Tumbler Ridge Area for elk

[browningboy]

I used to hunt up there years ago, now I hear oil and gas have changed the landscape quite a bit so just reaching out for some intel (Pm's totally cool), in any case it's really tough to go up there for a scout as it's 12 hrs or so of a drive, so really just curious about:

1- The agricultural zone for antlerless and 3 point, is this really just farmers land? Appears that way on google earth but just curious
2- How's the elk population generally doing up there, somewhat average, decline or well?
3- Can anyone recommend a campsite that's hopefully near water and not on the grease! I know asking a lot! :-) My area was done by oil and gas I'm told by a hunting partner years back so thats why I'm asking.

Also could just go down to the upper burnt too by Chetwynd if this doesn't pan out but hoping for some intel? Fingers crossed

[browningboy]

Almost 100 views and not one response? Well screw all of those guys when asking for help!!

[Wild one]

Not a ton of experience in the area or elk for that matter so give you the little I know

1) there is a reasonable amount of crown land within the agricultural zone

2) I seen elk and had opportunity well hunting them but can’t compare past populations to present from lack of experience. Hunted near Dawson and chetwynd

3) Never really looked but you should find something. Really depends where you go

Not much help but it’s a response.

[barry1974w]

Population is down somewhere around 50% since they opened the season in the ag zone is what I read somewhere

[northof49]

Yup nothing around, don’t waste your time.

[Boner]

Almost 100 views and not one response? Well screw all of those guys when asking for help!!

I was one of the almost 100. I never ask for help, but can offer you some advice. Do you trust your hunting partner when he says years back that your “area was done in by oil & gas”?

I have spent years of my half life in that area working in gas exploration. The whole area is covered with evidence of people being there. Yet there are still moose, deer and elk living there.

My advise is come up and at least give it a shot. Fuel up at Costco in PG. It’s the cheapest around by 4 cents.

[RayHill]

Been hunting for a week north of Dawson Creek from first to last light haven’t seen anything yet.

[browningboy]

Thanks everyone, appreciate the feedback, just will go up next year and give it a go.. wasn’t sure mainly where to camp but I guess that’s easy enough to figure out

[Boner]

The back part of the backroad map book is a good place to look for camping spots. If you name off a few potential spots you think might work, people might chime in.

[todbartell]

Lots of nice country in the South Puggins area, fresh logging and no shortage of roads

[russm]

If people don’t know the area you can’t expect help from them, no sense getting pissy about it...

[250 sav]

Just came back from the peace ag zone. Crazy busy, elk were quiet unless you got in close. Wasn't in tumbler area, but next time I go I might go to a 6 point only area with the hope of less people and more vocal elk. Our group did get a 3x2 bull moose on the last evening.

[moosinaround]

Just came back from the peace ag zone. Crazy busy, elk were quiet unless you got in close. Wasn't in tumbler area, but next time I go I might go to a 6 point only area with the hope of less people and more vocal elk. Our group did get a 3x2 bull moose on the last evening.
CRAZY BUSY??????? that's a friggin understatement!! Holy activity!! Gas workers, hunters, loggers, truckers, farmers, Hydro traffic! Was a gong show!!

[canadiancon]

Was up a week ago, elk screaming, shot a 5x5 the first day up with chances at more. Lots of elk around you just need to get away from the people.

[REMINGTON JIM]

Almost 100 views and not one response? Well screw all of those guys when asking for help!!

No one LIKEs You ! :tongue: LMFFAO :lol: RJ

[Bunner]

Just came back from there and heard nothing. Saw a bunch of tracks but really no fresh sign. Don't know if the early snow we had pushed them to lower elevations or to there wintering grounds. Pretty stumped at this point. Just a bunch of chickens. That's about it.

[REMINGTON JIM]

Just came back from there and heard nothing. Saw a bunch of tracks but really no fresh sign. Don't know if the early snow we had pushed them to lower elevations or to there wintering grounds. Pretty stumped at this point. Just a bunch of chickens. That's about it.

