That 270 150G is a great flat round for this hunt - 200-400 yards seems to be typical - if you are a good shot you will not have an issue. I use both a 7mmRMAG (165g NAB) and 300 WMAG (180g NAB). Close shots <=200 use the 300 but outside of the 200 I use the 7mm because of the flat shooting. We have shot as far a 600 yds - that is where you see the round hit the snow and adjust up from there.

The area is still warm and about where it has been for the past couple of years - so I think the animals jsut have a better pattern for us this year. In 2006 they were already below 55 and west of Claire and those thay looked to be comming down Bieneville went due west to meet the herd. By Mid October 2006 they were hard west and grouped along the Grande River so by the Mid Nov they were all crossing @ LG3/LG4 with a few stragglers filtering down LA1. Very bad year.

I hope that the weather holds to keep them at Bieneville - this will help us hunting the LA1 area. This pattern looks alot like 2004 which 10's of thousands in LA1 in late Nov - but hopefully without the -35F.

Hope there are no problems like they are having over in Schefferville. CB

If there is one thing I've learned since I started watching this thread 3 years ago & watching the migration maps...it this. These animals are as unpredictable as the weather!

I will be posting pictures when we return and giving all an update on our hunt. I know how much those posts meant to me last year. Our hunt was postponed partly because of reading posts in this forum from people who were up.

My goal is to shoot a bull with my bow & I know my chances of doing that will be much greater if they are there in great numbers!! If not, I'll just have to trust my .308 will find it's mark on two animals.

OK, I've got to ask.. What is happening in Sshefferville?

From what I hear, the local Indian tribe is blocking the access to the outfitters. They are claiming that the hunting pressure is messing up the migration of the caribou. No flights in or out. Hunts are being cancelled. Looks like a big problem brewing. CB

The last I had heard on this was that it was not going to be an issue. In the springtribunals were considering severla options: Reducing thenumber of tags,Shutting down some outfitters,Restricting some areas, etc.My understanding was that once they began to look at thefinancial impact to this the tribes voted it down - they revenue they get from the govenment for open access is considerable and blocking any part of this was a breach of contract and the money would stop flowing. There were also a bunch of science reports on the herds which showed good growth potential of the GRH based on the weight of the calves - which is 25% more than the LRH, indicating good herd expansion potential/trends.

I think the real issue are jsut natural changes in migration patterns like we see with LRH, except in the case of the GRH, the navigable area if much reduced and a small migration change has a larger impact. Theyhave been keeping wayeast of smallwood over the past 3 years and this season looks to be the same. I know that the GRH does get hit hard, but the browse is much better in there region with a much higher capacity, which keeps the migration tighter.

The Indians own the land and at the end of the day they can kick us all out - but it is the wertern life stylethey like and I am sure the younger generation are not willing to give up the new trucks and the color TV's. You will see hugh difference of opinon when you talkto a youth over an elder - vision is night and day and I think that is what drove the change in venue this year.

I see reservations at the big guys still open for Fall and winter, also next year is open as well. Alot of this info comes from Chambeaux hunters/staff and I will ask for an update and post it here. Last news I received was just before 01 AUG 07.

OK - I have gotton the skinny:

This is basically affecting 4 local outfitters in Schefferville - the main outfitters are not having any issues. These local guys have to travel because they do not have any outpost camps and the Innuit are having an issue with these types on uncontrolled excursions - with an outfitter and camp things are a little more above board and the tax money if visible.

The root issue from this srping was that the food is no longer plentyful around Schefferville and this is why the animals are turning east - it takes many years for the lichen to recover and the herd has grown so much that they have wipped out supplies on the old migration trails and are now looking for others. The problem the Innuit have is they do not have access to planes and suchand if you are in the Scheffeville area you are not going to see any. I recall years back Wabush used to be loaded with animals and you could have good success hunting from here up to Schefferville - not to mention drive in also.

This sound like it should not affect anyone not using these small.local outfitters.

The 24 SEP 07 Map looks good and I think the easterly flow of the herd is going to make for some great hunt opportunties Nov and Dec in LA1. Day time temps are 40F or so which is good to keep the herd @ Bieneville to browse and keep them following the funnel into LA1.

66 days and counting.....

Hey Bouman where is LA 1 in relation to LG-4? I've never been up there before and I'm going to Mirage on November 26th to the 29th. Do you have a link to a good map on the web that you can post so I can check it out? I hope the caribou are in where I will be hunting. I've shot a few moose and many deer, but it will be a first for caribou.

Yup, those dots are look'n good!

Luv2Hnt -

Take a look at the migration map - if you pull up say Nov 27 to Dec 04 2006, you can get a good look at the areas - and also how bad the migration was last year as they wereclose to Matagami at this time. If you look at the road that heads due north off the Taiga road 35 klicks east of Mirage - this is the Laforge Road and at the top you will see a dot that says LA1. This is the Dam location for the LA1 Res - Laforge 1. When the migration is with us and I think it will be, the hunting east and west of the Laforge Road will be great. Abovethedam the road is a little rougher but I would recommend going up as the animals will be pushing across here heading down LA1. Kisk built there lodge based on the animal resources up thereand I would head up - justwatch the road and don't pull off it - evenwhen head to head with another truck - better to tap mirrors than to slide off the shoulderthat you think is there. We have pulled a few out in the past and it could take a couple oftrucks.

Caribou meat will have you hooked - nothing like it. Also -don't shoot the first thing you see - being a woods hunterittook me a couple of yearsto shake the feverwhenyou see them, take you time and you can get a couple of nice aninals. Mirage is also a great lodge - the food and people and #1 and this will get you back next year. We are hoping the roads are not too bad, but that is alsopart of the adventure- just keep the fur off your grill! You can come around a corneron the Taiga road asseehundredsin the road.

Leave me a note at the desk and let me know how you guys did.




http://www.mrnf.gouv.qc.ca/english/wildlife/maps-caribou/maps.jsp