Historic record of caribou in central Idaho

Publication Type:

Journal Article

Authors:

Johnson, Donald R.

Source:

Murrelet, Pacific Northwest Bird and Mammal Society, Volume 48, Issue 3, p.57 (1967)

Call Number:

A67JOH01IDUS

URL:

http://www.jstor.org/stable/3535961

Keywords:

caribou, Rangifer tarandus caribou

Abstract:

During 1831 and 1832 John Work led a fur brigade of the Hudson's Bay Company which traversed much of what is now western Montana and central Idaho. While returning to Fort Vancouver on June 4, 1832, the party descended a tributary of the south fork of the Payette River in present Boise County, Idaho. In his journal entry for that date Work noted the following: "The people out hunting killed some cariboo. Bear tracks are numerous, some which have been killed, as well as cariboo are very lean" (Lewis and Phillips, eds. The journal of John Work, 1923). Thus caribou (Rangifer tarandus) ranged southward during the last century as far as the Payette River watershed and likely into that of the Boise River also. The record of caribou usually cited for central Idaho is that for the vicinity of Elk City, Idaho County (Merriam, N. A. Fauna 5:80, 1891). Elk City is about 125 miles north of the locality described above. Since Work distinguished both elk and moose in the journal, and since he had considerable experience in the fur trade, it is unlikely that he confused caribou with any other large cervid.