Full Camo

Ps. On the helicopter crash, the pilot and the guide died in the crash when the chopper was setting down in thick snow. It seems like one side went trough the snow and the blades touched down on the side. The two we're killed instantly but out of the 4 hunters, two we're ejected with no injuries and two others remained in the chopper with their seatbelts attached but unhurt. Both the pilot and the guide we're fairly unexperienced in the north, whether that was relevant in the crash or not, I guess no one will really ever know. Those are the facts as I heard them from Luc, the owner.

TerryM

Sounds like you put in a great effort and have some good memories to hang on to. Congratulations. As for dropping into the middle of a herd with a chopper and then mowing them down as fast as possible, thats not for me but to each his own not cutting anyone for doing it though.

Full Camo

Thanks TerryM, Your right, I hope I didn't come across that way by cutting down the folks that went the helicopter way. I had some friends that hunted that way and to each is own, all I wanted to say was that I personnally would rather come back empty handed then to use those means of hunting. But for anyone that did or wishes to do so, I am sure it must be an exciting experience as well. Cheers!

rrules

I agree with you fellas, I wouldn't be interested in Heli-Hunt either. Sounds like the hunting has been tough up there since I left I am glad you got your Bous, Full Camo. You had to work for them this year! That is what hunting is all about though!

got a hunch

It's too bad about the helicopter accident. Mirage has had a good safety record in the past. Do you know if the copter was owned by Mirage or if it was a charter? Even if you hit the migration at its peak it still pays to get back off the road. There is less hunting pressure and I think there is a better chance at seeing bigger bulls, not to mention the safety factor. Three or four miles off the road makes a big difference. You can wait and stalk if the snow isn't too deep. Also a better chance for great pics and video. Sounds like you guys earned your animals through old fasioned work and determination. Congrats.

mullis56

I hope those hunters and the Mirage gets in DEEP CRAP for hunting out of the zone. I remember when I was up there....a lot of the herd was south and west of the Mirage and when we were eating dinner at the Mirage (we didn't stay there) a couple of guys were talking to a guide about flying s.w. to hunt the next morning. That had to be out of the hunting zone for non-residents. My dad and I thought that at that time but didn't really do more than think.

Does anyone think that the herd will suffer from the winter this year?

Terry M - I believe you were wanting to do a fly-in in a couple of years? I have a US booking agent for Safari Nordik that is we are booking with for 2007 at rates cheaper than 2005 rates directly from the outfitter. In addition to that if we can get 6 total we can save $200 more each!!! We pay $800 now and the rest in 2007.

Here is the deal on Safari Nordik:
1. Guaranteed Mature bull or you get a FREE return trip or 1/2 money refunded
2. Move if you aren't seeing animals
3. Avg. 1.98 bulls per hunter for a number of years.

LET ME KNOW IF YOUR INTERESTED....ANYONE CAN AND WE'LL BOOK TOGETHER TO SAVE THE EXTRA $200.

THANKS.

Krazy Kanuck

My buddy went with his brother-in-law with whom he'd never hunted (how many stories do we all have about that?) and he turned out to be a wanker.

It didn't stop my buddy from hunting. He too snowmobiled above La Forge and they met another group. The BiL didn't want to go any further and they agreed to meet later. My buddy spent the rest of the day travelling and when he got back, no BiL! who had returned to Mirage with the other group. Luckily, he had enough gas.

Full Camo

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).

TerryM

Mulli56,
Appreciate the offer but at this point my plans for my next "adventure" hunt are to hunt mule deer. Never done that yet. I have done 1 flyin and 2 winter drive in hunts. The dollar amounts you are quoting seem incredibly cheap for a flyin hunt. Be very careful and find out what is and is not included here. Also where is your starting point? Very important question. Most quality flyins run @ $3500.00 and are fully outfitted with a comfortable tent camp complete with a screen house to protect your meat. You have never experienced mosquitos until you have walked a river bed in the tundra in late august. One often over looked advantage of the flyin is it can put ou into fabulous trout and arctic char fishing. When I flew in we missed the migration by 10 days ( all got skunked) and ended up fishing, shooting geese and ptarmigan. I would catch an arctic char every morning that would feed 4 guys breakfast!!! The flyin will also give you on average much better bulls as the are the first to drop thier antlers. One negative is that the meat is no where as nice in the fall as the winte stuff. I have had both and there is no comparison. For that reason I consider a flyin more of an adventure/trophy hunt. Check out explo-sylva outfitters. They have been in business for years and have top notch camps.

Krazy Kanuck

This has been a good year for my buddies. Besides the one who went caribou hunting, three others went on a fly-in mule deer hunt in central BC.

Only one got a deer and they were disappointed. Thet thought they would be hunting on exclusive territory, but it was Crown land and they had to compete with other hunters, many on all terrain vehicles from the near-by roads.

If the price is really low I believe it would be wise to inquire as to exactly where and in what kind of territory you will be hunting. Just my 2¢.