a sleeping pad as well? I am looking at about 1.5 pounds saving if I ditch my nemo pad. Also soft or hard bow case? The weight savings is minimal it's more for easy of packing on the float plane...
Also how secure is the parking lot? Secure enough to leave a couple 110qt coolers in the bed of a truck?
Trial, soft case works perfect. The guys at the main camp are very careful with gear.
Your sleeping bag seems just fine. I didn't bring a pad, really no need too.
During our hunt, many of the guys left coolers and there where no issue.
Rest assured, all the logistics are taken care of and very professional. The lot was secure as well.
Enjoy the tundra, wish I was heading back.
The best day of hunting for me was when I got dropped off, hiked in a bit, then sat down all days and took it all in... the animals are a bonus.
Have a great hunt !
Rich, thank you very much ..
You will have a 4" foam sleeping pad provided for you. In some camps you'll have more than 1 if you want.
When is the first hunt date? Hoping that some of you guys going early will post some detailed reports and pics for the rest of us who are going later, to drool over ;-)
8/22 the first group goes in. I'll be there the 2nd week. 8/28-9/3.
For you guys heading up, make sure you notify your credit card company you are going to Canada. I speak from experience. No fun when your card is stopped at 1 am. Also, seems like a small point, but make sure you have a good way to start a fire, not some soggy old matches. Almost croaked from hypothermia up there years ago. Luckily we were able to get a fire going in the rain and cold. Doesn't take cold weather to get hypothermia. Be prepared. Could go on forever about things to do but you'll figure it out. LISTEN TO YOUR GUIDE!!! Will be there in Sept. Again. See you on the tundra. Rory
I've already packed twice...hunting the week of 9/3. So excited I can hardly stand it!
Yea I am packed also. Looking at about 55-58 pounds....just need to decide on if I am taking my second pair of boots. I also have to decide what bow I am taking. I am shooting my new bow very well...but last years bow was kind of lucky. Still haven't decided.
Up there Sept. 3 - 9 also. Yes, 2 pair of boots for sure. See you on the tundra. Rory
Speaking of footwear....their recommended gear list suggests Muck boots....are those in fact what most hunters use?
Muck or lacrosse. I've used the alphaburly up there a lot. My favorites are cabelas tundra boots. Lotta water up there.... you can get by with hikers and gaiters. But not the best in every location.
Greg, whatever you can walk miles in comfortably. I've hunted Quebec 6 times and have gone from the LL Bean leather top / rubber bottom (dating myself I guess) to Rocky's to Danner's To Lowa's. Moving forward I will continue wearing the Lowa's as they are far and away the most comfortable AND they were waterproof. I packed a pair of NEOS overboots for getting in & out of the boat & walking in shin deep water. They worked well for me. The LaCrosse boot (Muck) is a gotta have during bow season here, but for the terrain you're going to be in, you'll be doing some walking. If you're comfortable all day in your Mucks - wear them. Everyone who posted here has lots of experience hunting Quebec and with JHA, and all would be happy to help out any way they can. I wish I was heading back there myself. Have a safe and successful hunt.
Which Muck boots do you like the most? Looking for one that doesn't have a ton a insulation and is light . Any recommendations? I have the Lacrosse Aero they get real sloppy after a hard day walking and never dry out
Wish I could help you out, never used Muck boots. Always loved the alphaburly from lacrosse. I know they make an uninsulated pair. I always bring a travel size foot powder. Helps dry them out and not stink. Merino socks too.
Sticksender, I hunted in leather boots all week up there and didn't have a single issue. The tundra is not as boggy as other parts of the North. If I did the hunt again I would stick with leather boots. Research some of the old threads on here and many people that did the hunt will say the same thing. My take was that people were split 50-50 on bringing leather or rubber but I never came across a single person who regretted bringing their leather boots.
I had good luck with Kenetrek Mountain Extreme and Kuiu gaitors
^^^that was exactly what I used.
Leather was my first choice with gaiters but talked to outfitter last night and said bring some rubber boots just in chase .Mostly for jumping in and out of the boat
Thanks guys, that helps. Best of luck to all.
Wish I was going with you guys! Hunted Quebec in '06 & '08. They were two of my all time favorite hunts, especially in '06. We hit the migration perfectly. Saw probably between 20-40 thousand bou. The entire hillside seemed to be moving. What an incredible experience!
