Barren‑ground caribou inhabit the tundra of Alaska and northern Canada. They are medium‑sized deer with brown coats that become paler in winter; mature males often display a white neck and creamy rump. Bulls measure 1–1.2 m at the shoulder and may weigh around 200 kg, while cows weigh 90–135 kg. Caribou are unusual among deer because both sexes carry antlers, and male antlers can exceed 1.5 m in height. Their broad, concave hooves spread like snowshoes and act as paddles when crossing rivers.
Hunts for barren‑ground caribou take place in vast open country where animals migrate between summer tundra ranges and wintering grounds. In northwest Alaska, outfitters establish remote tent camps along the Western Arctic herd’s migration corridor near Kotzebue, which hosts some 500,000 animals. Hunters glass from ridges and then spot‑and‑stalk individual bulls, often hiking across tundra and river valleys. Success is highest when hunts coincide with the late‑summer and early‑autumn migrations, and some operators offer drop‑off or fully guided options.
Caribou herds undergo cyclic fluctuations, and many Canadian herds have recently declined, prompting wildlife agencies to classify the barren‑ground population as threatened. Habitat loss, climate change, increased predation, and industrial development are key threats. Consequently, hunting is tightly regulated with quotas, tag lotteries and requirements for non‑resident hunters to use licensed outfitters. In Alaska, for example, non‑resident hunters may take only two caribou and must purchase appropriate tags, while indigenous communities continue subsistence harvests. Revenue from sustainable trophy hunts contributes to herd monitoring and helps fund conservation initiatives.
Caribou are one of the few ungulates where females retain antlers through winter, enabling pregnant cows to defend feeding sites. Their large hooves not only support travel over snow and muskeg but also leave distinctive four‑clawed tracks. Barren‑ground caribou herds travel hundreds of kilometres each year, and their migrations are central to the culture of indigenous peoples who have depended on them for millennia.
Barren‑Ground Caribou can be found in the following location:
Barren‑Ground Caribou has the following variations:
- (Varieties to be confirmed)
