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Home
Answers to your questions: archives for 2003
- Migration patterns of Leaf River herd
- Will work for knowledge
- Caribou nutrient-dense, not nutrient-deficient
- Caribou farming?
- Keeping tabs on the George River herd
- How the BQCMB gets the word out
- A love of languages
- Caribou 'N Bits?
- Board members and their roles
- Understanding "inuksuit"
- Peary caribou
- Nutritional value of caribou
- The value of caribou to the Gwich'in
- Caribou meat to bait fur-bearers
- Buying wild meat
Migration patterns of Leaf River herd
Dec. 20, 2003
Q. i am planning a winter hunt for caribou and was wonder where the leaf river herd gathers based on migration patterns from mid november to mid december. the hunt will actually take place in late november with mirage outfitters, i understand they are located somewhere near LG 4 thank you
M.S.
Erie, Pennsylvania
A. You'll find weekly maps showing the locations of some satellite-collared Leaf River caribou here, at the web site of the Government of Quebec's Department of Wildlife and Parks.
Dec. 16, 2003
Q. I am studying today for a master of agronomy in one of the five French National Schools of Agronomy (ENSA) in Toulouse and I would like to do a 10-week training period in your organization between roughly the 10 June 2004 and the 15 September 2004. This training period is integrated into the engineer formation of ENSAT and guarantees an extensive discovery of professional world before the engineer training period at the end of studies.So, I would like to seize this opportunity to increase my professional abilities in the environmental protection and sustainable development fields. Every project or study affecting the sustainable development, the organic farming or the environmental protection would be liable to captive my motivation. Fond of nature and environment since my childhood, I would wish to support the action of entreprises, research laboratories and organizations committed in these studies. I thank you in advance and I am looking forward to reading you. Yours faithfully
J.-F. P.
Castanet, France
A. Thank you for your letter. We appreciate your interest but unfortunately, due to fiscal restraints, there are no work placements we can offer you. Best of luck in your endeavours.
Caribou nutrient-dense, not nutrient-deficient
Dec. 16, 2003
Q. I am reading a book called Professional Guide's Manual volume 2 and in it there is a statement that caribou has so little food value in the meat that you can starve on an all caribou meat diet. I'm just wondering if this is true or not. I recently went to the Arctic Circle caribou hunting and found the meat to be quite tasty, thus the confusion. If you could please answer this for me. Thank You in advance.
R.V.
Big Lake, Minnesota
A. The truth is, in fact, the exact opposite. Nutritionists call caribou a nutrient-dense food.Eating all edible parts of caribou provides a majority of nutrients which, in a southern diet, would have to be obtained from a variety of foods. The only essential nutrient that caribou meat lacks is vitamin D. Caribou meat is low in fat: 1 g fat per 100 g portion (cooked). The equivalent value for beef is 23, for veal 12, for chicken 13, for pork 45, and for lamb, 28. In terms of protein, the equivalencies per 100 g are: caribou 38, beef 17, veal 19, chicken 20, pork 12, and lamb, 16. You mentioned that you read about caribou meat having no nutrients in a book, Professional Guide's Manual volume 2. Could you tell me who publishes this manual, and where they're based? We should bring this inaccuracy to their attention.
Nov. 4, 2003
Q. Is there any Caribou farming in Canada and is it possible to do so like with bison and other wild animals ?
M.T.
A. To my knowledge there isn't any caribou farming in Canada but there is some reindeer husbandry (farming), an activity much more common in Scandinavian countries. There is also lots of elk farming. This link lists all kind of deer and elk farming associations in Canada, with contact info for each.
Keeping tabs on the George River herd
Nov. 3, 2003
Q. I would like to know how to get update information on the Caribou migratory. Have been having hard time to get this information on line and the weather report as well. The area is in Radisson, Quebec Provinces area. The reason that I had asked on this. Cause will be going there on 16 of November, 2003 This is the first time I am going there. Thank you for the time and hope that you can help me on this.
M.S.
Canton, Michigan
A. This would be the George River herd in northern Quebec, which is out of our range. For current migratory information, you could contact Serge Couturier, a Quebec biologist who works with this herd.
Serge Couturier
Wildlife biologist
Société de la faune et des parcs du Québec
Tel.: 1 (418) 521-3959 ext.7381
E-mail: tuttu@videotron.ca
Take a look as well at the web site of the Government of Quebec's Department of Wildlife and Parks (Société de la faune et des parcs du Québec). Maps are posted weekly with the locations of some satellite collared George River caribou. For background information on the George River herd, you could also check out the web site of the Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Co-ordinating Committee, the co-management group for wildlife in the James Bay area.
How the BQCMB gets the word out
Oct. 8, 2003
Q. I was wondering if the BQCMB ran any interpretive programs or centres to provide public education and awareness of the caribou herds
.F. F.
Calgary, Alberta
A. We don't have interpretive centres or programs, but that we do have lots of good info on our web site (check out Caribou News in Brief or the Important Habitats CD-ROM). You are also welcome to drop in on Board meetings if you're in the area.
August 8, 2003
Q. Hello! A few years ago (1995) I picked up a copy of the Caribou News at the Northern Lecture Series at Trent University in Peterborough Ontario. Ever since then, I have looked at the paper for its Inuktitut and Dene language articles. While going through your archive index, I noticed two articles that would be of special interest to me, having to do with Chipewyan syllabics, Vol 2 No.5:12 F '83 and Vol 5 No.4:2 D '85. Is there any way to get back issues of the newsletter, or are there any libraries you know of that would stock the newsletter back that far (as I'd love to look through all the back issues). Thanks
C. H.
Oakville, Ontario
A. Toronto, Trent and McMaster University Libraries have been on our mailing list since 1982. You should be able to get the copies you want through an inter-library loan. Back issues are also available in microform from Micromedia Limited , 20 Victoria Street, Toronto M5C 2N8 Good luck
July 25, 2003
Q. Is it true that if you feed Caribou to domesticated pets that it will kill them? Or is it that it is against a belief not to do so?
