7-11 moose

[blackhawk19]

Hunted 7-11 oct 6 this year. Our group harvested 1 bull . we had a draw for 2 bulls . I think the bull was lost, he had a full belly no marks on him and clean horns and lots of fat on him . there was no fresh sign of moose , deer , bear , or even wolves . . Fresh snow for 4 mornings with not a track . We were on foot so not road hunting . There was a lot of hunters there due to an open calf for seniors and immature bulls for everyone . Hunters couldnt figure out why there was no immatures around anymore .
anyone else hunt this area around Finger lake ,Bobtail area

[Leaseman]

I have hunted there since early 70's....taken every moose I have shot there except for two......

The landscape has really changed, but the moose are still there....;)

[Buckmeister]

Been there once in 2010, helped a buddy harvest an LEH bull, there was a 2 point there too that got away. My buddy keeps going back each year, but he also walks into areas that people can't drive and he has no problem finding sign and actual real live moose!!!

[BCBRAD]

I have hunted there since early 70's....taken every moose I have shot there except for two......

The landscape has really changed, but the moose are still there....;)


That's very true, the landscape has changed. There is next to no new logging and what was logged has 20' trees now. Encounters can be close :wink:

[krazzzyk]

Was up there also on Oct 7-14 with a LEH draw for Big Bull. Stayed at Fingers, must have been there same time as us. My buddy and I hiked into every lake and swamp around and only saw 1 Cow moose in 7 days. Same thing as you noticed only 1 set of fresh tracks in 4 days of fresh snow and we covered a lot of ground. I'd say they are just not there anymore or they're in the deep bush. I won't be putting in LEH for that area anymore.

[J_06]

"there was no fresh sign of moose , deer , bear , or even wolves", "I'd say they are just not there anymore or they're in the deep bush" haha, sure thing.Tell your friends too. Funny, 7-11/12 id almost consider a gimme for mulies and bears. No shortage of moose and wolves in there too. Its not the area..... Hearing someone say there are no animals in the area too me means "Im a road hunter, i don't go more than 100 yards off the road, I dont pay attention, or I walk to fast and loud". I honestly cannot wrap my head around the no sign/animals comments....crazy!?!?

[boblly1]

i have been meaning to go for a look at 7-15 the Isle Pierre side of the highway. Down around the Finmore road up to Cobb Lake i took my first big bull there back in 1980. i hunted the area for about 10 years always managed to find a moose. the last 10 -12 years have been hunting lower in 5-13 whenever one gets lucky enough to get a draw but have always wondered if 7-15 was still producing or if it is still even huntable

[blackhawk19]

You should be a guide if your not one already .Theres a guide outfit for sale up there . Reason for sale is not much for moose anymore .crazy

[J_06]

You should be a guide if your not one already .Theres a guide outfit for sale up there . Reason for sale is not much for moose anymore .crazy

Maybe i should, i spend enough time in there, sounds better than logging for sure. I can literally throw a rock from my yard into 7-12, it 7-11 and 15 are the only places I hunt. I know whats in there and what friends and family take out of there. Not too sure what the guides issues are, lack of moose is most certainly not one of them. Funny, only the out of town guys bitching nothings back in there, crazy......enjoy the last bull out of 7-11 haha

[J_06]

i have been meaning to go for a look at 7-15 the Isle Pierre side of the highway. Down around the Finmore road up to Cobb Lake i took my first big bull there back in 1980. i hunted the area for about 10 years always managed to find a moose. the last 10 -12 years have been hunting lower in 5-13 whenever one gets lucky enough to get a draw but have always wondered if 7-15 was still producing or if it is still even huntableAbsolutely, get off the beaten path near the river and your into good area, if a guys able to cruise up the river and or hike some of the more "remote" benches and draws the amount of sign and stuff you see is unreal.

[krazzzyk]

My buddy an I spent a week up there, yah we road hunted a bit but every morning we got up before first light got to a spot and hiked in more than a few KM's. There was fresh snow most mornings. We did focus on a spot were we saw some old tracks and were he had seen a few moose a few years back. He also saw 14 black bears 2 years ago up in this area. We saw not 1 bear in a week, only 1 cow moose. Lots of Doe mulies though and a few bucks. There was tons of hunters and we did not see one gut pile or any moose in any ones truck the entire week (Oct 7-14), should have been prime time up there. The fact that other hunters on here are saying the same thing - wrap your head around that.