Good luck to you guys!!
Ok rooms are all books going and coming......what a good restaurant that you recommend?
The gold room. Went there last year. Quite the spread.
I have not seen any reference to drinking water. Is there any need to bring a filter?
James, always better to err on the side of caution - tho times when I've drank right out of the stream and never had an issue. The drinking straw or bottle (I use a Sawyer) is now just standard gear. You're hunt is only a week and you absolutely don't want to be stuck in camp. What week are you going..?..
Been drinking the water up there for 17 years and never had an issue. Used to bring a filter but rarely used it. Just get away from the dock were people wash up and brush there teeth and rinse out there dirty underwear!! See you on the tundra, SOON. Rory
When is the first week of hunting this year.
caribou77 posted it above: "8/22 the first group goes in."
For the love of god.... can we hustle the next week or so up!
Patients grasshopper. Hopefully will see you guys in Lac Pau. See you on the tundra. Rory
On a plus note I chatted with Richard a little today. He said the caribou are already moving really well. Some as far south as Sir James already. Said its been a cool summer and the bugs are not terrible. All good things. Weather forecast for 2 weeks out (which I realize changes 10 times a day up there) shows temps in the mid 40s :)
18 days ..... left s go !
Good luck to all and safe hunts..........
dhaverstick's Link
I am heading out tomorrow on the long drive to Montreal. There will be 5 other stickbow shooters in camp and we should have a most excellent adventure. I have a DeLorme InReach device so I will be posting occasionally with it when I get out on the tundra. If you want to follow along you can do so by clicking on the URL in this post.
Darren
Thats great Darren! Maybe I'll get mine set up to do the same.... I'm leaving tomorrow as well and should be in Montreal around 11. Then we sit and wait for Monday to roll around.
How did the first week go.
They are still in. Will fly out Monday. All I've seen from Richard was they had 3 on the ground the 1st half day they were there.
I was told that all the first weeks hunters tagged out.
Caribou77 flew into Inukshuk Monday at noon, that is the only update I have gotten from him so far. He is hunting with our father. I hope to hear from him later tonight and I will post any info I get from him. So wish I could be up there with them!
The first week had 29 hunters in 3 camps. Two camps tagged out, the other one was moved on Friday and out of 6 hunters i believe 3 got nice bulls, 2 ended up shooting dinks and one hunter blanked and they allowed him an extra 3 days.
Looking forward to the update, Cornfed!
This is our group at camp Bobby Lake the first week.
Cornfed- I guess we know who the FAVORITE son is! ;-)
ANybody click on dhaverstick's link? That's pretty cool you can see all the stats on his gps for each day, and also see the text messages he sends!
Ok bad news first, Luke lost his Delorme so this is the last update I will probably get. On the good side Luke and dad both tagged out Tuesday. I got the message through another hunter. Luke took his muzzle loader up for the first time so I hope he scored big with that! Dad is more of a fishing nut, so as far as hes concerned hes on a fishing trip where a caribou hunt may break out. First mature bull that walked by him was in trouble.
Rut Nut the argument is still out of favorites, I may be in the lead cause I gave the family the only grand kids so far, course that takes even more attention away from me!
If I hear anything else I will fill you guys in.
Oh geez! Glad to hear they tagged out, but that stinks he lost his Delorme! : (
LOL! OK- I know how that goes with grandkids. : )
Good morning gentlemen. Week 2 was good but as posted above, my delorme was lost 2 hours into my first afternoon. Caribou were spotty. Camp Inukshuk saw good numbers. Somewhere around 2-300 for the week. Other camps struggled with lower numbers. The weather was warm which pretty well locks animals down. Watched 1 group of 3 bulls bed for 6 hours and never move. As a group we went 5 for 6 with. 2 hunters were longbow shooters. Both had shots at good bulls under 30 yards and passed close shots at cows. Had we had compound bows in camp and the ability to shoot 50+ yards, many more opportunities were present. All our animals were shot with guns. Mine was a 150 yard shot with my muzzleloader. Dad's a 25 yard shot with his 30-06. The last bull shot was by longbow hunter Craig who turned to the dark side and uses my muzzleloader on the last morning. His wife refused to turn until to late as we had a bull at 100 at 9 am. Things just didn't work out for her. I will say while numbers have been low and slow, they shot some monsters this week. And the weather is turning wetter and colder. Things are looking up. Good luck everyone. I do know there are some good stories coming from some other bowsiters that did WELL! And some good videos as well.
