This is the first that I have heard that this chopper was hunting out of zone. It would really suprise me cause the caribou we're abundant about 40 miles south of Mirage and that is still in the zone. Not sure if the helicopter belonged to Mirage or not but when we we're there, their we're two helicopters, one Beaver and one turbo Otter in operation. The airplanes we're picking up the caribou while the choppers carried the hunters back and forth.

As far as the heard suffering this year, I personnally think that it will not for several reasons: The hunt being more difficult not everyone came back with Caribou, not everyone could afford the helicopter ride. Another factor is the ministry installed a new checkpoint at Relais 381 where you have to register your caribou with game wardens. Makes alot less tempting for guys to get an extra caribou or two. The game wardens told us that they estimated about 25,000 caribou where being killed by hunters but only aprox.10,000 where being registered. It makes for a better control. A large majority of the heard was too far south to be hunted this year. That will help as well. We saw alot of calves which is usually a good indication for a healthy heard. Rumor has it that the ministry had about 5000 animals killed last summer for population control, so I don't think the heard is suffering at all, (this info is not confirmed though).