Several hours later about 50 more Caribou passed through this bog. Then
a band of 17 came along, composed chiefly of does and their fawns, with
a couple of young bucks; they did not even turn their heads in my
direction as I stood in the open 50 yards away. Eventually a herd of
about 150 (the largest I saw during the whole season) passed along the
well-worn trails on the summit of the Middle Ridge. It seemed to include
all sexes and ages, with possibly a majority of does and fawns; bringing
up the rear was a limping patriarch with huge antlers, a heavy mane, and
a lingering winter coat.
During the remainder of the afternoon several other groups appeared in
that general area. About 15 individuals descended Little River Ridge
(fig. 2) to the Eastern Bog, but retraced their course after coming
close to several of us; they were mostly does, with four fawns and a few
bucks. Another band, of all ages and sexes and numbering perhaps a
hundred individuals, crossed at the rapid on Little River. The
temperatures that had prevailed during this day’s marked migratory
movements varied from about 45° to 50°. They were low enough to keep the
black flies completely in abeyance, and the mosquito season was
virtually over. Although I noticed none of the parasitic flies, possibly
enough of them were present to keep the Caribou moving actively against
a moderate to brisk northerly wind. Now and again a big buck could be
seen fairly jumping out of its skin with the vigor of vibrating its
sides to shake off the tormentors.
On August 25 (the second day of the big movement) I watched and filmed
the pageant of Caribou migration from the southwestern bank of Little
River. The turfy slopes of the Barrens, carpeted with low ericaceous
shrubs, mosses, and reindeer lichens, and dotted here and there with
little thickets of dwarf birch, spruce, and tamarack, stretched
invitingly before me. Temperatures ranging from 40° to 51°, with a brisk
northwest breeze sweeping down the river, happily suppressed most of the
black flies.
The Caribou came along at intervals from the eastward, in bands up to 75
strong, either to make the passage of the river or to continue upstream
along the opposite ridge. A small number might make the crossing in one
or two files, but one of the larger bands might spread out widely in the
shallow rapid. One of the photographs (fig. 7) shows approximately 75
Caribou going divergent ways at this rapid: about 20 passing upstream
along the ridge on the far side, including some pausing to feed on the
low vegetation; 8 or 9 moving down the slope of the ridge to the water’s
edge; about 10 bucks, 16 does, and 6 fawns making the passage of the
river; and about 13 arriving on the near shore and pausing to feed. The
adults were able to step across in the swift water, while the fawns swam
part of the way. The bucks were apparently in the minority again on this
day.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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