The Naskapi Nation recently held a community meeting to talk about planning for the 2025–2026 caribou hunting season. The goal of the meeting was to share information, explain how decisions are made, and begin a community discussion about caribou harvesting.

What Information Was Shared

Where Naskapi caribou hunting can take place

Maps were shared to explain the Naskapi Sector and nearby Caribou Zones located in Cree and Inuit sectors. The presentation explained that the steps required before a hunt depend on where a caribou herd is located.

What Information Was Shared

Where Naskapi caribou hunting can take place

Maps were shared to explain the Naskapi Sector and nearby Caribou Zones in Cree and Inuit sectors. The process required before a hunt depends on where a caribou herd is located:

  • If a herd is located within the Naskapi Sector, no authorization from neighboring Nations is required.
  • If a herd is located within a Caribou Zone in Cree or Inuit territory, the Naskapi Nation must inform the Cree Nation Government or Makivvik.
  • If a herd is located outside Caribou Zones in Cree or Inuit territory, authorization and hunting conditions must be discussed and agreed upon before a community hunt can proceed.

How decisions about caribou hunting are made

A proposed six step decision making process was presented to guide future hunts. This process includes:

  1. Annual updates on the George River and Leaf River caribou herds, based on the most recent scientific data.
  2. Community discussion about which herd could be hunted and how much caribou the community needs.
  3. A decision by the Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Coordinating Committee on which herd to hunt and how many caribou to harvest.
  4. Communication with neighboring Nations when required.
  5. Planning and budgeting to ensure the hunt respects Naskapi traditions, avoids waste, and supports knowledge sharing between generations.
  6. Final confirmation of the herd’s location using telemetry data before harvesting begins.

Caribou herd health and harvest levels

Information was shared about herd size dynamics and conservation categories used across the region. Both the George River and Leaf River herds are currently considered to be at low population levels.

For herds in these categories, recommended harvest rates are very limited:

  • Category 4 herds (low and decreasing) have a recommended harvest rate of about 1–2 percent.
  • Category 5 herds (low) have a recommended harvest rate of less than 1 percent.

An example was shared using the Leaf River herd to show how harvest numbers could be calculated and shared among communities.

In this example:

  • The Leaf River herd is estimated at approximately 125,000 caribou.
  • At a 2 percent harvest rate, this would equal a total allowable harvest of about 2,500 caribou.
  • At least 17 Indigenous communities commonly rely on the Leaf River herd, including Inuit, Cree, Naskapi, and Innu communities.
  • When divided among those communities, this would mean a maximum of about 147 caribou per community.

This example was shared to show how harvest limits are influenced not only by herd size, but also by the number of communities that depend on the same herd.

Future Naskapi caribou conservation guidelines

The presentation also proposed developing Naskapi specific caribou conservation guidelines. These guidelines would be developed with the involvement of Elders and hunters, reviewed regularly, and guided by shared responsibility to protect caribou populations and the Naskapi way of life.

What Happens Next

Feedback shared during this meeting will help guide planning for the 2025–2026 caribou hunt. The Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Coordinating Committee will continue reviewing herd data, community needs, and any required discussions with neighboring Nations.

Further updates will be shared with the community as information becomes available and as decisions are made.