Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Listening Point - General Discussion :: Minnesota's last of its kind_Caribou
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jwartman59 |
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Pinetree |
jwartman59: "I’ve seen tens of thousands of caribou in Alaska and arctic Canada. Only one woodland caribou in wabakimi. Something you will never forget. My search is for wolverines, one destroyed my tent in Denali, never saw him, north face repaired that tent free of charge. " It must be something else when you see maybe 100 plus at a time. |
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sns |
jwartman59: "I’ve seen tens of thousands of caribou in Alaska and arctic Canada. Only one woodland caribou in wabakimi. Something you will never forget. My search is for wolverines, one destroyed my tent in Denali, never saw him, north face repaired that tent free of charge. " Wolverine remains one of my most notable wildlife sightings ever...Colorado, 25 years ago. Really want to see a Woodland Caribou (have also seen 'em in AK...) Sure would be cool to have them in MN, but given their struggles around the north shore of Lake Superior & on Michipicoten, it's a long way off. |
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LindenTree |
The wife and I did get stopped by a few thousand Caribou in our car one time on the (Old Denali Hwy) between Cantwell and Paxon one time. We had to wait 10 minutes or so, we were making them really nervous as we waited. Some were stumbling a little as they came down a steep ridge toward the road and our car. Finially I decided I better pass through them so one did not get hurt. I approached the herd and they opened up a path for us to drive right through them. |
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arctic |
Have only seen one wolverine--along the Hanbury River in the Canadian arctic in the early 90s. Caribou and wolverines are the true "indicator species" that represent the health of the northern, subarctic, and arctic ecosystems. |
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gravelroad |
LindenTree: "3 years in Ak and I never saw a Wolverine either, not sure if they live on the Kenai Peninsula, but I got around a bit in interior Ak and still never saw one. I once found wolverine tracks a few miles from our house near Eklutna, on a SAR mission near Thunder Bird Peak. The tracks went straight up the side of a very steep cirque and over the top, just as I imagined Gulo gulo would be wont to do. :-) I've never seen one in the wild, only those tracks. Here's a look at the terrain in question: "Ram to Eklutna" (misspelling in original has been fixed by me) |
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treehorn |
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Pinetree |
arctic: "Pinetree: "About 30 years ago talk was about stocking Caribou by Little Saganaga for that area had less deer than any area in the BWCA and less chance of getting the dreaded brain worm." I agree,I think caribou are very vulnerable to wolves. Look at Slate Island a few years ago the caribou population per square mile was higher than anywhere else. Wolves crossed the ice and last I heard there was almost none left. Not sure if the wolves still there. Always was going to go to Pulwaski park in Ontario than out to Slate Island. |
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arctic |
Pinetree: "arctic: "Pinetree: "About 30 years ago talk was about stocking Caribou by Little Saganaga for that area had less deer than any area in the BWCA and less chance of getting the dreaded brain worm." I read the wolves wiped out the caribou, then starved to death. Last I read was that caribou were being re-introduced from Michipicoten Island... |
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LindenTree |
gravelroad: " gravelroad, don't you live in Duluth? I'm in Piedmont Heights area we should get together for a drink sometime, I'd love to hear your Ak stories. I didn't know you spent time there. PM me if your interested, no problem either way. |
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arctic |
Pinetree: "About 30 years ago talk was about stocking Caribou by Little Saganaga for that area had less deer than any area in the BWCA and less chance of getting the dreaded brain worm." I think the big blowdown storm of 1999 ended that idea. Also, research in Ontario has shown that woodland caribou can only survive where wolf numbers are very low. Deer keep wolves way more abundant in northern Minnesota than back in the days when we had caribou... |
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rtallent |
Have spent 12 weeks cumulative since 2011 in the Wabakimi area and have not seen a caribou. Deerfoot has spent more time than that, before he saw his first one, I think. Interestingly, Wabakimi Provincial Park also has a wolverine on record, from a trailcam. They indicated unsure whether it is resident or travelling through. |
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yellowcanoe |
Quetico Caribou? I was amused when we went to Newfoundland and found quite a few caribou.. There are lots of moose and few deer there. We found caribou just outside Tilting a small town on Fogo Island There are also a stunning amount of long lived blackflies.. They ate us. In September. |
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Pinetree |
Many times while canoeing, for some odd reason, I look and wonder - hey, that looks like a spot where I will see a caribou. Boy, that would of been something. Yes, I know I wasn't going to see one, almost. Just a nice little article and a good read for me of the past. Caribou |
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PuffinGin |
Missmolly, thanks to you too for sharing Jasper video. |
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Pinetree |
yellowcanoe: "Probably people wiped out the caribou.. The last one in Maine was hunted around 1900.. They require roadless areas. I think they are very vulnerable to hunting. You wonder why not present in Quetico tho. Reading like the year 1680- Father Hennepin(had a Mission at Mille lacs than) at Mille lacs lake talked about Caribou and Caribou trails on the north end of Mille lacs than. |
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missmolly |
jwartman59: "I’ve seen tens of thousands of caribou in Alaska and arctic Canada. Only one woodland caribou in wabakimi. Something you will never forget. My search is for wolverines, one destroyed my tent in Denali, never saw him, north face repaired that tent free of charge. " Speaking of wolverines, ever see this lucky man? |
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BearBurrito |
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yellowcanoe |
Every once in a while reintroducing them is bandied about but nothing can come of it.. Too much human disturbance, habitat destroyed and coyotes and black bear populations on the rise Our nearest caribou are about 400 miles away.. Studies show that humans have a profound effect.. even the ecologically correct? Backcountry skier Humans and caribou |
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Exaybachay |
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Pinetree |
arctic: "I love caribou. I've seen a couple of woodland caribou in Wabikimi, and hundreds of barren-ground caribou in the Canadian arctic. About 30 years ago talk was about stocking Caribou by Little Saganaga for that area had less deer than any area in the BWCA and less chance of getting the dreaded brain worm. |