When Caribou flee from some source of alarm, a distinct tendency toward
compact bunching may be observed. This may have been developed as a
measure of protection from pursuing Wolves; the latter could naturally
overcome a straggling or isolated individual more readily than one in a
compact herd. The Caribou running away from the train in the “Little
Barrens” south of Churchill very clearly demonstrated the tendency
toward a close formation. (See also, in the section on _Disposition_,
the account of a herd attacked by a hunter near Lake Charles.)
The larger herds of the autumn migration seemed to be generally composed
of all sexes and ages; yet some sizable bands were made up chiefly of
bucks on the one hand, or of does and fawns on the other hand. The rear
guard of the spring migration and the vanguard of the autumn migration
are generally composed of bucks, traveling either singly or in small
bands; this state of affairs is looked upon as evidence that the
majority of the bucks do not advance so far to the north in June and
July as the does do.
The following are a few examples of the composition and leadership (or
rear-guarding) of groups of Caribou. (Other examples are mentioned in
the sections on _Migration_.) A band of about 20, after feeding for a
time on the south bank of Windy River on June 16, moved off upstream,
mostly in single file, with a patriarchal buck in the lead. The
remainder of the band included several lesser bucks and various does and
yearlings. On the following day a band of equal size, composed chiefly
of bucks but including three hornless individuals (does?), was led by
two of the bigger bucks. When a band of some 40 does and fawns
approached Little River to cross it on August 25, a doe came first to
the water’s edge to make a careful inspection. On the same day I
remarked having noted several times that a buck brought up the rear of a
band. On August 26 I noted that a distinct majority in the herds of the
previous two or three days were does and fawns, although there were
generally a few bucks present also. At this period I got the impression
that the number of individuals in a band was frequently not far from 25.
On August 28, when a band of 40 crossed the mouth of Little River, three
or four bucks plunged in first, but a doe was almost even with them. At
the Bear Slough, on September 3, a group consisted of two bucks, two
does, and a fawn. On September 15 Fred Schweder, Jr., reported seeing
about 100 Caribou, with not a buck among them. On September 24 about 15
does and fawns were resting or feeding quietly by Glacier Pond. On
September 28 a band of six large bucks crossed the Camp Ridge. On
October 1, an older and a younger buck appeared in the shoal waters of
Duck Bay. On November 3, in the same locality, a band of about 50 was
composed largely of does, but included a few fawns and a few
well-antlered bucks. On November 11 five does were reported crossing the
mouth of Windy River on the ice.
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