How WARM was it ? any FROST ? RJ

[Bunner]

How WARM was it ? any FROST ? RJ

12- 15c during the day. No frost down to 1c at night, maybe a bit cooler. Snow still in the bush. Just spent 3 days 2 nights up there.

[250 sav]

CRAZY BUSY??????? that's a friggin understatement!! Holy activity!! Gas workers, hunters, loggers, truckers, farmers, Hydro traffic! Was a gong show!!

Sounds like we were in the same area

[Sitkaspruce]

Elk reduction goals of 35% have been achieved, hence the reduction in LEH. Lots of elk around, but they are getting smarter and you really need to do your homework. Find an area and learn it. I have found that the elk move a lot and with all the food choices they have, they can be on a pea field one day and on an aspen ridge 5 k away the next. Once they get bumped, they quickly learn and start to move and feed program.

Of the three we got, two came bugling and looking for the cows chirping, the other silent but determined.
The elk I got was silent, but was coming directly to my call at a fast trot.

As for busy, not even close to what it was back in 13/14 and even some of 15.

Three issues are making it busier 1) LNG ramp up....it coming as the big movers are all starting to ramp up. 2) the Blueberry FN agreement which has kicked out industry in certain areas, forcing them to all concentrate on smaller areas and 3) the Indians shutting down a lot of the central interior, forcing more hunters to the Peace. Typical NIMBY thought process...lets save some moose in my back yard and be damned about the moose in someone else.

As for Tumbler Ridge, see elk when I am over that way, but like all the other areas, no guarantee they will be there tomorrow.

Cheers

SS

[browningboy]

No one LIKEs You ! :tongue: LMFFAO :lol: RJ


well the same applies to you? Touché

theres stories about you...:-)

[RayHill]

I had a nice big shiny black cow and spike fork come in to my calls today. I was siting on a rock looking down into the basin with rifle at my feet an hour after my last call i was getting sloppy. Then I hear a small snap behind me and look behind and less the twenty feet behind me at full gallop they came straight at me. They came up behind to have a smell before showing themselves. But I was still in a cross wind. It took me by surprise and my reaction time was horrible I grabbed my rifle and put it up. At this time both the moose hit their brakes hard.

The cow was right in the open looking at me and the bull was behind a small bush with his ass toward me but looking back at me with his head and neck exposed. He was there for two seconds then bailed running straight for the thick bush. I was wanting to shoot him in the ribs and waiting for him to walk out in the open. If I could get those two seconds back I would have shot him in the neck at 20 feet he would have dropped right there.

What is funny is me and the moose were surprised to see each other, it was interesting that there has been no cow or bull calling back to my calls and they came in silent and from up wind. It was like a blacktail textbook move that I have never had a moose do.

Owell guess I’ll just have to keep looking!

[browningboy]

I had a nice big shiny black cow and spike fork come in to my calls today. I was siting on a rock looking down into the basin with rifle at my feet an hour after my last call i was getting sloppy. Then I hear a small snap behind me and look behind and less the twenty feet behind me at full gallop they came straight at me. They came up behind to have a smell before showing themselves. But I was still in a cross wind. It took me by surprise and my reaction time was horrible I grabbed my rifle and put it up. At this time both the moose hit their brakes hard.

The cow was right in the open looking at me and the bull was behind a small bush with his ass toward me but looking back at me with his head and neck exposed. He was there for two seconds then bailed running straight for the thick bush. I was wanting to shoot him in the ribs and waiting for him to walk out in the open. If I could get those two seconds back I would have shot him in the neck at 20 feet he would have dropped right there.

What is funny is me and the moose were surprised to see each other, it was interesting that there has been no cow or bull calling back to my calls and they came in silent and from up wind. It was like a blacktail textbook move that I have never had a moose do.

Owell guess I’ll just have to keep looking!


just keep at it, at least you’re starting to see some stuff now! Here’s hoping you connect!

[triggerhappy]

CRAZY BUSY??????? that's a friggin understatement!! Holy activity!! Gas workers, hunters, loggers, truckers, farmers, Hydro traffic! Was a gong show!!
I hunted south of Dawson last week and was shocked at the lack of hunters. Only saw 1 other confirmed pair of hunters all week. I was in the ag zone.

