Vanderhoof moose

[jeremy84]

hello everyone,

I am very new to hunting, this past spring was my fist time out:mrgreen:. And I was lucky enough to get a leh any bull moose for zone 7-12b, but unfortunately I live in north Vancouver and wont be able to go scout out the area before the hunt
I've been looking at google earth to get an idea of where to look once I am out there. it looks like there is a fair bit of private land in that area? Does anyone here know the condition of the backroads? Unfortunately I don't have a very capable off road vehicle. If anyone knows the area and would like to share where a good place to start looking would be a great help

[Boner]

The gravel roads are in really good shape. The Bobtail fsr would be good shape. Gregg Creek was getting a bit bushed in the last time I was in there. Pelican, Blackwater, so many good places out there to look for moose. Lots of road hunters, looking for unicorns, like anywhere close to PG. Bring a GPS and keep it turned on, it's easy to get turned around in there, even when driving. You can always follow your tracking back to the highway.

[jeremy84]

thanks boner. I am trying to borrow a better vehicle for this trip. My plan it to drive in and set up a camp and hike away from the roads, find a spot and try calling in a bull.

[375shooter]

thanks boner. I am trying to borrow a better vehicle for this trip. My plan it to drive in and set up a camp and hike away from the roads, find a spot and try calling in a bull.

That sounds like a good plan, but judging by your posts it sounds like you will be hunting alone. It's going to be a tough job to pack all the meat out by yourself.

[Boner]

I always hunt alone. Blast one in a cut block. Bring a chainsaw and a wheelbarrow and cut slash and stumps to get to him and wheel him out. That's what I did before I bought a UTV.

[jeremy84]

I wont be alone. That would be way too tough to pack out alone!! I have two other people who are going with me thankfully:)

[375shooter]

I wont be alone. That would be way too tough to pack out alone!! I have two other people who are going with me thankfully:)

It should be a good hunt then. Have at it and good luck. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful with your specific questions.

[jeremy84]

thanks shooter, I think it will be a good first moose hunt

[two-feet]

Find water or swamp that has no road access. Hike in and call. Good luck

[Zedbra]

I wanted to try out the Vanderhoof area on whim as I was coming back from business in Prince Rupert. Stopped at Nechako Outdoors, asked for any details, and they wouldn't give up anything and basically blew us off. I know they are site sponsors, but I'll never step foot in there again. Thanks to the other suggestions here, I want to start hunting more west of PG in coming years.

[wideopenthrottle]

I used to hunt there before the logging was so extensive...always found them in the poplar groves (down low not up higher) in the treed buffers around the lakes...

[moosinaround]

7-12b is my stomping grounds! Should be able to bag a moose out there somewhere! Good hunting to ya! Moosin

[jeremy84]

its a very large area to explore! just wish I had time to do some scouting ahead of time. its hard to see which areas look like they would produce a moose from looking at google earth, and there are a lot of small lakes!
Are there a lot of road hunters in that area during the open season?

[Bowzone_Mikey]

Find a water source ... and remember ... Moose like cut blocks that are 5 years or 5 Minutes old

Lots of ponds just off the main roads that if you dont know they are there you will miss them totally

Have a great hunt

[moosinaround]

Lots of road hunters, lots of weekend warriors! If you have trouble when you get here, give me a PM, I know 7-12b well. Moosin

[jeremy84]

thanks moosinaround ill keep that in mind:)
I was hoping to get up there mid September but it looks like I wont be able to until early October.
The good thing is I can take any bull and I don't have to look for a spike-fork bull, like the regular open season.
I hope that will help my chances in successfully harvest one?

[brutus]

vandermoose lol.lots of them around go first two weeks of oct,get away from the yahoo on the roads find signs close to water call and sit they will come be patient it can take time but they will come then shoot and pack that simple.oh did I say be patient,had similar tag few years back and road hunter were complaining there no moose,lol on the road no moose,in the bush lots of them,mine was hanging a few days in to my hunt

[Funeral Of Hearts]

Not meaning to sidetrack the thread but whats the chances of a spike fork in the area for the general open seasin (no leh here). Just moved up here last year and just got my hu ting licence in January. First year hunting. :)

[Boner]

It's like winning a lottery or getting struck by lightning.

We call spike moose "unicorns" for a reason. :)

[buckshot]

The north side of the Kenney dam (Holy Cross fsr) has put a few moose on our meat pole over the years!

[M.Dean]

I wanted to try out the Vanderhoof area on whim as I was coming back from business in Prince Rupert. Stopped at Nechako Outdoors, asked for any details, and they wouldn't give up anything and basically blew us off. I know they are site sponsors, but I'll never step foot in there again. Thanks to the other suggestions here, I want to start hunting more west of PG in coming years. Ya think it'd might'a had sum thig to do with the "P.E.T.A." T-shirt's you guys were wear'in? I'm kidding, don't get me Banned, Again, Please! By the looks of it here Jeremy84, you've got lots of local guys willing to give you a hand, and that's what this site is all about! Also, if you guys do happen to knock a bull down, make plan's on how you can get the meat back home and keep it cold on the drive. I'm not sure if there's a "Meat Locker" or Walk in Cooler up there, but now would be the time to find out. Good Luck, take lots of pic's, and you guys have a great "Moose Hunt'in Trip"!!!

