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| Kamestastin 2008 Continued |
| The Really Big Day - October 11 (and the "Caribou Dance") |
We'd all first seen caribou in any numbers on the 8th of October and had all had some fantastic encounters since.
On this particular morning Linda, Cole and Steve had just headed off for a planned long trek through the river
bottom east of the lake where John and Rob had first encountered high numbers of caribou. Gary was setting up a
shot, John and Sue were still in their cabin and Tony, Jay and Rob were having coffee in the Guide Cabin.
Suddenly Tony calmly exclaimed, "Caribou - hundreds of them". Gary came in just a few seconds later with the
same news having seen them while working outside. There was a scramble for gear and Rob ran to John and Sue's
cabin to make sure they got the word. Happily Linda, Steve and Cole hadn't gone too far; in fact they were in
perfect position to intercept the first wave as it came ashore.
On this particular morning Linda, Cole and Steve had just headed off for a planned long trek through the river
bottom east of the lake where John and Rob had first encountered high numbers of caribou. Gary was setting up a
shot, John and Sue were still in their cabin and Tony, Jay and Rob were having coffee in the Guide Cabin.
Suddenly Tony calmly exclaimed, "Caribou - hundreds of them". Gary came in just a few seconds later with the
same news having seen them while working outside. There was a scramble for gear and Rob ran to John and Sue's
cabin to make sure they got the word. Happily Linda, Steve and Cole hadn't gone too far; in fact they were in
perfect position to intercept the first wave as it came ashore.
Among the groups coming ashore that
morning was a group of bulls in which there
was a bull with massive antler tops.
Mysteriously he was always just out of sight.
You can see his antlers in both the photo
above and to the right - he seemed eerily able
to use others to shield himself
morning was a group of bulls in which there
was a bull with massive antler tops.
Mysteriously he was always just out of sight.
You can see his antlers in both the photo
above and to the right - he seemed eerily able
to use others to shield himself
Tony estimated the first mass at about 700
and they just kept coming all morning
and they just kept coming all morning
A straggler who ran right past Rob and his
tripod mounted camera. He first came over the
bluff and nearly bumped into Cole and Linda
who were having a conversation (the action
seeming to have died down) and started
running- nearly into Gary and Rob
Photos by Rob Mullen
tripod mounted camera. He first came over the
bluff and nearly bumped into Cole and Linda
who were having a conversation (the action
seeming to have died down) and started
running- nearly into Gary and Rob
Photos by Rob Mullen
One of the largest bulls among the
herd that came through on October
11. Caribou are quite curious once
they deem you aren't a threat
Photo by Rob Mullen
herd that came through on October
11. Caribou are quite curious once
they deem you aren't a threat
Photo by Rob Mullen
| The Caribou Dance Of course getting them to not see you as a threat is the rub. Running around in the open in a crouch or sneaking bush to bush just makes you look like a neurotic wolf and the vibe you put out is certainly predatory. Our favorite technique is to not act like a predator at all; an effective way to do that is the Caribou Dance. It is mildly embarrassing to do in public but if self-conscious self-respect is thrown to the wind you will have all the attention from caribou you could want; maybe more... Like in all of life the key is balance; you don't want them too curious, especially........ |
| When the bulls are in rut |
| All that fit the print |
Tony warned us that the "Caribou Dance" could become risky as the rut advanced.
wilderness River Expedition Art foundation