LEH Elk MU 7-20A - Opinions Please

[ajeatoo]

Hello All,

I was lucky enough to get my first LEH for an antlerless elk region 7-20A Dec 1 - Feb 28th. I'm a new hunter, my husband has been hunting for several years now. Neither of us know much about this region. I'm just starting my research by reading as much as I can find for now. I'm seeing there is lots of private land and I've heard the Elk tend to eat farmers hay and generally ruin it. Is it worth asking permission to hunt on private land? Or just stick to crown? Not asking for any spots or anything like that, just wonder how much private land there is.

Thanks!! :)

[bigredchev]

Years ago there was a local butcher who would let you hunt his property if he hung and processed the meat should you find some. It wasn't cheap but defiantly opened the door to get hunting the fields. If I remember the fellow was out of Hudsons hope or chetwynd and was European of some sort. Been a while but worth looking into even though it will be minus 20

[Rhyno]

I have had this draw twice and was successful both times,BUT, it is no longer the barrel shoot it once was. Lots of elk fencing up that way and not too many farmers are begging hunters to shoot their pesky elk. The key for this hunt is the cold, if you can wait until you see the temps dip to -25C or colder I would highly recemmond doing so. Plenty of crown close to private property that you are allowed to hunt.

Good Luck!

[ajeatoo]

We haven't looked at dates yet for when we will go but we were thinking on January sometime or early February when it should be cold.

Ill look into the butcher too. Thanks for the tips!! Any tips thrown my way are gladly welcomed!!

Mandy

[pronghorn]

Wait for the cold snaps and snow.

[markomoose]

If you two get an Elk when its minus 30 it will be frozen when you get home LOL:smile:

[srupp]

We haven't looked at dates yet for when we will go but we were thinking on January sometime or early February when it should be cold.

Ill look into the butcher too. Thanks for the tips!! Any tips thrown my way are gladly welcomed!!

Mandy

Hmmm really cold weather, deep snow..brings the elk to farmers hay...some have quoted losses of 40,000....hay fields with deer at them mid day is sad for deer..but great elk indicator..elk eat at night..short hunting window..dark 30 am..and last light.
Elk bed up on hills in timber close by but crunchy, deep snow makes stalking difficult.
Last year mild low snows..
Have some ideas..pm with ph number.
Congrads..good luck
Steven

[Dirty Steve]

Pretty sure theres a huge community board half way into Lone Prairie with all of the farmers names on the board and a map of the land. The guy at the very end, I think his name is Scott is awesome, we rented a house off him about 7 years ago. He has a 2400 sq ft house that they rent out for about $100 a day I think. They have a half section or more I believe and know all the neighbours very well, they set us up really well.
Good luck!

[ajeatoo]

Pretty sure theres a huge community board half way into Lone Prairie with all of the farmers names on the board and a map of the land. The guy at the very end, I think his name is Scott is awesome, we rented a house off him about 7 years ago. He has a 2400 sq ft house that they rent out for about $100 a day I think. They have a half section or more I believe and know all the neighbours very well, they set us up really well.
Good luck!

:p Thanks!

[ajeatoo]

So we are planning to head up on Dec 10th, will be checking the weather mid to late next week but as of now the forecast is highs of 2 and lows of -4. Not exactly a cold snap or really cold weather! I know there is snow on the ground but I’m wondering how the “warm” weather is going to factor in. Ive read a few guys are headed up there now through next week. Hopefully they post some updates!

[HappyJack]

We hunt elk up there in September....they don't fly away if it isn't cold. :-)

[canadiancon]

The wife and I were up last weekend, 2.5 feet of snow. It has been warmer up there since then. The deer were out in the fields all day. Elk still have to eat, find some sign and go for a walk. We walked in to within 50 yards of some elk the last weekend of the October and got a cow. We weren’t being noisy but we were not sneaking either. They are a lot less skittish in the timber, plus they haven’t been shot at for a little bit since the late season is just getting going.

[ajeatoo]

The wife and I were up last weekend, 2.5 feet of snow. It has been warmer up there since then. The deer were out in the fields all day. Elk still have to eat, find some sign and go for a walk. We walked in to within 50 yards of some elk the last weekend of the October and got a cow. We weren’t being noisy but we were not sneaking either. They are a lot less skittish in the timber, plus they haven’t been shot at for a little bit since the late season is just getting going.

Good to hear thx!!

I realize obviously they don’t just “Fly away” but we were hoping for some good cold weather and so with it being only 4 degrees I wondered how much it would affect the type of hunt. IE: maybe they will stay up in the mountains with the fluffy snow rather than digging through icy crunchy snow in the valley.