Thanks, Luke and congrats to you and your dad.
Luke you didn't lose the Delorme in the lake did you...
Hahaha! No Tom! But I have it narrowed down to 2 square miles of tundra! Note to everyone using an alaska guide creations bino harness, don't tuck your GPS under the top elastic strips on the lid and then Sprint 2 miles after a bull. Cause when you trip and fall.... which you will..... it will pop right out. It's my fault as I put it there and then forgot to tie the tether to my pack to prevent such a thing from happening....
Just got back to my house yesterday after being up there for Week 2. It was tough with not many caribou being seen. We were originally at Ronald Lake where one of our party killed one the first evening. We moved to Simon Lake on Friday after going 2 days without seeing any caribou. We hated leaving Ronald mainly because our camp hand, Jimmy, wasn't coming with us. The guys we had at Simon were nice enough but they knew absolutely nothing about bowhunting. They weren't even going to let us hunt the last morning, Sunday. For some reason they changed their minds and I am glad they did. I shot this bull with only 30 minutes left before we had to be back at camp to pack. The shot was a little over 20 yards and he ran into the lake and died. Fortunately, we found him quickly and I had just enough time to get him skinned and quartered, pack and change clothes before the plane landed in the cove.
Darren
WOW! Talk about getting it done in the 11th hour! Congrats!
excellent congrats! hopefully it gets better. we fly out Saturday
The camp at Sir James was seeing 100 animals a day the week before we went in. Then they were seeing about what we were seeing - 4 or 5 a day.
Darren
Amazing how things can change up there. When I went we saw very few for 4 days and then it was Discovery Channel for the last two.
Do you guys take your own piece of foam for an archery target, or do most of the camps have one?
Just make sure to talk with Richard about a target. Most camps should have one. But I've been up before and not had one.
We had to ask for one and took it with us when we changed camps. I believe we left it at Simon. Darren
Good advice we will ask for a target as Well.
Most of us are stuck in basecamp. Hopefully the weather clears and we can get out the camps in the morning. But for now everything is grounded. Amanda told me that everyone tagged out from last week. One camp was able to get flown in and they had couple decent bulls.
After reading Richards fb this morning I figured that was going to happen. Better to be safe. Sucks, but better safe than sorry.
Yes we were lucky to make it to base camp this morning. We already diverted once and luckily it cleared enough for us to drop in.
I know that 2 guys in my group for the week of 8/28-9/3 did not tag out. Sorry to hear about the weather problems. Better safe than sorry, though. When we flew in from Montreal, an engine went out on the plane. Fortunately, we didn't know it until we were on the ground.
Darren
Good to hear that the caribou are moving south this year. Can't wait to be back in camp in 2019
Plum,
In case you hadn't heard, there won't be a "camp" in 2019, This is the last season there.
TMBB
Plum is from Manitoba, so I'm assuming he's talking about over there.
Just got back from our trip. Our camp went 7 for 8 (1 rifle kill) with the 8th having good opportunities. We saw lots of caribou. Was a great trip!
Great week at Camp Coursolles. A couple so so days and five strong ones. We got in by 11am on fly in day so it was like an extra day on the front end and stayed an extra day on the back end due to weather and took one at the end . My son got his first with a bow and I took one with a rifle on the fly out extra day. I missed two with a bow, one on day 4 and one on day 6.
trip of a lifetime.........but only due to politics or it would not have to be THE trip of a lifetime.
shutting this down is a joke. I heard sport hunters killed a whopping by 387 caribou last year. Really decimated the herd.
Agree with Bou'bound. Almost every cow we saw had a calf with it.
Congrats to you guys.
How were the bugs?
See any bulls shed of velvet yet?
The bugs were bad at our camp when the wind didn't blow. There were a couple days when we got bit quite a bit.
No bugs. No hard horns where we were
Bou- tell your son CONGRATS! : )
And nice caribou and shot with your son!
