Our 2021 season was not all that we had hoped for, but we are very thankful for what season we did have. I worked very hard all winter leveraging the GNWT to allow us to bring in clients for the 2021 season. The special Covid operations plans that we had to draft and implement were quite burdensome, but in the end it was all wothwhile. In May we were given the green light to bring in Canadian clients. About mid June, when we still had no assurance we would be allowed to bring in our US clients, we were forced to cancel the horseback hunts for the second year in a row. We did not want to risk taking the horses up to camp with all the uncertainties about border openings and the possibility of being shut down mid season by the GNWT. We began the season by taking some Canadian clients beginning on July 24th. It was late in July before we knew the US border would be opened for American clients but we did all that we could to accomodate those who were able to come on short notice. The first Americans hunters arrived at camp on August 17th and we ended up taking 13 Canadian and 7 American hunters. Thankfully none of our clients had any problems travelling to or from camp and once they arrive the hunting was great!
Our 2021 clients harvested 14 rams that averaged 11 years old and 36.5 inches long. All sheep hunters were able to harvest a ram including one archery hunter who took a great 11 year old broomed ram. Although we did not take any giant caribou this year we ended up taking 11 caribou good bulls that averaged 385 gross B&C. The moose hunting was really good with clients taking a total of 6 bulls with one going 227 B&C. Two of the bulls were taken by archery hunters–one a 71 incher. We also had one client take a nice grey wolf. All in all we were very pleased with the amount and quality of the game we saw and harvested. Hopefully we will be able to run a full season in 2022.
I want to close by thanking all of the wonderful clients who have been so supportive and understanding with the cancellation of our 2020 season, and now most of the 2021 season. We are doing our best to reschedule everyone, some hunts will be pushed back one year and some two years. We will do our best to schedule everyone to a year that will work for them. Thanks also those of you who did come this year despite all the stupid rules and hoops you had to jump through. It was great to have you hunt with us and so glad things went as well as they did.
Good Hunting!
Harold & the Gana Crew