[Ry151]

Haven't seen much for elk but tons of tracks. Lots of snow. Chetwynd area is very busy with the pipelines so that could move elk around more or less. Not sure. If you can't wait on cold weather then go up and have a good time. You can see on the hills where they have been feeding

[ajeatoo]

Haven't seen much for elk but tons of tracks. Lots of snow. Chetwynd area is very busy with the pipelines so that could move elk around more or less. Not sure. If you can't wait on cold weather then go up and have a good time. You can see on the hills where they have been feeding

I could easily wait until colder weather, that’s what I’m debating on. I’m of two minds... wait for colder weather but the animals may have less fat stores by then if it is too long, or go now while they have their fat stores for better meat. We are self-employed so we could take time off to go again but it would probably be in January, we couldn’t go twice in a one month period and be away from the job sites that much.

[Sitkaspruce]

I had a chance today, was 2' from getting a shot when they decided that they had enough of what was in the field and decided to start their morning migration to bush. I took my 2' side step to get away from the brush and a cow busted me and took off. I chirped and they all stopped, except they all stopped in a bunch, no shot. I chirped again and I heard this growl, looked over to my left and here was a big 7x7 bull at 50 yards staring at me.....looked back the cows were heading for the bush, not spooked, just moving along at a good pace. Was -26 where I was today, the elk were out and about. The rest of the week looks balmy!!

Cheers

SS

[ajeatoo]

I had a chance today, was 2' from getting a shot when they decided that they had enough of what was in the field and decided to start their morning migration to bush. I took my 2' side step to get away from the brush and a cow busted me and took off. I chirped and they all stopped, except they all stopped in a bunch, no shot. I chirped again and I heard this growl, looked over to my left and here was a big 7x7 bull at 50 yards staring at me.....looked back the cows were heading for the bush, not spooked, just moving along at a good pace. Was -26 where I was today, the elk were out and about. The rest of the week looks balmy!!

Cheers

SS

Sounds awesome except sorry you didn’t get a shot, had to laugh out loud at the growl over your shoulder :D Thanks for your input I’m feeling much better about this now. And yes Dawson Creek temps for this week are warmer than where I am at it’s crazy!

[Sniperdan]

Following as we have an either sex draw for same time period. We are planning to head up mid January.

[HappyJack]

I had a chance today, was 2' from getting a shot when they decided that they had enough of what was in the field and decided to start their morning migration to bush. I took my 2' side step to get away from the brush and a cow busted me and took off. I chirped and they all stopped, except they all stopped in a bunch, no shot. I chirped again and I heard this growl, looked over to my left and here was a big 7x7 bull at 50 yards staring at me.....looked back the cows were heading for the bush, not spooked, just moving along at a good pace. Was -26 where I was today, the elk were out and about. The rest of the week looks balmy!!

Cheers

SS
Did

Did the growl sound like a grizz, or like a wolverine? ;-)

[Sitkaspruce]

Did

Did the growl sound like a grizz, or like a wolverine? ;-)

Neither, it sounded like a bull elk after the rut..........:tongue:

Cheers

SS

[HappyJack]

Neither, it sounded like a bull elk after the rut..........:tongue:

Cheers

SS

As opposed to the growls they make during the rut?

[Sitkaspruce]

As opposed to the growls they make during the rut?

I am partially deaf in my left ear and to me the bull sound a little higher than a growl during the rut, almost a chuckle, but no rhythm. A pi$$ed off sound to me.

No matter, he stuck around while the cows took off....

Cheers

SS

[ajeatoo]

Update: well we went all over god’s green country including the farmer’s field which we had permission to hunt. Saw everything BUT elk. 17 Moose, two nerds of sheep, too many deer to count, wolf and coyote. No elk. We did come upon fresh sign but couldn’t get to them. The temps were too warm (12!!) so they are staying deep in the woods away from people. No need to go to the fields cause there is grass everywhere for them to eat on. No one we spoke to had seen elk recently.

We may go back in a few weeks - going to watch the weather and keep in touch with the farmers who we have become friends with. Haven’t given up yet! It’s a 12+ hr drive for us, stopped in Williams Lake for the night, back to the grind Monday.

[HappyJack]

Update: well we went all over god’s green country including the farmer’s field which we had permission to hunt. Saw everything BUT elk. 17 Moose, two nerds of sheep, too many deer to count, wolf and coyote. No elk. We did come upon fresh sign but couldn’t get to them. The temps were too warm (12!!) so they are staying deep in the woods away from people. No need to go to the fields cause there is grass everywhere for them to eat on. No one we spoke to had seen elk recently.

We may go back in a few weeks - going to watch the weather and keep in touch with the farmers who we have become friends with. Haven’t given up yet! It’s a 12+ hr drive for us, stopped in Williams Lake for the night, back to the grind Monday.

Sheep?? Interesting we've seen mountain goats but never any sheep.