D. V.
Tionesta, Pennsylvania
A. There is no truth in this myth (never heard it before) and it's not against anybody's belief, though it is illegal in most jurisdictions because of conservation concerns.
May 13, 2003
Q. Can you tell the structure of your management board of your company and also the various positions on the board. Also, can you tell the different roles and responsibilities of various positions on your board. Thank you so much for helping.
N.
Sydney, Australia
A. The Beverly and Qamanirjuaq Caribou Management Board consists of 14 members, including a chairman and vice-chairman who head the board's twice-annual meetings. The main purpose of the board is to safeguard the caribou of the Beverly and Qamanirjuaq herds for communities that wish to maintain a lifestyle that includes the use of caribou, as well as for all Canadians and people of other nations. Nine board members represent aboriginal communities, and five represent federal, provincial and territorial governments. The board also employs a secretary-treasurer in a part-time position.
April 25, 2003
Q. What is the meaning of the word "inukhuit," sometimes spelled "inuksuit"? J.O.
Victoria, British Columbia
A. "Inuksuit" is the plural form of "inuksuk." These rock cairns can be seen across the Arctic. Each distinctive one is built from stones at hand. They are said to be among the oldest, most significant human objects in the Arctic landscape and in pre-contact days were crucial communication forms, from objects of veneration to navigational aids to informational tools for hunting, food and supplies. You can read all about them in Inuksuit: Silent Messengers of the Arctic by Norm Hallendy ISBN 155054778. Published September 2000. Loosely translated "inuksuk" means "in the likeness of a person ."
April 2, 2003
Q. Where does the peary caribou fit in with other species? Does the peary caribou depend on other species to survive?A.
A. Peary caribou are a subspecies of caribou confined entirely to the Canadian arctic islands and are considered a threatened species. They do not depend on other species to survive. They are smaller than barren-ground caribou.
Nutritional value of caribou
March 23, 2003
Q. I have just one question, someone told me that Caribou meat has no nutritional value, is that true? R.
Gaylord, Michigan
A. I am glad you asked because I have heard statements like that before and it's difficult to understand how beliefs like that can have any credence. Nutritionists describe caribou as a nutrient-dense food. The consumption of all edible parts of caribou provides a majority of nutrients which, in a southern diet, would have to be obtained from a variety of foods. The only essential nutrient which caribou meat lacks is vitamin D. Caribou meat is low in fat: 1 g fat per 100 g portion (cooked). The equivalent value for beef is 23, for veal 12, for chicken 13, for pork 45, and for lamb, 28.If you are interested in protein, the equivalencies per 100 g are: caribou 38, beef 17, veal 19, chicken 20, pork 12, and lamb, 16.
The value of caribou to the Gwich'in
March 6, 2003
Q. Where can I get precise information on the use, option and nonuse value of the caribou to the Gwitch'in people in terms of monetary value?
M. P.
Potsdam, New York
A. The Gwich'in Renewable Resource Board has done a number of studies and they might be your best source. Check their web site.
Caribou meat to bait fur-bearers
Feb. 25, 2003
Q. I would very much appreciate any information you could offer with regard to the following: In your reports you mention that a survey of caribou use across the various jurisdictions is being carried out. I am wondering what you found out? What is acceptable use of caribou whether it be traditional, legal or politically acceptable. For instance would the use of edible caribou parts being used for bait for fur bearers be considered acceptable?Has there been at board meetings any discussions pertaining to caribou being used as bait? If so what were the comments and what determination was made?Was a code of ethics drafted and if so was it published? In this code was there mention of caribou being used as bait and if so was the use acceptable or shunned?There was a proposal put forward to monitor unacceptable/illegal practices. Was it unacceptable in Manitoba, Sask. and the NWT to use the meat of big game for baiting fur bearers?I thank you for the opportunity to ask these questions and look forward to recieving any information you can offer.
B. B.
Fort Smith, Northwest Territories
A. The BQCMB has not conducted research into caribou meat being used to bait fur-bearing animals, nor have there been discussions on this topic at board meetings. As this is a legal matter, you should contact the government departments responsible for wildlife legislation in various jurisdictions to determine acceptable practices. Several jurisdictions, such as the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, are in the process of revising and updating their wildlife laws.
Government of the Northwest Territories
Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development
Director, Wildlife and Fisheries
Phone: (867) 920-8064
E-mail: doug_stewart@gov.nt.ca
Web site: www.nwtwildlife.rwed.gov.nt.ca
Government of Nunavut
Department of Sustainable Development
Senior Advisor, Legislation and Enforcement
Phone: (867) 975-5921
E-mail: spinksen@gov.nu.ca
Web site: www.gov.nu.ca/Nunavut/English/departments/DSD
Government of Manitoba
Department of Conservation
E-mail: wildlife@gov.mb.ca
Web site: www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/wildlife/index.html
Government of Saskatchewan
Department of Environment
Phone: (306) 787-2700
Web site: www.se.gov.sk.ca
January 22, 2003
Q. I am getting much too old to hunt caribou. The drive is the worst part. Can you tell me where I can purchase wild caribou meat cheaply? I can process it. I will live much longer if I eat wild meat, I think. Thank you very much.
H. G.
Western Springs, Illinois
A. There are several northern meat and fish processing plants that export caribou. We have a list of these on our web site in the Question and Answer section. You'll find it at this link: www.arctic-caribou.com/QA01.html#shipping