[RayHill]

Not to many gun shots this year. Must be a lot of bow hunters haha

i have have yet to hear one moose call back this year so far.

Its ts a nice day today sun is warm have a little fire going sitting up on the top of a bowl ridge. With a view of the Peace River. It’s nice to be here.

[moosinaround]

Take what I tell for what it is!! I'm not a "not in my back yard" kind of guy, and I tell it like I see it, it was Fackin busy!! That being said, we hunted 4 days, killed a bull elk, and a bull moose, and we called both of them in!

[Squamch]

Lots of nice country in the South Puggins area, fresh logging and no shortage of roads

Saw more moose sign there in the last 2 days than anywhere else within 2 hours of tumbler. So we're heading home empty handed after 10 days. Faaaack.

[browningboy]

Saw more moose sign there in the last 2 days than anywhere else within 2 hours of tumbler. So we're heading home empty handed after 10 days. Faaaack.


Thats shitty bud, did you hunt the ag zone? See anything?

[HappyJack]

Just got back from there, 2 of 5 in our group took small bull elk. Lots of hunting camps, very few gunshots. Went to explore one day, around Stewart Lake....too many hunters and the industrial activity was unreal, so went back to 7-21 and finished off the hunt. I send people to the Del Rio, it's the place to be.

[HappyJack]

Saw more moose sign there in the last 2 days than anywhere else within 2 hours of tumbler. So we're heading home empty handed after 10 days. Faaaack.

LOL~~vegetarians~~we did 16 days and came home with meat, but the game was sparse except for bears. A whole lot of bears, blacks and grizz, if you are scared of bears it's not the place to be sleeping in a tent

[masoncade1992]

No elk in the peace . Way to many hunters, better go to the kootaneys. :)��

[REMINGTON JIM]

well the same applies to you? Touché

theres stories about you...:-)

Just teaseing you a BIT Buddy ! lol :wink: RJ

[browningboy]

No elk in the peace . Way to many hunters, better go to the kootaneys. :)��

very original message, actually almost believable


Just teaseing you a BIT Buddy ! lol :wink: RJ


all good i was just joking too bud!

[Squamch]

Thats shitty bud, did you hunt the ag zone? See anything?

Mostly down into 7-19. Hunting with my dad who is crippled up with asbestosis so he wants to shoot one on the road. I dont get to do a ton of walking with him. Had a new guy in the group too who didn't fit in so well....just wasn't a great trip. We did hunt the ag area a bit, but...again, limited by the company I keep.

[Squamch]

LOL~~vegetarians~~we did 16 days and came home with meat, but the game was sparse except for bears. A whole lot of bears, blacks and grizz, if you are scared of bears it's not the place to be sleeping in a tent

Oh yeah, shiiiiit loads of bears. I did see one fork moose at about 30 yards in THICK stuff. No time for a shot and he moved to Dawson I heard.

[guest]

Almost 100 views and not one response? Well screw all of those guys when asking for help!!

Wow...... That outa get ya some much needed help.
Lol

[browningboy]

Wow...... That outa get ya some much needed help.
Lol


It worked, 4 pages later....

[Hunterguy]

Just got back after a 10 day hunt mid 7-20 and not an elk track to be seen. Few non legal bulls and lots of wolf track howling all hours of the day.

[browningboy]

Just got back after a 10 day hunt mid 7-20 and not an elk track to be seen. Few non legal bulls and lots of wolf track howling all hours of the day.

well that sucks, hopefully you put some hurt into a wolf or two!

[RayHill]

I shot a wolf today. He was pulling apart a hind leg in the field behind the house. It was his last meal.

[browningboy]

I shot a wolf today. He was pulling apart a hind leg in the field behind the house. It was his last meal.


Sweet job!

[RayHill]

Got a coyote today, almost got two!

[Sitkaspruce]

Bull moose were going crazy last week, every day we had 2-3 different bull encounters by calling, with about 33% being seen.....three were shooters, one went in the freezer.

Cheers

SS