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Thread: Last Hunt

  1. #1
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    Feb 2009
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    Last Hunt

    So, just recently came back from our last hunt to the Koots.
    Was considering the Peace but my father at the age of 80, still wanted to go, so off to the familiar place we went.
    First day started off with 3 WT bucks, the biggest a 3pt and the others were 2pt's.
    Not large but good meat bucks if wanted.
    Being the 1st day, I had no interest in them and we watched them for a good 1/2 hr.
    My hunting partner, who to this point has taken many ducks and geese, has never taken a big game creature.
    (he has had a few chances, but never connected)
    I know he was sitting there pondering whether to take the shot, but he knew from past experience, that our main focus
    was for elk, so we watched them go back into the timber.
    I did honestly feel we would see them again as we would be in this area a lot.
    But we never did see them again.
    So NOTE, if you want a meat buck, and it's early on, take the shot.
    Time and time again, and speaking with many others and their experiences, we have all thought we would see whatever
    again later in the week, but then never do!
    That being said, it didn't weigh on my mind, but I do think it did on my partner's.

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  3. #2
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    Re: Last Hunt

    The next day had us doing some exploring, mainly looking for elk sign.
    To be honest, we found some sign that wasn't old, but no where near what we used to find.
    Repeated efforts to find new sign all week fell short, and no new sign was ever found other than what we had already found early in the week.
    So, not much movement and seemily little activity, imo.
    But, that doesn't always tell the whole story, as a bull with cows can hole up, and move very little, thus leave virtually 0 sign.
    Anyways, we then took the time to explore deep into the high country, into older cut blocks and a multitude of scree slopes, once known
    for holding a decent amount of elk.
    The snow we had hoped for that hit Calgary, never really transpired by us, so any hopes of the elk being pushed out and down towards are
    usual areas did not happen.
    Late in the evening, I did spot a bull elk, a definite 5pt, but a small 5pt, and could not tell if he might be a little rag horn 6?
    He had 2 cows with him, and the hunt was on to see if he was legal, but had my doubts, and it was getting late.
    In the end, this was a new area, and we didn't know how the old roads worked in the cut block they were in.
    Had we know, we would have taken 1 zig zag more up the road, and probably have walked smack dab into them, although the wind might
    have been an issue, in the end, we ended up below them by 200 yards at the most, with the wind in much better favor, but there was no interest from the bull to come in.
    By last light, the cows went ballistic with them chirping at me, but again, all we stared at were the trees in front of us.
    We did try again the next morning, they had moved a cut block over, and again, we did not know the road structure.
    This time however, the wind started off favorable, sent my buddy up high into the cut block, while I headed along the road below them, and
    to get past them to the other end of road in the cut block, all the time just cow calling.
    And then when I reached the other side, start bugling.
    If anything, I might push the bull into taking his couple of cows, and start moving away from me, and potentially right into my partner.
    Unfortunately, I really felt it was going to work, seeing how the bull had reacted the night before.
    But, at one point, the wind shifted on my partner, and must have definitely blown right towards the elk.
    In the end, they must have bailed straight up the block.
    They didn't go towards my partner obviously and they didn't come my way.
    After all, why would he push his cows towards me, a potential other bull.
    We eventually gave up the hunt on this bull, as we felt we were most likely only in pursuit of a 5pt, and no longer wanted to waste the effort
    on him, and the fact that the GO would soon be in this area with his clients.
    I have to say, the amount of back country exploring we did in there, just showed us how dismal it is in there for elk.
    Lots of feed, but just dead.
    These elk had been there for some time, as those couple of cut blocks had tracks all over.
    But many, thru miles and miles of travel, showed 0 sign.

    On the way out, I decided to glass upwards, and there above us, maybe 800 yards or so was a Billie.
    And off to his left and above were a group of nannies and a few kids.
    (you will see the billie center screen, but it was a long distance for a picture, and the nannies etc are in the photo, but have to look hard).
    I have enough Goats, and no longer apply for the LEH in this area, but they do have Goats, as most hunters wont make the long journey in
    before they even have to begin the hike up.


  4. #3
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    Re: Last Hunt

    So, after that, we decided to try our usual places that have always played out well for many years along the river, but as many know, it has been
    far from stellar for quite a few years now.
    I do have some conclusions and thoughts as to "why" it isn't so good in there anymore, but will get to it later.
    So, we spent some time, sitting up high above the river, glassing and calling, seeing what movement there was, which ended up being NIL.
    Again, the cut blocks we were in were also void of elk sign.

    So, we decided to move down onto the river and sit there and call.
    As well pull up to an area we walk in, I look to my right.
    I then say to my friend, "you have a bear tag right"?
    He goes "yes".
    And I say, "well, what about this one standing right there looking at us from 50 yards away"?
    He looks, then looks at me, thinking I am going to again say "it's too early in the week"...lol.
    But, I am not saying anything and he asks, well, what should I do?
    My dad quickly replies, "you have a tag, take him".
    Sadly, while scrambling for my camera, the shot rings off.
    A clean shot, and bear is down and finished almost instantly, which is always nice to work out like that.
    Now, the pic of the bear might look big to some, but I can assure you I took the pic to make the bear look bigger then it seems.
    In the end, an average size and age for black bear in the area, as we soon realized, has just gone thru an explosion in population in the area.
    I have never, ever seen so many Black Bear in a weeks hunt, as I did this past trip.
    More on that later, but for now, here is the Chocolate Colour phased black bear.
    I have to be honest, I wish we had left this on alone, due to it's coloring, and taken one of the many of the traditional black ones, we ended
    up coming across.

