Hunting 4-14 Frustrated!

[dragonslayer]

Have gone hunting there for 5 years so far and always go with same 3 friends during bow season , always went there to hunt elk, I always come back only with a deer, just curious does anyone ever get elk out of this area ,or even see them, I know every inch of this area and have not seen them, old tracks only but few and far between.

[Wentrot]

"Only" with a deer? Archery at that! No need to be frustrated lol

[dragonslayer]

Wentrot , I do not mean that I get frustrate with deer , I have deer in my yard, I would just like to know if anybody hunts there and sees or has got an elk?

[walks with deer]

Sounds like more scouting and a camp move may be required..

[dragonslayer]

Walks with deer,

Been there done that, one must realize this is a very small area, have scouted it all and ended up in 8-13, where there is no hunting for elk. I can cover the whole area on my quad in 8 hrs, what is why I am asking.

[russm]

I went through the same thing where Ive been hunting for 5 seasons or so, finally connected last year, now its been burnt to a crisp, now that's frustrating! I had the same thing though, tracks and sign everywhere but I was usually too early or too late, for where I go it seems to be a matter of timing the migration, I saw more bucks in one day last year than Ive see in a week of hard hunting up there.

[J_T]

The elk are there. Maybe its your tactics. There is probably some information to share. You mention you use a quad. There are a lot of factors that go into a sucessful hunt. Is the quad just how you get around to your hunting areas? Or is it your method of hunting? What elevation are you hunting at? North face? South face? Are you focused on big timber? Cut blocks? What time of day are you starting out? I mean what time is it you feel your hunt is starting? Are you looking at the vegetation? And in what type of vegetation are you focused? What about calling? What appraoch/theories are you working with?

[jacksondog]

Bulls will be back to limited entry next year from what I've heard so you have one year left and then you won't have to worry about it.

[palmer]

Very few Elk in 4-14. If you were to find any I would look where Deadeye FSR enters 4-14 from 8-15
A lot of better spots to hunt Elk within an hour than 4-14
I just heard that Elk are doing fine in the West Kootenays and no changes are planned...I guess we will see what happens

[835]

no idea on where the elk are there but maybe take a long hard look at your tactics.... my dad swears pink Gooey bobs are the only gear for steelhead.... his buddy fishes exclusively spnin'n glows
they both catch fish and they both swear they are the only gear! just some days back drifting a spin'n glow is what they want..... So if you pigeon hole yourself in one tactic you might miss the fish....

have a look at what you do and switch it up...

[dragonslayer]

Thanks guys, I guess I will have to change my tactics and maybe start hunting a little further from home

[835]

no idea how far it is from your place but at certain times of the year I get up at 3am to get to somewhere to look for a Blacktail..

[palmer]

If you give me a PM maybe I can point you into some better area,...that is not much farther

[HarryToolips]

Very few Elk in 4-14. If you were to find any I would look where Deadeye FSR enters 4-14 from 8-15
A lot of better spots to hunt Elk within an hour than 4-14
I just heard that Elk are doing fine in the West Kootenays and no changes are planned...I guess we will see what happens
I would hope that no changes are planned...just look at reg 8, rough estimate of 2500-3500 elk, and they say their number is still increasing and according to hearsay there's quite a few 6 pointers taken every year, and there's huge hunting pressure, so I doubt 6 pt harvest is effecting the overall pops in the WK....and to the OP: I have seen/heard a few elk in that GENERAL area, they are there..

[Husky7mm]

Walks with deer,

Been there done that, one must realize this is a very small area, have scouted it all and ended up in 8-13, where there is no hunting for elk. I can cover the whole area on my quad in 8 hrs, what is why I am asking.

Its impossible to hunt a whole unit throughly in 8hrs, also elk hate atvs. They hear them miles away and leave for the dark timber. Hunt for sign, elk leave all kinds of it letting you know where they are and where they are going. Get some cams out and get a patern going, hunt for sign year round, it will give you the upper hand on them. Elk are almost nocturnal during hunting season, they are out of the low blocks before the sun is up and moving up to the dark timber, best to find the sign and intercept them on their way up to bed. If the sign is old you need to put the boots to the ground and find the fresh stuff. An atv is good for hauling a dead elk. If you like to dirve best to use a vehicle, they make way less noise that said ....Hands down the best is to be on foot.

[saskbooknut]

You can't hunt elk that don't leave tracks. Find a place where there Is plentiful elk sign to up your odds.
Too many people and too many vehicles make elk shy. I only hunted with my wife, or one like-minded partner.
Find a place with lots of elk sign and less people traffic and your chances get a whole lot better.
It is a long time since my elk hunting days in the Kootenay, but I was able to find unhunted holes surprisingly near to well traveled roads in the late 70s and early 80s when there was lots of hunting pressure, both locals and lower mainland hunters. We saw elk, we had chances, and sometimes we ate elk heart in hunting camp.
Hunting for the right place to hunt is a major part of success.
To me, a deer was a pretty good consolation prize when it didn't work out. My best, most massive Mule deer of a lifetime came out of Barnes Creek drainage, and I have seen some pretty fine Mule deer in my Saskatchewan hunts.

[dragonslayer]

J_T I do use a quad but just to get where I am going, I am not new to elk hunting, hunt them every year and am very successful but my elk hunts are down in the EK, which I hunt every year, my only question is about 4-14 my friends like going there I do not , thats why I ask if anyone can tell me about 4-14

[dragonslayer]

Thx Palmer You got that right about 4-14 I am not impressed but my buddies seem to think its ok, thats why the querie, I usually hunt the EK every year and do and know it well,

John

[J_T]

J_T I do use a quad but just to get where I am going, I am not new to elk hunting, hunt them every year and am very successful but my elk hunts are down in the EK, which I hunt every year, my only question is about 4-14 my friends like going there I do not , thats why I ask if anyone can tell me about 4-14 Sounds good.

[dragonslayer]

Husky7mm I am sorry I should have explain myself better, when I say I can cover this in eight hrs with quad, I have done this for 5 years so I pretty well know this country very well, and do not cover the same terrain, if I see sign I most certainly pursue if I can, but in the same token I do have a very bad back, so I have to be carefull how steep the terrain is that I am sneaking after them , on flat terrain or smaller hills I do all of stalking and still hunting when I know that they are around,

John

[dragonslayer]

Thx Palmer

I have areas to hunt in the EK , just trying to keep buddies happy, BTW , my buds do not go with me hunting in the EK, thats why they like hunting closer to home , me I am retired and don't care, I can go hunting all season if I feel like it.

[walks with deer]

Sorry dragonslayer..i have not hunted 4-14 but i have hunted very close to it and there was very impressive elk there. I found them all near water.

[walks with deer]

Ps not alot of them though

[dragonslayer]

Never stated that they don't leave tracks , only stated that they are old and few and far between

[dragonslayer]

no
Ps not alot of them though


No there is not a lot about but maybe later in the season, but don't know,l as I am hunting at home for moose and deer, do not have to travel anywhere for game.

John

[walks with deer]

Yes but your moose herd has been being treated like sockeye..