[moosinaround]

I spend a little bit of time in 7-12, 7-11, and 7-15. Critters are there. Not as many as there used to be, but still huntable. Shoot a bear or 2, there are some big numbers of those in every MU up here in the Omineca. Did a spring bear hunt in 7-11,7-12 and 7-15, 7-24 counted lots of bears, a few moose and a few deer. 7 days, over 50 bears. Killed 2 black bears. Bumped a sow grizz with twin Cubs in 7-13. Moosin

[todbartell]

2011-2015, on average a guy would put in 51 days in MU 7-11 before taking a moose. 2001-2005, 31 days per kill. 1991-1995, 35 days per kill, 1981-1985 = 34 days per kill

[Wild one]

2011-2015, on average a guy would put in 51 days in MU 7-11 before taking a moose. 2001-2005, 31 days per kill. 1991-1995, 35 days per kill, 1981-1985 = 34 days per kill

Bet this trend continues unless BCs moose management improves.

[blackhawk19]

The locals that I met up there were obviously not your family or friends . Moose is great . Should have been hunting a stones throw from your back yard

[HappyJack]

2011-2015, on average a guy would put in 51 days in MU 7-11 before taking a moose. 2001-2005, 31 days per kill. 1991-1995, 35 days per kill, 1981-1985 = 34 days per kill

Sure never took us 34 days in 81/85. But things did get a lot harder when the LEH system was put in place, supposed to make the moose numbers boom lol, ok.

[HappyJack]

I spend a little bit of time in 7-12, 7-11, and 7-15. Critters are there. Not as many as there used to be, but still huntable. Shoot a bear or 2, there are some big numbers of those in every MU up here in the Omineca. Did a spring bear hunt in 7-11,7-12 and 7-15, 7-24 counted lots of bears, a few moose and a few deer. 7 days, over 50 bears. Killed 2 black bears. Bumped a sow grizz with twin Cubs in 7-13. Moosin

Every hunter in the province should be shooting 2 of these calf/fawn killers every year. When you see more bears than moose there are way too many of them. If it was allowed I'd shoot every one I saw.

[moosinaround]

The locals that I met up there were obviously not your family or friends . Moose is great . Should have been hunting a stones throw from your back yard
I run trail cameras in these areas. The pics of the small areas I sample with my salt licks shows that there are critters around. I look for tracks on the roads, and they are scarce Yet the critters are showing up on the cams? I am seeing wolves on the cams, as well as coyotes, and lots of bears!! All sows had twins and triplets, no dry sows that I seen, If I know how to ID bears?? So if your from Sooke, I understand, you do not have the luxury of running trail cams. I am a generous HBC member when it comes to giving out intel to out of town hunters on MU's I cruise around in. I shoot coyotes, wolves when the chance happens, and we kill as many bears as needed to fill our freezers with smokies and sausage, to try and help out the moose, deer, and elk! I am not a "not in my back yard" kind of guy, you win the LEH in my backyard, i'll point you in a good direction, the rest is up to you! Moosin

[todbartell]

Sure never took us 34 days in 81/85. But things did get a lot harder when the LEH system was put in place, supposed to make the moose numbers boom lol, ok.

that's an average between all hunters that filled out their harvest questionnaire

[HappyJack]

that's an average between all hunters that filled out their harvest questionnaire

Really? I'd be surprised if most hunters even got that many day in the field. And now they are up to 51 days average?? You know these stats just don't pass the stink test I'm thinking.

[Salty]

Really? I'd be surprised if most hunters even got that many day in the field. And now they are up to 51 days average?? You know these stats just don't pass the stink test I'm thinking.

LOL, statistics don't work that way. As an example if there's 500 hunters that hunted 5 days each and 49 moose were killed that makes an average of 51 days hunted per moose. As said its just numbers crunched of the data from those that bothered reporting their hunt back then nothing more nothing less.

[J_06]

I run trail cameras in these areas. The pics of the small areas I sample with my salt licks shows that there are critters around. I look for tracks on the roads, and they are scarce Yet the critters are showing up on the cams? I am seeing wolves on the cams, as well as coyotes, and lots of bears!! All sows had twins and triplets, no dry sows that I seen, If I know how to ID bears?? So if your from Sooke, I understand, you do not have the luxury of running trail cams. I am a generous HBC member when it comes to giving out intel to out of town hunters on MU's I cruise around in. I shoot coyotes, wolves when the chance happens, and we kill as many bears as needed to fill our freezers with smokies and sausage, to try and help out the moose, deer, and elk! I am not a "not in my back yard" kind of guy, you win the LEH in my backyard, i'll point you in a good direction, the rest is up to you! Moosin
Mirrors my experince in the area, No shortage of game on my cams, freezers and land. Theres so much road hunting pressure back in there a guy needs to get a little ways off the roads, opens up a whole new world. Waste of breath telling him, hes got it all figured out any way.