  5. #4
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    Re: Last Hunt

    Now, since this bear was laying right in our path to the river where I and now my father so often sit, we decided to take the bear, put it into the
    truck, and drive several kms, towards our campsite and then another 1/2 km beyond and a 1/2 km up into an older cut block and a landing
    to process the bear, as we didn't want issues as it was still early in the week.
    We knew, from talking to another hunter, that we would most likely come in contact with a Grizz in the area where we were camped and
    hunting...well.....
    We were so focused on picking a spot as we turned the corner into the landing, finding the perfect spot to unload and gut the bear, that we
    had missed what was present in our immediate surroundings.
    Stop the truck, pull out the bear, I go to the side door to grab a knife, and right across the road from me, from a ditch like depression,
    comes a crashing sound.
    Only feet from us, was the Grizz we were told about.
    A young one, in a blonde color phase.
    Of all the sq km's to drive around in to process the black bear, we decide to park right beside a grizz...lol.
    Interesting note, we do have a grizz in the area we call Bart, as he is the size of a bull moose!
    And GO is aware of him, and I think had left this bear to get big and was ready to find a client for, but he waited too long, as the government
    in it's infinite wisdom, shut down the gbearr hunt, and the GO is now left with a worthless tag.
    Remember when I said, "don't wait to take something when it crosses your path"!
    Well, I guess the GO waited too long!
    Anyways, no shortage of GBear in the Area!

  6. #5
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    Re: Last Hunt

    ^^^^This is definitely not Bart!
    But great color!

  7. #6
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    Re: Last Hunt

    So, the next morning, nothing much transpired, traveled into some other areas that had been productive in the past, but again, no sign,
    no action, just a lot of staring at trees and watching the birds.
    So, then we decided to take the bear in for processing at the Butcher.
    And on the way out, we passed this small guy standing there, and on the way back in from town, we had a different one elsewhere cross our
    path on the road.
    Honestly, all 3 of us could have taken our annual bag limit of 2 black bear province wide in a matter of a couple of days.
    We would have spent more time going into town to buy tags then actually put time in to hunt them, and with success!
    Another small young one.

  8. #7
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    Re: Last Hunt

    Now, I know in the past I posted a hunt or 2 from the same area and my elk hunting experiences.
    Many reply with similar experiences, but as always, especially on HBC and what happens I suppose on any open forum on the net,
    there is always some criticism by some, that I have no idea or I am doing it wrong or don't hunt hard enough....lol.
    Anyways, one point was, "I don't go REMOTE enough, away from other hunters".
    Well BS!
    We hit a lot of new spots, areas were many never travel into.
    Areas with both Cut blocks of an appropriate age and right feed as well as many of the "traditional scree slopes" one used to find elk in
    a lot of the time.
    Have to say, our venture into these areas, both glassing, walking the areas and even seeking elk sign were totally dismal.
    But, se for yourself, there is some great country in there that many never see, and thus the elk should be happy hiding in.


  9. #8
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    Re: Last Hunt

    ^^^^^Again, these are only a few pics of quite a few areas that I either do have pics or was too busy hunting/searching to take the time for photos or have video instead.

  10. #9
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    Re: Last Hunt

    So, in the end, my elk hunt was for the most part dismal, yet again, but not without an interesting hour or so!
    I will get to it later!
    BUT, in speaking with the Butcher, on the last day of September, he had more elk in, with still 20 days to go, then all of last season.
    Which is great to hear.
    And I know speaking to a few members here, that a some were starting to see more elk again on their cams.
    And also speaking with a hunter I have gotten to know of late, who had been around hunting since the beginning of mid archery season,
    that he said he had seen more elk than the past 5 seasons combined.
    BUT, admitted also it is still far shy of what it once was in the past or could be like.
    Only 1 bull was taken in the part of the trench we hunt that we were aware of, but this hunter had several friends in his camp, who spent
    countless hours on the roads and in many areas around, so they got to know who was where and who was doing what.
    Certainly far from busy by the time we were up there, and we only ran into this one hunter all week where we were concentrating much of
    our time and effort.
    Again, up till that point, the GO had a big fat 0 in the elk category.
    Anyways, that was the good and the bad, but I think I have clue as to what has happened now.

  11. #10
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    Re: Last Hunt

    Now, did I mention, we saw a lot of Black Bears???
    I think so, anyways, here is another one, just in case you didn't have your fill.
    Never did see the one that was in the 6 to 6 1/2 ft category, but his sign was all around.
    There are some dandy black bears around now, that's for sure.
    I decided to get closer and rifle was going to get in the way.

    From my angle,
    Last edited by Bugle M In; 10-14-2019 at 12:44 PM.

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