I just returned from the week 2 caribou hunt with Gangler’s Canadian Sub-Arctic Hunting. Ken Gangler and his staff are absolute champions of logistics.
We flew up to Winnipeg on Friday and took the Calm-Air Charter up to the main Gangler lodge Saturday morning. Ken Gangler greeted every hunter as they exited the plane and we were directed to the main lodge for a brief snack. Under the plane on the gravel strip, Ken told our group that the herd was two miles north of the border and headed south. The main lodge is incredible and when you consider the distance from the nearest road, it is truly a marvel.
Ken circled everyone up and dispatched us to the various camps via floatplanes. Both pilots are very qualified and the flight is a fun part of the adventure. Upon arrival at the lake, the guides came out in Lunds and ferried us to the shore where the cook had a soup and sandwich bar prepared. After a little paperwork and getting settled in, we headed out to hunt.
The food in our camp would rival any homecooking restaurant, anywhere. We were constantly amazed at the quality of the food. The camps include a main building with enough room for a kitchen and seating for about 18. The cabins are about 14 x 13 and have 2-4 bunks and a wood stove. Each camp has a manager and a helper. The helper kept gas in the boats, firewood available, gas in generators, etc. Again, the level of comfort in the remote area was incredible.
Unfortunately, Caribou are a migratory animal. In 2015 and 2016, the success was extremely low. I cannot say 0% because I do not know that to be fact. However, there were a couple of guys in our camp that had come in 2016 that were sure that none of the hunters harvested a caribou. In 2017, they went 78 of 96 (81%), which is great by most standards. My understanding is that several of the unsuccessful hunters were waiting on especially large trophies, but had opportunities.
As of the end of the second week for 2018, no hunter had even seen a caribou in Manitoba. Ken has the pilots fly around and monitor the herd and he knew the caribou were well above the Manitoba border. Ken is in a tight spot on the caribou. He has a substantial investment in the camps and has gathered an absolute first-class staff. From a fishing perspective, I would recommend his group to anyone seeking a northland adventure. They truly have the logistics of getting a person into the wilderness, well fed, and comfortable down to a science. We just need to caribou to cooperate.