[dellis]

The north side of the Kenney dam (Holy Cross fsr) has put a few moose on our meat pole over the years!

Pretty sure that's 12-A not 12-B(and also 6-4)
Darcy

[moosinaround]

Pretty sure that's 12-A not 12-B(and also 6-4)
Darcy
Yup yup your right! Sinkut creek to height of land is divider between B and A. Check the regs! Moosin

[Tikka260]

Find a water source ... and remember ... Moose like cut blocks that are 5 years or 5 Minutes old

Lots of ponds just off the main roads that if you dont know they are there you will miss them totally

Have a great hunt

This sounds like solid advice.

A 5 year old cut block?
Be over a bulls head?
Up to his belly?

Much appreciated as I am heading to 7 11 for the first time thanks...

[club]

the area is pretty busy and scoping out a spot can be difficult, when we go in there we typically have a minimum of 3 areas picked out incase there are already hunters in the area.

[jeremy84]

so far I have two areas I would like to check out so far. looking into a third spot. im just not sure of the road conditions.

[two-feet]

This sounds like solid advice.

A 5 year old cut block?
Be over a bulls head?
Up to his belly?

Much appreciated as I am heading to 7 11 for the first time thanks...

blocks in the 5-10 yr old range give the moose good browse as well as enough cover to feel relatively comfortable. Remember that moose, like many game animals, prefer edge habitat like edges of lakes, swamps, cut blocks etc. Let us know how you make out

[jeremy84]

it looks like I wont make it up to Vanderhoof until the 15th of October. Will the rut be winding down by then?

[Gr8 white hunter]

The wolves have been thinning out the moose around the dam best stay in the northern region of that MU.

[jeremy84]

what dam is this?

[BCrams]

Its not in 7-12 b ... some folks don't know the boundaries.

Hunted that zone for years with a lot of success!! You may have enough info to go on but I'll let this sit till your closer arrival date and throw in some tips where to go.

You'll be running into very few hunters during your hunt dates after the 20th and have a good chance taking a bull.

[jeremy84]

Thanks bcrams! the only dam I found nearby there is kenney dam and its nowhere near 7-12b

[bangbangkhan]

hello, were you successful in harvesting a bull? I have a tag and planning on going up next week.

[operator jon]

It's still pretty warm up here. It was 9*C last night.
There's been a few reports of moose moving.
Hope it cools down soon.

[mike31154]

Thread is from 2015! Having said that, myself & 2 partners were successful south of Vanderhoof on an LEH in 2018. They are there for sure, but other than the one we bagged, we only saw several more in our 2 weeks there. Cow & calf when we were exploring on the FSR. Late September IIRC.

https://pjdvpg.dm.files.1drv.com/y4mmojpguewYmUrNem-uWtIEItqb4uw2K36MOHtPeK4Irvq9omQe-azGcE2Ln58UBZ0Hje3To_bqZY-ZUEj4Bkpb56cy3Rv0Mxw4VnuRF3p8SAWSShMk_eJ8rjx_st64_ NAyC858DhYNk7pH-IbpcN-YLwq0ljULf_GgCHrRdFTk89vyvJhRYfEIFXEW-0D-XQyMkVy02DAh16ybsVetnokMA?width=1024&height=1024&cropmode=none

[bangbangkhan]

Nice one!

I thought I would resurrect this thread rather than starting a new one. I got an LEH for Vanderhoof. Never been but hope to hunt em down.

[browningboy]

If you don’t arrive until oct 15th you’re at the tail end of the rut, a week earlier would be mint! Good luck

[bangbangkhan]

Thx.

Going in Sep 24. Ideally I would have liked to go 1st week of October but can’t take that weekend off.

[Arctic Lake]

What MU are you going to be hunting as that may help with replies ?
Arctic Lake

Nice one!

I thought I would resurrect this thread rather than starting a new one. I got an LEH for Vanderhoof. Never been but hope to hunt em down.

[Arctic Lake]

That's a nice bull !
Arctic Lake

Thread is from 2015! Having said that, myself & 2 partners were successful south of Vanderhoof on an LEH in 2018. They are there for sure, but other than the one we bagged, we only saw several more in our 2 weeks there. Cow & calf when we were exploring on the FSR. Late September IIRC.

https://pjdvpg.dm.files.1drv.com/y4mmojpguewYmUrNem-uWtIEItqb4uw2K36MOHtPeK4Irvq9omQe-azGcE2Ln58UBZ0Hje3To_bqZY-ZUEj4Bkpb56cy3Rv0Mxw4VnuRF3p8SAWSShMk_eJ8rjx_st64_ NAyC858DhYNk7pH-IbpcN-YLwq0ljULf_GgCHrRdFTk89vyvJhRYfEIFXEW-0D-XQyMkVy02DAh16ybsVetnokMA?width=1024&height=1024&cropmode=none

[bangbangkhan]

What MU are you going to be hunting as that may help with replies ?
Arctic Lake

Got the draw for 7-13. Bull moose.

[Arctic Lake]

Sorry but never hunted that MU so I’m not much help !
Arctic Lake

Got the draw for 7-13. Bull moose.