Elk Hunting - Region 8

[aamenta]

Hey everyone!
I want to explore this year with the bow and I think I'll be heading out to Region 8. I am not asking for a honey hole here but I am a young guy looking to get out and try to bugle in my first elk with the bow.
If anyone has any advice on time of year and perhaps even an area please let me know.
Any information is valuable to me as I do not have the luxury of spending weeks to scout.
Just a good pointer can go a long way.

Good luck to everyone with their LEH draws, I hope they are in this week!
-Anthony

ps. yes it's 1:32am and I can't sleep.
All I can think about is Elk hunting and I've been exploring Google Earth.. it's an addiction!

[Brez]

If you are bow-hunting, then it's the bow season.
It's really dry this year, so look for pockets with water and cool, timbered areas.
Look at Boundary Cr., the Granby R., and Christina Lk. areas.
Google Earth is your friend. You have lots of walking to do to find the pockets and don't be afraid to go into the thick stuff.
Contact the ranchers and hay farmers as they may want to get rid of a few elk.
Good luck and hope to see a post from you on a good hunt.

[Wrayzer]

If you are looking for a chance with a bow, keep heading East.

[Brez]

just a reminder that it's 6 pt in region 8 and any bull in region 4.

[aamenta]

Any idea on when they might be bugling?
This is all great information and yes, you're right. Region 4 might be better option. I will look into that as well.

[tater]

Elk bugle all year round.

Now, if the question is "when is rut?", they usually start shedding velvet here the second/third week in august, and pre-rut (gathering stage) is starting by the 1st of September. Full on rut is usually 12th-25th. Bulls are going strong through second estrous in October. I've seen bulls start gathering cows as early as second week of august, but that is not the norm.

The above suggestions of region 4 versus 8 make better sense for someone who isn't local and can't spend a huge amount of time looking for the lower odds legal bull.

[Seeker]

You will get bugling starting with an occasional bugle in mid to late august, but the real serious stuff ususally doesn't kick in until the first or second week of september in region 8. You can get into some real screaming in the last two weeks of September during the peak rut and from then on the bugling slowly decreases. I have heard them going off as late as Nov 10th in region 8, but its basically over at that point.

Brez has it right, its hard enough to kill an elk and in region 8 you need to arrow a 6 point or bigger bull, if you want to increase your chances, any bull can be harvested in region 4 during archery season. Christina lake and over into castlegar has elk, check road closures in those areas.

The Okanagan has elk on the eastern slopes from Lavington to Penticton. They are hard to find and I can gaurantee from personal experience you will see more hunters than elk, but don't be discouraged, if you put in the work, you will find them(might take you a few years.....no really it might). There are a lot of locals, some a few regulars on this site, that have a real good bead on the local herds and know where most of the legal bulls are at the start of the season. It's basically a race to the bulls. Start on north and eastern facing slopes near shade and water, start high in elevation(cooler there) and work your way down. Walk and walk some more. Bring water, it can get very hot in this area and try to have a game plan for getting meat out quickly if you are fortunate enough to harvest an elk. It is entirely possible in this region to shoot an elk a long way from the nearest road in 30 degree heat.

[aggiehunter]

Brez...that was the MOE's attempt at unifying the bow season between region 4 and 8....so you will be seeing way more bowhunters out there because of there error....

[palmer]

Plenty of Elk in 4-09...try some roads that head off HWY 3 between Christina Lake and Castlegar on the 4-09 side..you will need to do some scouting that last week of Aug... and always carry a moose tag...

[aamenta]

I want to call in that bull as he rages towards me.
Dreaming here about that opportunity.

September 1st is calling!

[270ruger]

I want to call in that bull as he rages towards me.
Dreaming here about that opportunity.

September 1st is calling!
If your in the Okanagan do like the other people say bring lots of water and get it cold fast,last year it was 37 Celsius at the alpine zone,dehydration and heat stroke are very real possibilities,I was going through 5 liters a day(lots of weight on your back as few water sources).Pack lots of ice to cool meat ASAP,prob best to have at least two people to get it out fast.

[270ruger]

I would also recommend if you head out in the morning drop off a few bottles of water with electrolyte tablets dissolved in it on the trail and mark where they are with flagging tape( freeze them solid the night before).If you get an elk you'll sweat out a lot of water hauling it down.Three years ago we ran out of water and water source was dry,got back to the truck with horrible headaches,shakes etc from heat stroke not pleasant.

[Wrayzer]

dont bother bugling in R8. Try a spot and stalk tactic. Or just cow calls.

And 270ruger has some sound advice above. And to add to it, dont forget a cooler with ice cold beer at the truck.

[Monashee]

More grizzly bears than ever in 8-15 and 4-09 , they like elk too.

[KtownBobby]

I've been hunting the Kelowna to Kamloops area for 6 years, and alltho I have heard Elk. Have never seen one in this area. I heard a herd of elk was recently killed off east of Kelowna and the herd by Enderby is off limits from what I heard. So Dunno, When I want elk, I head to the Kootenays.