LEH Help for Smithers Area Moose

[smeegle]

I currently reside in Prince Rupert (recently relocated from Vancouver Island) and was looking for some helpful tips on LEH Moose draws..I was thinking the Smithers area 6-09 but I have never been in there does anyone have any recommendation for the skeena region?

[gerrygoat]

Generally there are more moose the further you travel east, Smithers certainly would be a good choice. There are pockets of moose on the Skeena close to you in Rupert and in the Terrace area too.

[Brno22F]

welcome to the north. There are lots of moose in 6-8 and 6-9. Don't worry if you do not get a draw. There is a 7 day general open season (Oct 20 -26) each year that applies throughout the southern zones of Region 6. It is a little tougher hunting then because the rut is over but you can pretty much pick your spot and go.

GerryGoat is correct. More moose from Smithers to Burns Lake. Also more logging roads and access to the back country. Google earth is your friend.

[Rhyno]

I lived in Terrace for 4 years and did a lot of field work over by Smithers and Burns Lake. Although I was successful for the one draw I pulled around Houston, I would have been looking more towards Burns Lake had I not moved.

[two-feet]

6-08 and 6-09 both hold lots of moose and they are both huge areas. If you are successful in the draw with either area shoot me a PM and I will try to give you some good pointers.

[saltybuck]

6-08 and 6-09 both hold lots of moose and they are both huge areas. If you are successful in the draw with either area shoot me a PM and I will try to give you some good pointers.

two feet is right 6-09 is a huge area and quite often if you lucky enuf to get draw you can find some good areas with little hunting pressure during rut. But... come open season it can be a frinken zoo on the backroads with a ton of road warriors. Key is do some pre season scouting ie. summer camping, find some good looking habitat, and then hopefully win the lotto LEH.

[two-feet]

two feet is right 6-09 is a huge area and quite often if you lucky enuf to get draw you can find some good areas with little hunting pressure during rut. But... come open season it can be a frinken zoo on the backroads with a ton of road warriors. Key is do some pre season scouting ie. summer camping, find some good looking habitat, and then hopefully win the lotto LEH.

Open season in region 6 is....competative. But only where trucks and quads can go. Get 100m off of the drivable roads and you will not see another human.

[saltybuck]

Open season in region 6 is....competative. But only where trucks and quads can go. Get 100m off of the drivable roads and you will not see another human.

Totally agree. Find a nice little honey hole off the beaten path, get out of the truck and into nature...

[gerrygoat]

I agree totally as well some great spots can be found surprisingly close to where the masses pound the roads all day long.

[two-feet]

"My" new spot I have been scouting, and where I will be cutting trail and building stands, starts about 75m from a very busy road in 6-09. Tons of deep, old moose trails and lots of rubs and beds. Most people are either too old or too soft to consider packing out a moose 2k through a swamp. Sucks to be them.

[Ambush]

You have to decide which of the three LEH seasons you'll be applying for also.

[smeegle]

I thought sep 10-24 would be peak rut or does it happen in october for this area...i have also been advised to look at going further east to babine lake/burns lake country is there healthier moose populations out that way?

[decker9]

I thought sep 10-24 would be peak rut or does it happen in october for this area...i have also been advised to look at going further east to babine lake/burns lake country is there healthier moose populations out that way?

I had the early draw last year, no sign of rutting. The middle draw would be your best bet for a rut type hunt, but your odds are alot tougher. If you end up heading for 6-04, feel free to pm me, I can point you in a moose'y direction. Cheers.

[two-feet]

Early can be challenging because of high temps, but the quality of meat will be superior to any other time of year. Middle draw is the rut draw, probably the best draw but the toughest odds. Late draw is nice because you will be hunting in snow and the bulls will be stacked up in small groups but the meat will be a bit run down. I have had moose come to the call from mid sept through to late oct.

[Caribou_lou]

I drew 6 09 early draw two seasons ago. I was successful with a good bull, but I didn't connect until the the 22nd. It was very warm. The day I shot my bull it was 3° in the morning, then quickly rose to 14° as soon as the sun was up. I was lucky enough to have a cooler to get him to. That is the only problem with that hunt! If you don't have a cooler I wouldn't suggest it. Rut hunt 25-19 is a much more enjoyable hunt. Moose are moving, calling and weather will be cooler by then.

[sawmill]

Try 6-30,up the Kispiox Valley.Lots of good area there and less hunters.Turn left at Hazelton.08 & 09 can be a gong show,kinda like Bull River around here in elk season.

[todbartell]

Early season can be good, especially the end of it once the weather starts to cool down a bit. Another plus is there is more bull moose to hunt compared to later seasons. Should be good moose hunting anywhere from Smithers east to Fraser Lake in rg6

[Steeleco]

Try 6-30,up the Kispiox Valley.Lots of good area there and less hunters.Turn left at Hazelton.08 & 09 can be a gong show,kinda like Bull River around here in elk season.

Was up there 2 years ago, i joined in with friends who had the draw, first block I walked into 2 spike forks and me not on the tag :( Lots of bears so I came home happy, the guys got their moose too, excellent trip, last week of Sept as I recall?