Bathurst Caribou
Harvest Levels
There
are few restrictions on Aboriginal people for hunting Bathurst caribou for
their own use, but there are limits on the number that can be harvested by
Aboriginal people for commercial sale.
Many
northern communities harvest Bathurst caribou. Hunters from Kugluktuk,
Umingmaktok, and Bathurst Inlet harvest Bathurst caribou in years when
spring migrations or post-calving caribou are in the vicinity of the
communities. Hunters from Gameti, Wekweti, Wha Ti, Rae, Edzo, Detah,
Yellowknife and Lutsel K'e harvest Bathurst caribou either during
community hunts in the fall or when the herd uses a winter range in the
vicinity of the communities. Aboriginal hunters from other parts of the
NWT may also harvest Bathurst caribou in winter when the herd is
accessible by ice road.
The annual Aboriginal harvest is unknown and varies
significantly from year to year depending upon the distribution of the
herd.
Resident
hunters
are allowed to harvest up to two barren-ground caribou, male only, each year.
The resident harvest occurs in two peaks; one in the fall when the
caribou are near the treeline and another in winter when the herd is
accessible by ice road.
Non-resident
hunters
can harvest a maximum of two caribou per year and must obtain the services
of a licensed outfitter. These outfitted hunts provide business and
employment opportunities to local residents and bring approximately $3
million a year into the territorial economy.
Resident and non-resident harvest levels
for the Bathurst Caribou
|
Year
|
Resident
|
Non-Resident
|
|
1982
|
250
|
2
|
|
1983
|
389
|
14
|
|
1984
|
924
|
24
|
|
1985
|
348
|
57
|
|
1986
|
432
|
67
|
|
1987
|
1065
|
165
|
|
1988
|
1905
|
291
|
|
1989
|
1437
|
349
|
|
1990
|
1547
|
227
|
|
1991
|
2004
|
180
|
|
1992
|
1469
|
343
|
|
1993
|
2143
|
517
|
|
1994
|
1238
|
409
|
|
1995
|
1668
|
574
|
|
1996
|
1093
|
684
|
|
1997
|
1296
|
696
|
|
1998
|
925
|
644
|
|
1999
|
1261
|
784
|
|
2000
|
998
|
911
|
|
2001
|
527
|
921
|
|
2002
|
1050
|
1150
|
|