But where's your rifle?! ;-)
Grant we met in passing getting off the float plan. We Spent a week at coursolles also. We had an unguided group of 6, and they had a 1/1 guided wild card hunter in as well. We went 6 for 7 with mine being the only bow kill. Four rifle hunters scored the first afternoon. I seen 150 plus bulls in five days hunting. I killed my bull on the third day. My buddy hit one however we didn't recover it and seen the bull later the day after he shead the arrow. He ended up filling up with a rifle on the last afternoon. I hunted the entire trip logging 60.4 miles. The only one who didn't punch was the wild card. A nice guy from Washington state. He stuck with the bow till the flight out. All in all we hit it freaking perfect. The other camps fared nowhere near as well for the week with a lot of shuffling around to get hunters into caribou. All in all it was amazing. Couldn't have hoped for better.
Once again James, I'd like to say congrats on a great bull!!
Congrats to you as well grant you guys did great
Look at those bulls! And LOOK at that beautiful landscape. The colors are really turning! Pry one memory I will never forget was flying out with Richard in his Cessna the last week of season. The colors up there were amazing.
James....great pics.........
Great pictures and a great bull, congrats.
Great pictures James! Congrats on a great bull too!
Congrats James! I LOVE that pic of you belly-crawling up towards the caribou rack in the distance! Very COOL! : )
Just got back last night. 5 other real nice guys in camp. 1 Rifle Hunter got a small one on day one. Three of the bow hunters became rifle hunters before the week was up. The other bow hunter got a decent one about halfway through and we literally covered 10 miles that day so it was well earned. I had ample opportunities but shot terrible. Not sure if my bow was off or me! They moved us from Lake Simon to camp 8 on day 5 and I missed my big guy on day 6: 60 yard shot with howling wind in my face -arrow sailed right into his antlers. I can still hear the clankity clank of arrow on antler in my head! Oh well, I hope for everyone involved they open it up again in the near future! I met Sticksender and he got a real nice one with his bow out of a different camp. Logistics were perfect with the Humes.
We're they still hunting at lake courselles Chris
Great to have had a chance to meet you Chris. Tough luck on the bou and I can confirm that wind sure was howling every day last week up on those ridge tops.
Bou'bound, yes we had 7 guys at Camp Coursolles last week and the final group of 6 came in Thursday. All 7 guys in my camp scored on bulls. (The other 6 guys were rifle hunters). After a couple of very slow days the action picked up. My guess is that this last group should see a lot of Caribou. The groups of bulls were really starting to pour through the last 2 days, after we'd all tagged out.
I'm only about halfway home as of today but will post a few pics once I get back.
Congrats guys. Really bummed out this is closed after this season. This year was excellent . I has planned on taking my son on this hunt as soon as he was old enough. Logistically it's prefect for us....we will see what happens. In any event glad everyone enjoyed it and get home safe.
Camp Coursolles, typical terrain....good for bowhunting with willows, tamarack, evergreens, and terrain features for stalking.
The main lake at this camp stretches for about 7 miles and the caribou were often seen swimming.
A pretty decent bull making a water crossing.
Bull on the move.
Took this bull on day 4. His velvet was freshly shed and the rack still bloody. I was able to make a stalk to within about 22 yards, while he was preoccupied with thrashing a 12-foot tamarack tree. At the shot, he didn't realize he was hit, and resumed tearing up the tree for a little while, before finally staggering off and expiring about 10 yards away.
Not shown in this pic, but the guy in the middle (Steve) also took a bear on the first afternoon, after the bear had wandered into camp and tried to make off with a plastic gas can.
From left is George Geier (IN), Greg Spurgeon (IN), Russ Kelly (CA), Steve Tetreault (PA), Greg Tetreault (NY), Wayne Wyatt (NM), and Mike Stone (NM).
Fantastic Greg, looks like you had a great hunt there just like we did.
Congrats Greg,
Nice bull. Some nice bulls in your pictures too
Great photos. Colors are So different at that camp in just two weeks
Bou, the colors up there the last 2 weeks of season are absolutely unbelievable.... Flew out in Richards Cessna on the 27th of 2015. 2 hours of pure beauty. He flies so low compared to the otters, you get a great look at everything.
Sticksender, great bull! Looks like you hit it perfect. Never been to corsoulles but I have been to King, which is on the same north south line. And you are right, perfect terrain for bowhunting. Not quite open tundra, not quite solid trees. Plenty of open to see, plenty of cover to hide. Congrats on a great trip.
No caribou left in Quebec, hey guys?????? Hopefully see you on the tundra. Rory
Loving those pictures, fantastic.