Moose in 3-42

[jr63]

Hi
It's been 26 years since I ventured up to Tumtum for moose.
Got a draw for Bull Moose Oct 1.
Anyone have an idea of where to camp and what the roads are like heading in from Vavenby or Finn Creek?
I have a truck and camper with a cargo trailer.
Any insight would be appreciated.:)

[303savage]

The roads should be pretty good but it's a lot different country from 26 yrs ago, lots of new logging in there.

[swampthing]

Not much for good camp spots aside of tum tum lk. With a camper you can pretty much just park beside any creek on the roadside. Roads in will be pothole rough but easy aside of that.

[khoffnbud]

heres about 6 weeks ago, around 24km on finn tum rd looking south

http://i763.photobucket.com/albums/xx271/khoffnbud/4EB327C8-8F04-4FE2-9045-C24B8B184121_zps2ndzibmp.jpg (http://s763.photobucket.com/user/khoffnbud/media/4EB327C8-8F04-4FE2-9045-C24B8B184121_zps2ndzibmp.jpg.html)

theres a brige at 28km, only a coouple k after that is where I usually set up the camper, can't miss it with all the decked up wood

http://i763.photobucket.com/albums/xx271/khoffnbud/IMG_1307_zpsd7745b12.jpg (http://s763.photobucket.com/user/khoffnbud/media/IMG_1307_zpsd7745b12.jpg.html)

I can honestly say that the only moose i've ever seen in there....I shot. that was at 26 km down by the river. But i have had multiple times when i've rolled up on smoking hot tracks only minutes old and that was mostly around salmon lake. I did see the biggest whitetail of my life up the storm fsr, as far back as you can hike, looking north down into the valley bottom

oh and keep your eye out for goats, there is a goat in this pic

http://i763.photobucket.com/albums/xx271/khoffnbud/IMG_1304_zps62b5f6ae.jpg (http://s763.photobucket.com/user/khoffnbud/media/IMG_1304_zps62b5f6ae.jpg.html)

i've spent alot of time in this area over the years and especially alot last year, and i was successful....just wasn't after moose

http://i763.photobucket.com/albums/xx271/khoffnbud/IMG_1356_zps826f5557.jpg (http://s763.photobucket.com/user/khoffnbud/media/IMG_1356_zps826f5557.jpg.html)

[khoffnbud]

pm me if you want more info, i'll try to give it to you best i can

[jr63]

Thanks for the info and great pictures.
Nice Billy.
The area looks similar to Holmes River in towards Mount Bess which I hunted for many years up by McBride.
I'll pm you.

[swampthing]

I have some very similar pics from that area.

[dana]

This is a low odds hunt for a reason. The moose hunting is far from easy. The haydays of the late 90's and early to mid 2000's are long over. Aside from the Blue River units, this unit was one of the hardest hit by our wolf epidemic. The moose and muleys took huge hits. The whitetails faired better. There are still some moose around, but they spend most of the time in heavy timber and rarely expose themselves in the meadows anymore. I work in the unit a lot. Last winter, I spent almost the entire winter there. I recall only seeing 3 moose in Dec, all cows without calves. I had buddies that had the draw last Oct. In a week of hunting, they didn't see a single moose. Luck will need to be on your side in order to see success. I know the unit like the back of my hand and can honestly say if I had the tag I'd be expecting to eat the tag after hunting my ass off, with a good chance of having zero sightings of any moose, let alone a bull. If you are up to the challenge regardless of the slim chance of success, hunt higher avoiding the tempting meadows along the river. Most of the higher elevation cuts are from the 80's. They are thick with brush and the trees are tall but the moose seem to hang up in them. Lots of logging currently going on from The Tum-Harbour junction (28.5 km) down on the Tum, Harbour and South Dudgeon. Expect busy roads and many loaded trucks. A two-way radio is a must if your are going to hunt the southern part of the unit.

[dana]

knoffnbud,
Be careful suggesting Salmon Lake as it is actually in 3-41. It is combined in the goat subunits but not the same for moose. The 3-41/3-42 boundary is on the watershed break just past the lake.

[khoffnbud]

knoffnbud,
Be careful suggesting Salmon Lake as it is actually in 3-41. It is combined in the goat subunits but not the same for moose. The 3-41/3-42 boundary is on the watershed break just past the lake.
right! thanks for reminding me, my goat lehs always had that portion of 3-41 in it, guess thats what i had in my mind.