Trophy Woodland Caribou

The Woodland Caribou are native to both Newfoundland and Labrador (the island and the mainland part of the province), with the largest herd located in Middle Ridge on the island. Woodland Caribou prefer mostly barren land during the summer months but move to areas of mixed forests during the colder winter months. The Average weight is 400 lbs – 180 kg for males and 300 lbs – 135 kg for females. Height tends to be on average 3.5 – 4 ft or 1.05 – 1.2 m. Antlers may spread up to 5 ft – 1.5 m wide and live an average of 15 years.

The caribou’s body is dark brown, with lighter patches around the neck and rump, and white above each hoof. All males and some females have dark velvety antlers that are flattened and project forward. The males shed their antlers in November or December, after mating, while the females and young may carry through the winter months. Caribou have large, concave hooves that are ideal for travelling over snow or soft ground, and for digging in search of snow-covered lichens. The hooves are sharply edged for ice travel and are wide to serve as paddles when swimming.

Caribou are herbivores. Their main food source is lichens, which gives caribou an advantage in the harsher northern areas of its range where vegetation is scarce. The common “caribou moss” is a type of lichen (Cladonia rangiferina), which is a major food for caribou. Caribou also eat vegetation such as grasses, sedges, birch and willow leaves, and mosses.

Caribou mate around mid-October and males can have many mates. After a gestation period of about 230 days the calf is born in May/June. The calf is weaned after about two months and joins the herd in the fall migration. Male caribou begin to mate around the age of 1.5 years.

The Black Bear is the greatest natural predator of the caribou and, for thousands of years, has been known to follow migrating caribou herds, killing mostly the aged, injured or weak animals. In recent studies Black bear take as high as 55% of caribou calves. Caribou are also an important food source for Canadians, native communities throughout the north.

• Caribou are the only genus of the deer family where both sexes are antlered.
• A Caribou is featured on Canada’s 25 cent piece
• Calves can walk and run within two hours after birth
• Caribou go through great trouble to avoid insects. (The Warble Fly lays eggs on a caribou’s flank; larvae are hatched and burrow up to the caribou’s back, feeding on skin and fat. The Nostril Fly (Nosebots) irritates the caribou’s nose and the caribou licks it off. The fly makes its way to the lungs, causing respiratory problems).