Predator hunting Squamish Ashlu or Elaho?

[Huntingtyler123]

Hello everyone this is my first post on the site. Been a long time fan of this site and have been reading past threads to gather information for myself as I’m a relative new hunter. I began hunting with a compound bow past two years and purchased my first rifle this Christmas.

With my my new rifle sighted in and ready to go I’m extremely excited for spring bear this year and since I live on the north shore , Squamish is really close and know they have a lot of black bears up there ( and grizzlies). I’ve read and understand MU2-6 is rough and tough but I want to learn the terrain.

So so long story short I have two questions. 1- Would you choose to focus on ashlu or Elaho if your goal was a spring bear and why?

2- for this time of year would you stay close to the river bottom or up higher for wolves and coyotes? I went up this weekend on the Squamish river fsr and made it to mile marker 19 before I chose to turn around because of the deep snow.
Thanks in advance

[Pemby_mess]

Ashlu is obviously going to be easier access, earlier in the season due to snow. I wouldn't think bear concentrations would be any higher in the Elaho either, so not sure what you can gain by going further, from a purely pragmatic perspective.

[granola_eater]

Ashlu is obviously going to be easier access

Ashlu is now closed before the first bridge.

[Pemby_mess]

Ashlu is now closed before the first bridge.

What for the IPP? that's too bad - closed to vehicles or another type of closure?

[Huntingtyler123]

Ashlu is now closed before the first bridge.

Thank you could you elaborate on this?

[Rob Chipman]

Huntingtyler-

Don't be afraid to go over the Duff and hit Region 3 for bears either. I know the Ashlu and whatnot are close, but there are a lot of bears on each side of the Fraser.

[Huntingtyler123]

Huntingtyler-

Don't be afraid to go over the Duff and hit Region 3 for bears either. I know the Ashlu and whatnot are close, but there are a lot of bears on each side of the Fraser.

thank you , just not sure where to start over there. I have family in lillooet also which could be good. I’ve been up to botanie valley a bunch because they have a little cabin up there. Is this area decent for bears? I guess I’ll have to check it out to know for sure.

I was was just thinking Squamish because I could make it into a day hunt instead of a weekend hunt if need be.

[Rob Chipman]

PM me. I'll give you some ideas for easy ones.

[granola_eater]

Thank you could you elaborate on this?

The first bridge over the Ashlu was declared unsafe some time in the last 6-12 months, and a large gate was erected across the road about 250 meters before the bridge. It's closed to vehicle traffic, but you can still walk past it. You wouldn't be able to get a quad past the gate/barricade. I suspect that the amount of bush parties back along the road, the drowning death of a young man during one of those parties, and the amount of garbage partiers' left along the river contributed to the gate as much as any unsafe bridges.

[Huntingtyler123]

Squamish bears still like meadows green grass patches or more clearings and down low by the river banks? Going out this Thursday and Friday for day hunts hoping to fill one more tag. Any help very much appreciated! Going into elaho

[Dour]

Elaho 200%. Hunt the skunk cabbage patches and take the left on second bridge just past the water fall. And drive to the grizzly sign. Lots of action in there. I’ve taken a few out of that spot Lots of other critters around like wolves

[Huntingtyler123]

Elaho 200%. Hunt the skunk cabbage patches and take the left on second bridge just past the water fall. And drive to the grizzly sign. Lots of action in there. I’ve taken a few out of that spot Lots of other critters around like wolves


Thanks for the information! Will try it out! Only have one more day hunt and that’s it till September and that’s why staying close to home. Hopefully bump into something thank you

[Dour]

Don’t shoot the grizzlies lots of them running around up there

[andrew5]

Hi All,

already scouting for new Spring bear areas. I was looking into the Elaho as well. I noticed there was a fire up there in 2015. wondering if this is a good area to focus on. Planning on bringing a first time hunter along this Spring on a two day, one night short trip, so any ideas on starting points would be appreciated.

[Livewire322]

Hi All,

already scouting for new Spring bear areas. I was looking into the Elaho as well. I noticed there was a fire up there in 2015. wondering if this is a good area to focus on. Planning on bringing a first time hunter along this Spring on a two day, one night short trip, so any ideas on starting points would be appreciated.

My intel will be a bit dated because I haven’t been up there since 2019, so take it with a grain of NaCl.
There’s lots of parties and rowdy campers up that way on any half decent weekend - i.e., game already on edge, plenty of trash for bears to root through, and you need to be extra choosy about shots for fear of a bullet ending up in an unseen campsite. Unless you’re walking past a washout/deactivation/gate to find undisturbed areas, I’d focus elsewhere - there’s better spots to road hunt - further north past Pemby, or east of the Fraser valley…

good luck!