Smithers Elk LEH Draw

[bloodbath]

Hi,

What do you think are the chances of the proposed LEH elk draw for the Smithers area east of the Bulkley River. I think it is in an agricultural area.

[S.W.A.T.]

Word has been circulating about it for many years now. Had a wildlife biologist tell me this fall there is a 80% chance of it happening. If it does happen sounds like it will be LEH private land only.

Several other changes might happen especially in regards to moose

[Avalanche123]

It would be nice to see. Elk almost in my back yard. Very fun :)

[Caribou_lou]

Private land hunt. There are a couple Farmers that will allow you to hunt and more than a couple that bitch about the damage but dont like hunting. its a start but quite honestly a joke. Why private land? Open a damn LEH or 6 point season and let us harvest some. Crown land areas Ive hunted for Deer and Moose are over run by Elk! Good luck drawing. Im betting odds will be upwards of 100:1

[Wild one]

Better know someone who owns property in the area because very few let people they don’t know on their land. Too many idiots trespassing for deer pissed of landowners. Most have banned everyone except the odd person they know

luck for me I have permission already on a property the elk visit often

[Avalanche123]

Private land hunt. There are a couple Farmers that will allow you to hunt and more than a couple that bitch about the damage but dont like hunting. its a start but quite honestly a joke. Why private land? Open a damn LEH or 6 point season and let us harvest some. Crown land areas Ive hunted for Deer and Moose are over run by Elk! Good luck drawing. Im betting odds will be upwards of 100:1

Like you said...it is a start.

[S.W.A.T.]

Private land hunt. There are a couple Farmers that will allow you to hunt and more than a couple that bitch about the damage but dont like hunting. its a start but quite honestly a joke. Why private land? Open a damn LEH or 6 point season and let us harvest some. Crown land areas Ive hunted for Deer and Moose are over run by Elk! Good luck drawing. Im betting odds will be upwards of 100:1

Probably because they don't know the exact numbers yet. I fully understand why farmers, myself included, don't just allow anyone to hunt on their land. About 20 years ago a guy shot one of our breeding bulls thinking it was a moose.

[Caribou_lou]

Farmers have been complaining for the last 5 years. And a very limited hunt wont help the ones that allow hunters. There is absolutly no reason thete cant be a Bow hunt 1st to 9th of Sept and a rifle hunt 10th to 20th. 6 point bulls. You cant go wrong! If theres not many 6 point elk. Not many will be shot. If there is lots of 6 points.... Right on! either way, Zero risk

[S.W.A.T.]

Good point.

Looking forward to upcoming year though. Snow fall has made shed hunting a little difficult

[Caribou_lou]

Going to be the first tough winter for the Elk. But Im thinking they will thrive next couple years and population through the Roof

[warnniklz]

Heard a story about a single someone shit kicking those elk this year. Heard and story are the key words there.

[Wild one]

Heard a story about a single someone shit kicking those elk this year. Heard and story are the key words there.

I know for a fact some were killed how many I don’t know

[Pipeliner]

Man I am still obsessed with Smithers. I had a job basically lined up with CN.. They chose to postpone the hiring for the position, now that I know there's elk around Smithers I am even more upset. Could have been living the dream! Oh well, one more winter in the prairies. Maybe Smithers next year!
My experience getting permission from farmers has been nothing but pleasant. Most just want to be treated with respect and don't want people driving anything on their land.

[walks with deer]

safety.guts,garbage,fire hazard...
idiots are the hazard...

[two-feet]

Man I am still obsessed with Smithers. I had a job basically lined up with CN.. They chose to postpone the hiring for the position, now that I know there's elk around Smithers I am even more upset. Could have been living the dream! Oh well, one more winter in the prairies. Maybe Smithers next year!
My experience getting permission from farmers has been nothing but pleasant. Most just want to be treated with respect and don't want people driving anything on their land.

Careful what you wish for...CN sucks. And the elk hunt is very limited. Move here for many reasons, but the railway and elk are not major draws.

[S.W.A.T.]

All the people I know that actually got the draw failed to get permission. Any success stories?

[barry1974w]

It would be nice if there was a way to encourage land owners to grant permission(I’m as guilty as any). Making it harder to be eligible for crop insurance (wildlife related), or hay stack fence subsidies if you don’t allow hunters maybe. Didn’t the BCWF have a land owner relation thing going for a while, a short course or something?

[Wild one]

All the people I know that actually got the draw failed to get permission. Any success stories?

