Abstract

The Beverly caribou range is triangular, with base extending frorn the Churchill river of northern Saskatchewan 1000 km to its calving ground apex near the Back River south of the Arctic Ocean. Each spring since deglaciation, caribou follow the tundra migration route to calve in late May and early June. After 4-6 weeks of post-calving aggregation they and their calves are joined by late arriving bulls, the huge combined herd moving south in late summer past treeline. After a brief forest sojourn the herd rate in October at treeline before returning to the forest for winter. In summer, autumn and winter, it is hunted for its meat, hide, sinew, bone and antler. Using 1002 human occupation north and south of treeline, the relationship between toolkits and seasonal activities is evaluated.