Field judging caribou
Contributors to this thread:Caribou
From: Jasper
02-Jun-20
Going on my first Alaskan caribou hunt in 2021. Would like to see some pics with P&Y scores so I can somewhat get in my mind what class bull I’m looking for. Are all the animals in Alaska the barren ground subspecies or are there mountain caribou as well? Thanks much! John
From: Kurt
02-Jun-20
No Mt Caribou in Alaska, they are just in BC, and parts of the Yukon and NWT.
From: Rgiesey
02-Jun-20
From: wkochevar
02-Jun-20
No idea what P&Y score is, but according to outfitter this is a green velvet 433" Mt Bou.
From: Kurt
03-Jun-20
Heck of a 'bou!!!!
From: Charlie Rehor
03-Jun-20
Download a Caribou score sheet from the P&Y website then read the measuring directions on the back. There are five or six things to look for. Ex. A double shovel can add 25+ points to a score. Looking at the past record book entries you can determine the minimum required in each category to get to a desired result. Caribou are not as hard to judge as they look if you break em down. Have a great hunt!
From: Nick Muche
03-Jun-20
There are more measurements on a caribou than any other specie. I'd say that is one thing that makes them difficult to field judge and put an estimate on them. That being said, if you look for good/long tops, mass, double shovel, back points and long bez points, you'll be on the right track. I classify them in three categories based on frame size and taking into account the items noted above... Giant, Decent and Meat.
I scored one recently for P&Y that had a somewhat weak looking 300" Frame, but he had 26" of back scratcher points, taking him over the P&Y Minimum.
A 325" Barren Ground Caribou will look real nice, so will a 300". Double Shovels help a lot, but not all caribou will have them, in fact, most do not. The folks you are hunting with will not let you shoot a small one if you tell them what you are looking for in advance. Plus, you get two permits, shoot a warm up bull first :)
From: Jasper
03-Jun-20
Good grief what a bou! Great idea Charlie and thanks Nick (again). ?? My goal is to kill a solid P&Y bull, 325” plus
From: Trial153
03-Jun-20
Great bull Kip.
From: Nick Muche
04-Jun-20
This one was 398” gross. Took me all day to finally kill him.
From: Nick Muche
04-Jun-20
This is a great bull, but shy of 325” because he didn’t have double shovels.
From: Nick Muche
04-Jun-20
This one was smaller frame but he has a little of everything. 335”
From: Nick Muche
04-Jun-20
This one has nothing but I had 5 tags and figured, what the hell... meat
From: Kurt
04-Jun-20
Nick, Great caribou...all of them. Made to supply meat to the food chain, us included.
From: Rgiesey
05-Jun-20
Here’s a Quebec Labrador. Net 326. I always looked for 2 long top points and ended up with all met PnY caribou.
From: Rgiesey
05-Jun-20
Here he is mounted. Not great photos.
From: Rgiesey
05-Jun-20
Heres a net 326 barren ground that we thought was bigger because he had some nice top points. Still only score 2 but he looks good
From: squirrel
06-Jun-20
Big enough I had to dump the pee outa my boots after missing at 55, I thought he was 45.
