"Conserve Caribou - Hunt Wisely" poster

Caribou are the mainstay of northern peoples. The use of caribou must be sustainable and follow widely accepted conservation practices. Not only must caribou be conserved for future generations but those generations must be taught the means of conservation and sustainable use. Today's hunters must teach the young people.

Across the caribou range and across cultures there are widely held beliefs and values on acceptable use of caribou. These are the conservation ethics of caribou hunters on the Beverly and Qamanirjuaq caribou ranges.

• A hunter retrieves the caribou he kills. No edible part of a caribou is left on the land to spoil or be wasted. This is true in times of plenty and when caribou are scarce.
• A hunter caches meat when there is too much to carry. Meat caches prevent the caribou from spoiling and keep ravens and other animals off the meat. Meat caches are well marked so they may be found again by the hunter. Meat is retrieved from a cache as soon as possible by a hunter.
• A hunter kills only the number of caribou needed by his family and community.
• Caribou meat is not pet food. People living on the land and hunting with the old ways might feed caribou to their working dogs.
• A hunter respects the caribou. Caribou are not chased with snowmobiles or ATVs on the land, nor with boats in the water. These vehicles are only used to travel to the caribou and may be used to follow a wounded caribou.

Caribou hunters maintain high standards of skills and knowledge.

• A hunter practices safe firearm handling. Loaded firearms are not carried on snowmobiles, ATVs, sleighs (komatik or toboggan) or boats. Before shooting a hunter makes sure he is not shooting toward people or camps.
• A hunter is a marksman. Before shooting a hunter takes aim at a single caribou and makes sure he has a clear shot. A hunter tries to kill a caribou quickly and not wound it.
• A hunter goes after wounded caribou. If a caribou is wounded it is not left to die. Even when it is difficult to follow a wounded caribou a hunter does his best to retrieve that animal.
• A hunter relies on his skills to hunt caribou. Snowmobiles, ATVs and boats are not used to herd caribou toward other hunters.
• A hunter teaches his children the skills they need to conserve caribou and hunt them in a safe and ethical manner.
• A hunter respects the land and other people's property. Campsites and cabins are restored after use. Garbage is removed or recycled.

Caribou hunters participate in the conservation and monitoring of caribou.

• A hunter teaches young people the skills they need to hunt wisely and conserve caribou.
• A hunter shares information with other hunters and biologists. They cooperate to determine the health condition, movements and locations of caribou herds.

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