Kluachesi Hunting

[CKostiuk]

I'm planning a trip with my 12 year old son into Kluachesi Lake. Never hunted the area and looking for any tips that could help us figure the area out a little better. Appreciate any info. Elk & Moose

[tko]

Game is scarce compared to few years before especially elk , that being the reason they closed the cow elk there.
Lots of G - bears and black bears , be aware of them .
every animal we took out of there had a G- bear on it within 24 hours.
had to pop a black bear kept trying to steal a quarter,luckily I had a bear tag !

[CKostiuk]

Thanks for that. Depending on how many groups are in the area, was planning on spiking out West or South. Fingers crossed there's a bull hanging around for him to get his first Elk.

Cheers

[Jrax]

when you get flown in, the pilot will probably know where the current basecamps are. Any direction will be good if you get away from the crowds. There is lots of game in there just not as many right off the lake like there used to be.

[Boondock]

As mentioned in previous threads Urs is known to multiple groups of hunters on the same Lake! Such was the case when i was there in 2015 and 2016. We also had to plug a bear that kept entering our camp. Not sure when exactly you're going but I hear there are multiple groups that go there every year during the moose rut. It's a popular lake. Just sucks spending all that money and being around so many other hunters...

[GEF]

Don't let the naysayers sway you still better than the kootenays or region 8 and no quads roaring around .Be the best trip you and your son ever do .Breathtaking scenery.Hike out one of the dranages away from the lake with some steep timber and you will be into some elk .Have a blast and good luck!

[BeastX]

I second to that; it will be the most breathtaking trip you'll ever do with your son. Kluachesi is God's little acre as they like to call it. That said, spiking out West or South sounds like a good plan, go in further from the lake, away from the people as much as possible, and you will get your bull elk or moose. Good luck and good hunting. Looking forward to hearing all about it!

[Salmon Belly]

I've hunted there three times, most recent just this past fall (2018 ). Yes, it is beautiful, but you must consider the logistics of getting a large animal broken down and back to the lake, with a 12-year old, before the meat spoils (it can be 20+C during day) and also grizzly/wolf claiming your meat or causing more serious problems. Honestly, meat retrieval back to lake is the biggest thing to have completely figured out. The year we had 4 guys (2017) in there was the only year we got all the meat back without grizz problems (each year we got an animal).

PM me if you want to have a chat on the phone, glad to share my experience with you. I have two kids too, and unless i was completely sure of how the 12-year old would handle it, dumping a big moose or bull elk 5km or more from the lake through some gnarly country would worry me.

After 2018 I won't go back. It was an unreal zoo at the lake, Urs dropped guys over and over, and lots came in from Fort Nelson too with Villers. Yes there's lots of territory once you spike out, but we bumped into guys far off lake.

Speaking straight from real experience, not trying to be negative but Kluachesi isn't what a lot of guys think it is. Once a kid is involved need to be aware of the reality of it.

SB

[Jrax]

I've hunted there three times, most recent just this past fall (2018 ). Yes, it is beautiful, but you must consider the logistics of getting a large animal broken down and back to the lake, with a 12-year old, before the meat spoils (it can be 20+C during day) and also grizzly/wolf claiming your meat or causing more serious problems. Honestly, meat retrieval back to lake is the biggest thing to have completely figured out. The year we had 4 guys (2017) in there was the only year we got all the meat back without grizz problems (each year we got an animal).

PM me if you want to have a chat on the phone, glad to share my experience with you. I have two kids too, and unless i was completely sure of how the 12-year old would handle it, dumping a big moose or bull elk 5km or more from the lake through some gnarly country would worry me.

After 2018 I won't go back. It was an unreal zoo at the lake, Urs dropped guys over and over, and lots came in from Fort Nelson too with Villers. Yes there's lots of territory once you spike out, but we bumped into guys far off lake.

Speaking straight from real experience, not trying to be negative but Kluachesi isn't what a lot of guys think it is. Once a kid is involved need to be aware of the reality of it.

SB

Just curious what dates you went? 2017 Redfern turned into an absolute zoo (year of the fires) around September 17th. We had to hike far off to get away from chainsaws, quads and gunfire (people sighting in guns) and we still ran into people.

There is some positives about going to a lake popular with hunters. It gives peace of mind to know there are others around if you run into trouble and I find it fun to have other hunters to bs with after hunting several days, have a beer and hear some great stories. The scenery will be awesome with well established trails and lots of game if you get out there. If I was taking my son at 12, I think Kluchesi is a good option - and I would put less pressure on getting an animal down and bonus if you do. Perfect opportunity to have an epic animal encounter 10km back and say, nope going to let him walk and be happy with a video or pictures. For a 12year old learning how to hike, camp, survival etc. while backcountry mountain hunting is so much that for me that would be my focus.

Also, its 3pt or better for elk with bow which does provide a lot of opportunity if you are good at calling!

[Salmon Belly]

Yes these are all good points. Boils down to what a person is looking for. We always went in for what we hoped was peak elk rut, around mid-Sept. There are many other fly in areas that I would hunt before going back to Kluachesi... takes some homework but worth it if that’s what you’re after.

cheers,
SB


Just curious what dates you went? 2017 Redfern turned into an absolute zoo (year of the fires) around September 17th. We had to hike far off to get away from chainsaws, quads and gunfire (people sighting in guns) and we still ran into people.

There is some positives about going to a lake popular with hunters. It gives peace of mind to know there are others around if you run into trouble and I find it fun to have other hunters to bs with after hunting several days, have a beer and hear some great stories. The scenery will be awesome with well established trails and lots of game if you get out there. If I was taking my son at 12, I think Kluchesi is a good option - and I would put less pressure on getting an animal down and bonus if you do. Perfect opportunity to have an epic animal encounter 10km back and say, nope going to let him walk and be happy with a video or pictures. For a 12year old learning how to hike, camp, survival etc. while backcountry mountain hunting is so much that for me that would be my focus.

Also, its 3pt or better for elk with bow which does provide a lot of opportunity if you are good at calling!

[Kevin So]

been there once. 4 of us flew into the lake in one plane and was successful with elk..(grizz ate 3/4 of one elk we got.)...lots of grizz there so manage your food cache and game meat well, have a rifle close by at all time in camp... saw caribou,moose, sheeps. definitely hike away from the lake to the drainage to the south as well as up the north ridge and glass.

like other had mentioned, it's beautiful there and just spending time with your son there hiking and glassing would be great time, but if you get lucky, you will have to work fast packing meat out back to camp by the lake before the flies/grizz/heat gets your meat.

we only saw one other group while we were there, so it wasn't bad at all for us. However that was 4 to 5 years ago and it sounded like it's more busy now. oh yah....we had to hire a second flight to get all the meat out.

feel free to DM me.

[eatram]

Region 7-50 is beautiful area. A pilot told me that the elk were down 85% from their peaks in 7-50. That number is staggering, but that explains why we don't see much elk in that MU like we used to. Moose are way down in Region 7 as well. I find more hunters around now that Jet Boats are plentiful. The animals are still out there, just harder and harder to get now... Maybe this lake is different, but I doubt it.

[Bugle M In]

Yup, do protect stuff from Grizz.
There have been incidents in the past up there.
I am pretty sure one fellow I did work for was up there and he had taken an elk.
Anyways, following week another fellow he knew flew in to hunt as he was leaving.
That fellow walked into his gut pile and did get mauled (back in the 90's).

You will be fine but just remember you have others hunting there too and hopefully they are just as carefull with their food etc.