Like I said early in this thread don’t apply for the draw if you don’t know someone. I can tell you in 6-04 landowners are so sick of trespassing and poaching they won’t give permission if they don’t know you

Only person I knew personally with the draw missed do to being an excited rookie but had fun lol.

I know 1 person being charged for shooting an elk on property without permission but don’t know if they had a draw. Another elk was shot during archery draw with a rifle and that landowner did not know it was an archery tag. That landowner will be even more selective on who hunts his land now

You hear it’s tough to get permission now well I know a few landowners who got even more selective after idiots this year

[Wild one]

It would be nice if there was a way to encourage land owners to grant permission(I’m as guilty as any). Making it harder to be eligible for crop insurance (wildlife related), or hay stack fence subsidies if you don’t allow hunters maybe. Didn’t the BCWF have a land owner relation thing going for a while, a short course or something?


I have had permission from landowners in many parts of BC and it is getting tougher. This is do to the number of idiots trespassing, poaching, and dangerous shooting by idiots. These days in many areas unless you have someone they know that recommends you your screwed

This is not a matter of creating an access program it’s a matter of getting idiots dealt with and hunters improving their reputation

[IronNoggin]

It would be nice if there was a way to encourage land owners to grant permission(I’m as guilty as any). Making it harder to be eligible for crop insurance (wildlife related), or hay stack fence subsidies if you don’t allow hunters maybe...

This was done in Saskatchewan many many years ago.
A huge number of landowners decided they were going to post their lands, keep hunters off, and create private hunting reserves for their own use. After many complaints, the government reacted. What they legislated was that you could NOT hunt your own property if it was posted No Hunting. They went further with also making the crop insurance null and void for any who kept the signs up.
The vast majority of the signs came down overnight.
Those that replaced them in some instances stated "Written Permission Only".

That strategy worked, and to some extent it might work here as well.
But as long as you have the kind of Idiots the Wild One is referring to causing friction, even without signs, it is easy enough to simply say No and imply you have already given permission to others (whether true or not).

Cheers,
Nog

[Wild one]

Nogg

In the 6-04 elk zone it’s a major idiot issue and in most parts of BC that I have seen landowners tighten up permission it’s the same story of increasing abuse by those calling themselves hunters. Majority of the places I have been given permission over the years in BC the owner does not hunt any more or never did.

Stories from landowners range from trespassing to someone shooting their breeding bull in the balls with a 22. Many of these stories come from owners who still give me permission but view most hunters as idiots and won’t allow hunters outside of my crew. People think landowners are making up stories so they can say no and with the ones I know that is definitely not the case. I have been on properties set up for waterfowl or deer waiting for first light only to have trucks stop and spotlight the field

Ethics are not what they were in the past and a big part of why landowners are tight about giving permission to straight up hunting

[barry1974w]

I have had permission from landowners in many parts of BC and it is getting tougher. This is do to the number of idiots trespassing, poaching, and dangerous shooting by idiots. These days in many areas unless you have someone they know that recommends you your screwed

This is not a matter of creating an access program it’s a matter of getting idiots dealt with and hunters improving their reputation

I’d managed to get permission in a few different places around also, all of them have me back. I have a hard time giving permission to people I don’t know, and you’re right, it cause people are idiots. What people think isn’t a big deal a lot of the time is a big deal if you’re trying to farm(try the front leg bone of a moose in your baler). But I still think an organized access program, with collaboration from the cattleman’s and farmers institutes could make things a lot easier for hunters who were willing to put in a bit of time to take a workshop or something..

[barry1974w]

This was done in Saskatchewan many many years ago.
A huge number of landowners decided they were going to post their lands, keep hunters off, and create private hunting reserves for their own use. After many complaints, the government reacted. What they legislated was that you could NOT hunt your own property if it was posted No Hunting. They went further with also making the crop insurance null and void for any who kept the signs up.
The vast majority of the signs came down overnight.
Those that replaced them in some instances stated "Written Permission Only".

That strategy worked, and to some extent it might work here as well.
But as long as you have the kind of Idiots the Wild One is referring to causing friction, even without signs, it is easy enough to simply say No and imply you have already given permission to others (whether true or not).

Cheers,
Nog

well personally I wouldn’t want to see it go that far. I don’t give permission to very many people, and I dont have that much land. But the number of people who want to hunt my little bit is astounding. The number of people that want to hunt my dad’s property’s is ridiculous and the number of trespassers is amazing

[Caribou_lou]

All the people I know that actually got the draw failed to get permission. Any success stories?

Saw a picture of one Bull harvested. Nice 6 point. He had no problem gaining permission. But they knew the land owners. Land owners probably wouldnt give permission to out of towners. Just my thought