[todbartell]

Really? I'd be surprised if most hunters even got that many day in the field. And now they are up to 51 days average?? You know these stats just don't pass the stink test I'm thinking.

average days in field per moose hunter in MU 7-11

1981-85 : 7 days
1991-95 : 7 days
2001-2005 : 8 days
2011-2015 : 9 days

[J_06]

The locals that I met up there were obviously not your family or friends . Moose is great . Should have been hunting a stones throw from your back yard
No probably not, you don't tend to run into people that hunt in the bush and off the roads often. Talk to 9/10 road hunter(where im sure you met these locals) and all you ever here is "ahh there's nothing here anymore or 10 years ago blah blah, or excuse a, b,c.....etc". You know come to think of it, last time I was down on the island I spent two day s out hunting and I didn't see a single deer, not even a bear, must be all gone eh??....or was it I couldn't scout the area out before hand and blindly bumbled around hoping to cut fresh tracks or win the lottery and see one off the road like 90% of out of town hunters you come across seem to be doing. Could go on and argue some ignoramus who lives 900km away about what lives in my backyard and the areas I hunt and fish year round but that would be silly. You have multiple locals agreeing all saying the animals are back there, at least you know where not to put in. Better luck next year blackhawk19.

[J_06]

My buddy an I spent a week up there, yah we road hunted a bit but every morning we got up before first light got to a spot and hiked in more than a few KM's. There was fresh snow most mornings. We did focus on a spot were we saw some old tracks and were he had seen a few moose a few years back. He also saw 14 black bears 2 years ago up in this area. We saw not 1 bear in a week, only 1 cow moose. Lots of Doe mulies though and a few bucks. There was tons of hunters and we did not see one gut pile or any moose in any ones truck the entire week (Oct 7-14), should have been prime time up there. The fact that other hunters on here are saying the same thing - wrap your head around that.


I spend a little bit of time in 7-12, 7-11, and 7-15. Critters are there. Not as many as there used to be, but still huntable. Shoot a bear or 2, there are some big numbers of those in every MU up here in the Omineca. Did a spring bear hunt in 7-11,7-12 and 7-15, 7-24 counted lots of bears, a few moose and a few deer. 7 days, over 50 bears. Killed 2 black bears. Bumped a sow grizz with twin Cubs in 7-13. MoosinWrap your head around that krazzyk. I dont have to, like i said i spend enough time in there. You road hunted, hunted over old sign, and on top of that off 4 year old in tell, yeah its the area that's less than stellar, wow.

[Wild one]

My view is yes game numbers are down so yes you need to work harder and have knowledge of where your going. Still lots of overlooked pockets holding game. Lots of logging traffic and it does push animals away from the roads as well. Most hunters only road hunt and lots of year round pressure

The way the bush is many don't understand how to find spots away from the roads because a lot of the bush looks the same

seems to be the story for western 7 and eastern 6

Huntable it is but I would not say game numbers are thriving and just hidden away. My opinion things are on the decline so hunting marginal areas with little effort is going to fail most of the time

[HappyJack]

LOL, statistics don't work that way. As an example if there's 500 hunters that hunted 5 days each and 49 moose were killed that makes an average of 51 days hunted per moose. As said its just numbers crunched of the data from those that bothered reporting their hunt back then nothing more nothing less.

This is what I read: """011-2015, on average a guy would put in 51 days in MU 7-11 before taking a moose"". which is different than what you are saying with 500 hunters hunting 5 days each.

[Salty]

To get the average you divide the amount of hunter days by the amount of moose killed. Whether or not anyone actually hunted that many days doesn't matter its still the mathematical average in my example, and what the stats showed evidently back then.

[HappyJack]

To get the average you divide the amount of hunter days by the amount of moose killed. Whether or not anyone actually hunted that many days doesn't matter its still the mathematical average in my example, and what the stats showed evidently back then.

Sounds plausible, although that isn't what I was responding too..."""011-2015, on average a guy would put in 51 days in MU 7-11 before taking a moose""​

[todbartell]

2011-2015, MU7-11, 502 moose were killed by 3002 hunters. 83% of hunters went home without a moose

[HappyJack]

2011-2015, MU7-11, 502 moose were killed by 3002 hunters. 83% of hunters went home without a moose

Not a very good success rate. Do they tell you how many of those 502 moose were taken by guided hunters and/or those with LEH draws?

[Salty]

average days in field per moose hunter in MU 7-11

1981-85 : 7 days
1991-95 : 7 days
2001-2005 : 8 days
2011-2015 : 9 days


2011-2015, MU7-11, 502 moose were killed by 3002 hunters. 83% of hunters went home without a moose




So between 2011 and 2015 of the stats obtained 3002 hunters hunted an average of 9 days working out to 27,072 hunting days, and 502 moose were killed in MU 7-11. Therefore, it would take the average of those hunters 53.9 days of hunting to get a moose, some being successful obviously and most not.

