Spatsizi
- Thread starter DuncanS
- Start date
Good boots, good glass, super light on everything, pack and repack at home, make sure you’re in top shape and have a great time. You didn’t say when you were going, but make sure your rain gear and tent/tarp will work if it rains for a couple days (I can tell you that my ultra lite bivy sack seemed like a good idea until the second day of rain). There were lots of grizzlies there, interrupted several stalks, as did fog. There is a background sound in that area, a hum, still not sure what that was. The plateau is an amazing place, and the caribou seem to always be in motion. You can cut them off, but can’t catch them once they go by. Good luck, it’s going to be a great trip, make sure to post pics.
Lots of valuable info neatly condensed by Willen. As stated, caribou are constantly on the move, you can'y catch them, you need to try to get in front of them. Your sleeping bag ( and your tent) can be your survival in case stormy weather moves in, you could be tent bound for several days. Because of the logistics this hunt is more practical for a group of 2-4 ( shared loads, shared costs). Don't forget, these are Mountain Caribou, the biggest of their species, a good bull like you intend to shoot is much bigger than any mule or whitetail deer and the antlers are heavy and awkward too. BC regs call for salvage of all the edible meat so if successful this will add over 200 pounds to your load (s), count on many slow trips heavily loaded. Spatsizi is very close to Heaven, I envy you.
- Location
- Saskatchewan
Have a great hunt! some comments in addition to the excellent ones above...Wear wool next to your skin, shun cotton. Gore-tex or similar lined boots are essential. Good binoculars are also essential, your most used piece of hunting equipment. Bring some beef boullion cubes and dehydrated onions and seasoned salt so you can boil up the ribs in camp and feast on the most unwieldy part of the caribou. There is nearly no firewood in parts of the plateau, or none worth burning. Make sure you have enough stove fuel for basic needs.
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Not meaning to rain on your parade, as you are heading into some of the prettiest country around, make sure you have a secure place to leave vehicles etc. Lots of politics underway in this area. Played hockey with Reg and Ray Collingwood for a while. They have the guiding territory in that area, nice guys. Take some fishing gear if you can fit it in depending on which part of the plateau you will be in. Probably won't have the time. You are in for a real treat.
Well how did it turn out? This is a hunt I keep considering. Seriously talking about setting up to do it next year. Did you fly in or hike? How long were you in for? Lots of competition as far as hunters went? As much game out there as they claim?
nowarningshot
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Caribou are also incredibly stupid. Perhaps the big bulls are different, but cows and juveniles could be killed with a club or bayonet.
OP, hike in trips are incredibly tedious as well as being a lot of hard work.
You don't mention how you're traveling. Part driving, then fly in to a lake or landing strip and hike from there to a base camp?
Find a place the Caribou cross the river or stream. They don't like to change and will come back to the same spot, even if a tree has fallen across the spot they climb out. My partner and I spent half a day cutting away a big Spruce that had fallen down a bank and blocked the animals from getting out of the water to the trail. There were close to 20 drowned animals there. All they had to do was use a crossing a hundred yards upstream, but not a chance in hell. Game Warden and RCMP came by in a chopper later and thanked us. They had no idea how many died because of their bone headed stubborn ways.
The only advice I'm going to give you is make sure your sleeping bag is rated for the temps there. Dry firewood can be hard come by there and if it's raining, like everywhere else in BC it will be miserable hunting.
On our last trip we stayed an extra three days because it was socked in right to the ground and visibility was about 50 meters during the day.
By this time, most of the leaves should be off the trees and the streams/rivers will be full of the dropped leaves. You may have trouble finding palatable water as well. Not that the ponds are dangerous but they can be full of minerals that will cause a bitter taste. Some of the streams and rivers will be full of silt, especially with all the rain, just let the water sit for 20 minutes and the silt will settle out.
Hopefully you're an experienced hiker. Especially when it comes to packing out meat and horns.
Coffee/Tea/Soup are a must. Especially if you get cold and soaked. A few small cans of Sterno to heat up the fixings can save your life if hypothermia sets in.
As mentioned, gorgeous country. If you're going to the right spots, it's like going to a supermarket for game and the sightseeing is stupendous.
You don't mention how you're traveling. Part driving, then fly in to a lake or landing strip and hike from there to a base camp?
Find a place the Caribou cross the river or stream. They don't like to change and will come back to the same spot, even if a tree has fallen across the spot they climb out. My partner and I spent half a day cutting away a big Spruce that had fallen down a bank and blocked the animals from getting out of the water to the trail. There were close to 20 drowned animals there. All they had to do was use a crossing a hundred yards upstream, but not a chance in hell. Game Warden and RCMP came by in a chopper later and thanked us. They had no idea how many died because of their bone headed stubborn ways.
The only advice I'm going to give you is make sure your sleeping bag is rated for the temps there. Dry firewood can be hard come by there and if it's raining, like everywhere else in BC it will be miserable hunting.
On our last trip we stayed an extra three days because it was socked in right to the ground and visibility was about 50 meters during the day.
By this time, most of the leaves should be off the trees and the streams/rivers will be full of the dropped leaves. You may have trouble finding palatable water as well. Not that the ponds are dangerous but they can be full of minerals that will cause a bitter taste. Some of the streams and rivers will be full of silt, especially with all the rain, just let the water sit for 20 minutes and the silt will settle out.
Hopefully you're an experienced hiker. Especially when it comes to packing out meat and horns.
Coffee/Tea/Soup are a must. Especially if you get cold and soaked. A few small cans of Sterno to heat up the fixings can save your life if hypothermia sets in.
As mentioned, gorgeous country. If you're going to the right spots, it's like going to a supermarket for game and the sightseeing is stupendous.
but they can be so tasty. the number they are or were is the reason they look like dumb.
bdft
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Yeah, it snowed a foot in mid August at Red Chris. That's just west of the Spatsizi. Or maybe a grizzly ate him. And some of those Iskut girls have most of their teeth.
Typical.....
New Member, Ask extravagant hunting Questions , Leaves.
never to be heard of again an always leaving us beggin for photos......
ah well, maybe he didnt get one
Maybe he got lost up there....
http://http://www.missinginspatsizi.com/
Rob
anyone remember Carverk?
he was a member here up till a couple years ago.
We kept in touch outside CGN but it has been a couple years since I've been able to contact him.
phone # is dead, email addy and CGN account are dead..... links to him thru the galleries and museums his carving work is displayed at are dead....
last time I remember him posting he had gotten a grizzly draw for some very remote part of the province that involved a river run and hike out.
never heard from him again.
I could contact the band office in Haida Gwaii I guess and that will come next maybe. I've also thought that maybe the guy just wants to be left alone and decided to cut ties with everyone outside the Gwaii. which is very possible too.
he was a member here up till a couple years ago.
We kept in touch outside CGN but it has been a couple years since I've been able to contact him.
phone # is dead, email addy and CGN account are dead..... links to him thru the galleries and museums his carving work is displayed at are dead....
last time I remember him posting he had gotten a grizzly draw for some very remote part of the province that involved a river run and hike out.
never heard from him again.
I could contact the band office in Haida Gwaii I guess and that will come next maybe. I've also thought that maybe the guy just wants to be left alone and decided to cut ties with everyone outside the Gwaii. which is very possible too.
Carverk moors his boat (or used to) at Port Ed near Rupert. I have a buddy there as well. I never met Carverk but was going to connect with him next time I went to visit buddy but that was a couple years now. I will give him call and see if Carverk's boat is still handy?
