Suffield Alberta - The Prairie Elk Experience

[Blacktail]

Thanks for the saga Matt
Yes indeed it was truly a shite show as Srupp and Springer can attest.
There are a lot more elk outside the base now than before and thinking they wont return. for safety's sake.

[IronNoggin]

...During a recent Facebook conversation it was discussed about the Elk Hunt. The Base Bio says like 5 Elk may be south of the cypress hills. Politics and untrue facts at its finest.

Yeah, I saw that and thought much the same. While I do respect TJ, it kind of seems to me in this case he was being hornswaggled a tad...

This Herd Reduction may have reduced the population on the base. Not by Harvest but scarring the bejesus out of all them and they are now relocated , like a stocking program for Southern Alberta as well as east and West of the Suffield Base.

And it strongly appears many of them moved one hell of a long ways. Rancher I know well over in Saskatchewan suggested that ~ 150 showed up in the Sand Hills adjacent to his property, and they've been watching them all winter long - raiding his haystacks instead of those next to the base they left so far behind. The fellows around the base have noted this winter has seen the least amount of trespassing / marauding elk in many many years. As I noted previously, no damn reason for them to go back any time soon... if ever.

With some luck and days off i hope to travel to Southern Alberta for a Spring shed hunt in April. By this time i hope to pick up some Elk sheds...

Be Right Interested in hearing both what you see in terms of displaced elk, and any sheds you wander across...

... There are a lot more elk outside the base now than before and thinking they wont return. for safety's sake.

Completely Concur with that. And it seems they have moved a LOT farther than ever before due to this mess. Actually had to laugh when the military ladz and the bio-tech suggested "they'll be back sooner than you know it". LOL! Really??

My bet is they spin the hell out of the results of the census once it has been conducted. Got some news for them, there are more than a handful of us who are well trained, understand the ins and outs of surveys well, and are looking forward to what they "find"...

Cheers,
Nog

[goatdancer]

Great writeup. No attempt to whitewash what happened. Just another example of a bureaucratic bungling. Thanks for the info. I will be saving my points for a worthwhile draw.

[sheephunterab]

And now the gov end is claiming 1,600 was the TOTAL kill this year? Really??? Just how far out to lunch are they???

Awaiting the upcoming aerial census with bated breath!!!

Cheers,
Nog

1,600 is the accurate number of elk that were taken on the base by licenced and FN hunters.

[sheephunterab]

I am still stewing on this Matt...During a recent Facebook conversation it was discussed about the Elk Hunt. The Base Bio says like 5 Elk may be south of the cypress hills. Politics and untrue facts at its finest. This Herd Reduction may have reduced the population on the base. Not by Harvest but scarring the bejesus out of all them and they are now relocated , like a stocking program for Southern Alberta as well as east and West of the Suffield Base. With some luck and days off i hope to travel to Southern Alberta for a Spring shed hunt in April. By this time i hope to pick up some Elk sheds...Your background and your facts are greatly appreciated on this subject.

Phil, I spoke with the bio the day after they flew the Cypress Hills count. There were zero elk in the park and about 300 south of it. I really don't see the point of all this very inaccurate and wild speculation but carry on!

[sheephunterab]

It was a provincial bio I spoke with Phil....it was a couple weeks ago that they flew. I spoke with the only bio that was at the Suffield hunt and he is adamant that he never said 1500 elk moved to Cypress Hills. I think you must have misunderstood. I'm not certain what we are agreeing to disagree on...the facts are the facts....1600 elk we taken on the base and 1500 elk did not move to Cypress Hills. End of story.

[sheephunterab]

Phil I'm hardly looking to win an internet argument. it's unfortunate that productive discussions about serious issues like this degrade into a bunch of wild speculation and misinformation. My only reason for posting was to bring some facts to this discussion but sadly not everyone wants to hear the facts. Sure there is lots that could be done to improve the situation at Suffield and the best way to accomplish that is to utilize the facts. If we simply discount them in favour of wild speculation it's doubtful that we will ever be taken seriously. Undoubtedly elk have been displaced from Suffield but 1500 did not make their way to Cypress Hills and no Government bio ever said they did...that's a fact. The other fact is that 1600 elk were taken on the base. You could benefit a lot by calling the bio in Medicine Hat and get a true picture of what's going on. It's not all roses by any means but at least you'd have an informed opinion then....one that the Government is likely to pay more attention to....if you truly are looking to effect change.

[tangozulu]

I wont bother with a he said, she said arguments. But the facts are it is a pooly aranged hunt. If cows are the target then that is what everyone has to be tagging.
Otherwise just make it any elk for everyone.
Just a very poor system. Who ever dreamed it up needs a re think.

[northernbc]

sorry for rupp and nog. this is a poor excuse for a hunt. I will never want to kill that bad ever

[sheephunterab]

They are working on opening the NWA to hunting Phil......it would require a Ministerial order though....not something that can be done locally. With this Liberal Government who knows but the local folks are making a case for it.