[Wild one]

Not a very good success rate. Do they tell you how many of those 502 moose were taken by guided hunters and/or those with LEH draws?

Knowing some of the moose quotas for GO territories around the area if that number includes GOs odds are their take is less than 15% of that number

odds are majority of the harvest is leh by a huge margin

[HappyJack]

Knowing some of the moose quotas for GO territories around the area if that number includes GOs odds are their take is less than 15% of that number

odds are majority of the harvest is leh by a huge margin

Don't the guides get 25% of the annual allowable harvest of mature bull moose in 7-11??

[Wild one]

Don't the guides get 25% of the annual allowable harvest of mature bull moose in 7-11??

Territories I know the quota for moose around the area not just 7-11 range from 14-50( going by memory)moose over 5 years. Some of theses quotas are split between two mu's even. I also know for a fact some GO's are not filling these quotas even. Moose hunts in this area don't hold a high demand from non residents even.

I know this because I considered buying a territory myself but it's not worth it $ wise. Better of logging profit wise when it comes to many territories lol

My research into this industry was a real eye opener when it comes to what GOs really take for animals and profits they make. When your debating on investing 300k+ on a territory you dig for the facts of this industry

Lots of things are assumed by resident hunters when it comes to GO harvest and profits but get to see their books and numbers vs what is assumed don't match

[todbartell]

Not a very good success rate. Do they tell you how many of those 502 moose were taken by guided hunters and/or those with LEH draws?

the stats above were from resident hunters, hunting both LEH and GOS.

Non resident guided hunters, 2011-2015 in MU 7-11

15 moose kills, 110 days hunted. Avg 7 days per kill

20 hunters killed 15 moose, 75% success rate

[HappyJack]

the stats above were from resident hunters, hunting both LEH and GOS.

Non resident guided hunters, 2011-2015 in MU 7-11

15 moose kills, 110 days hunted. Avg 7 days per kill

20 hunters killed 15 moose, 75% success rate

That's a better success rate. I'm surprised there were only 20 guided hunters for that many years. Thanks for the info

[Wild one]

That's a better success rate. I'm surprised there were only 20 guided hunters for that many years. Thanks for the info

Not easy hunts to sell do to poor trophy quality and busy area the main market for these hunts are Americans that do it for meat/experience not trophy

The moose hunts in demand are northern 6/7b. Better trophy quality and the experience of remote fly in/ horse back

I know for a fact some go's in region 3 and 5 rarely or don't guide moose even though they have a quota


Want a real reason to be pissed about GO's % of allocation it's not more non residents hunting it's the fact many areas with moose and other species residents lost opportunity that GO's don't utilize or need.

[HappyJack]

Not easy hunts to sell do to poor trophy quality and busy area the main market for these hunts are Americans that do it for meat/experience not trophy

The moose hunts in demand are northern 6/7b. Better trophy quality and the experience of remote fly in/ horse back

I know for a fact some go's in region 3 and 5 rarely or don't guide moose even though they have a quota


Want a real reason to be pissed about GO's % of allocation it's not more non residents hunting it's the fact many areas with moose and other species residents lost opportunity that GO's don't utilize or need.

Aren't they supposed to lose allocation that they aren't utilizing? Never could understand why some of them get cow moose tags either.

[Wild one]

Aren't they supposed to lose allocation that they aren't utilizing? Never could understand why some of them get cow moose tags either.

I have been told yes unused allocation can be grounds to lower the number of animals allocated. I know this is not happening for at least part of the outfits I know of. Why I do not know but odds are it is either lack of enforcement or there is protocols GO's can use to fight it. When it comes to tenures of any kind there is ways the owners can defend them selves

Dont agree with cow tags overall when moose are on the decline. As for GO's getting cow tags it's the whole % agreement but like I said the do sell meat hunts for a lot of the southern outfits.

BC is a mess when it comes to hunting, GO's, trapping, and fishing. From a guy who spent time digging into all 4 the more I learn the more I go WTF. Also causes a guy to go WTF in regards to those who are declared our voice as well

[BCLongshot]

All the swamp donkeys are gone and they’ve never ever been in 7-11 or 7-12 :)

[835]

BC Longshot, you doin the "half Klassen?"
Kyle woulda gone back further .... hence the "Half Klassen"

[silvertip0260]

First and last time we will hunt there. We had 4 draws . Got two bulls . Missed one. Tons of fresh wolf sign. Only saw 2. Way to many hunters