Bison Hunting anyone??? Literally

[Huevos]

Congratulations on all those who got bison LEH. For the rest of us that didn't, I guess we get to hunt them GOS?? At least that is what the new regs say!Season is short though, Only goes from Sept 1 to Jan 31.....

[RyoTHC]

It’s also not in the area of the LEHs.. it’s on neighbouring zones where they don’t want the bison to expand into... will some get taken GOs this year and maybe the next year or two? Sure it’s likely but beyond that, the population will go down and the animals will smarten up and then the GOS will rarely be utilized. That’s my uneducated guess anyways. See ya up there oct 1 after my moose hunt for a gos bison !

[Bear Chaser]

Very little of the areas open for general season actually have bison that are accessible without horses. There is always a chance but there will be many unused tags IMO.

[2chodi]

Very little of the areas open for general season actually have bison that are accessible without horses. There is always a chance but there will be many unused tags IMO.

You are correct - the places where the GOS was put in are "fringe" areas of the bison range and the hope is to keep it that way. The chances of harvesting a bison in the GOS areas are pretty slim most days i.e. if you are on a snowmobile trip in those areas you might want to have a bison tag with you. To make a trip from Vancouver Island with the hope of harvesting a bison in the GOS areas will most likely lead to disappointment other than it's always nice to be out in the backcountry.

[Huevos]

still sounds fun though. Anyone who has ever tried to roll over a bison will be sure to think twice about shooting it unless it is on the road or dang close to a trail......

[swampthing]

I see a map showing general open season areas but I cant actually find the regulation/season dates for it??

[2chodi]

I see a map showing general open season areas but I cant actually find the regulation/season dates for it??

Page 80 September 1 to January 31

[cameron0518]

At $70 per tag, what a nice way to make some cash. They should have a GOS in all management units

[moosinaround]

Sounds like a late season, cold snowy kinda hunt to me. The high elevation snow pack will drive the animals down into the meadows, and on to the south facing loafs where the wind will blow the snow off and expose the grass? That's when I'd go, if it was me, if playing in -30 weather sounds fun to you, it sure as Phuck don't to me!! Good luck! Moosin

[twoSevenO]

Sounds like a late season, cold snowy kinda hunt to me. The high elevation snow pack will drive the animals down into the meadows, and on to the south facing loafs where the wind will blow the snow off and expose the grass? That's when I'd go, if it was me, if playing in -30 weather sounds fun to you, it sure as Phuck don't to me!! Good luck! Moosin

X2 ... bison get a hard pass from me as well. Maybe one day when my gf wins the lottery and I can afford all the equipment

[swampthing]

Page 80 September 1 to January 31

I dont know how I didnt see that!

[BCHunterFSJ]

I've done a bison hunt at -40 to -50 temperatures and believe me it wasn't much fun.
Didn't get a bison but did get some pretty serious frostbite on my face!

[375shooter]

Bison is on my bucket list. I want to experience all this great province has to offer. Once I get my stone ram, bison will be on my short list. Early season combo hunt, with a string of horses. Or could be LEH if I can get a tag.

[ratherbefishin]

I see Yellowstone park is planning a cull of about 700 animals ,too many in the herd and brucellosis becomes a problem

[twoSevenO]

I see Yellowstone park is planning a cull of about 700 animals ,too many in the herd and brucellosis becomes a problem

Randy newberg had an episode of hunting bison from around the edges of the park ... and even there I think he ran into some antis working to "protect" the bison. Roll eyes.

I'm glad BC is as big as it is and that kind of crap isnt really feasible.

[Huntingtyler123]

Lol I was going to say 700 bison cull and no one bats an eye but imagine if it was a wolf cull..

[DStewart]

We had a draw for Pink Mountain last two weeks of January. We were on bison in what is now the GOS. It was cold, but a really good experience. I would recommend it to anyone interested

[ratherbefishin]

My neighbour shot one ,huge! Quite an anti climax though, he said he was able to approach within 60 yards, the bison barely flinched when hit, he hit it again and after 3 shots from a 338 in the heart it wandered off a short distance lay down,coughed a couple of times and expired.Fortionately he was a butcher and well equipped to deal with it,not an undertaking for an amateur...

[Jrax]

what is the snow depth in the Sikanni area, anyone know?

[stogs]

Found a herd this year hunting moose and elk in a gos area... my luck I guess but I think I only found them because I didn't have a tag.....

[tomahawk]

I see Yellowstone park is planning a cull of about 700 animals ,too many in the herd and brucellosis becomes a problem

Problem in Yellowstone is that the cull has to happen as the Bison leave the high elevation down to the flats outside the park. The herd is over heavy with Bulls and more bulls, they now outnumber the cows. Its awesome as a tourist who wants to see the bulls but not good for overall herd health. They have been allowing culling for some years now and very few bulls get culled. Not uncommon to see herds of close to a 100 bulls only near the roads in the park.

[358mag]

Problem in Yellowstone is that the cull has to happen as the Bison leave the high elevation down to the flats outside the park. The herd is over heavy with Bulls and more bulls, they now outnumber the cows. Its awesome as a tourist who wants to see the bulls but not good for overall herd health. They have been allowing culling for some years now and very few bulls get culled. Not uncommon to see herds of close to a 100 bulls only near the roads in the park.

Though the imported Canadian wolfs were going to deal with the bison .

[Jrax]

Tried for bison GOS, barely enough snow for sleds to get in and hovering around 0C. Covered alot of ground hiking into passes, mountain tops for glassing and sledding out to the far boundaries - not one bison spotted and not one other hunter spotted one single bison that we talked to! Besa River Outfitters had no clients due to lack of bison, sounds like the majority were far off in another valley according to a pilots recon. I was told that the LEH folks in the Sikanni area were also having a hard time finding any there as well in january. Any success stories out there?

saw two wolves, one sitting on an elk and one sleeping beside it but couldnt get close enough for a shot in the thick brush.

[hellojello74]

Too bad you would think if a guy could use sleds you would see them eventually.i assume you were in nevis? We have some family thinking about going into nevis valley here soon. But they dont have a firm plan yet. We have seen them in the past on the south side of the trail. But with sleds would want to explore the north side and the flats around 10 mile. What about the flats in the gos area near Trimble towards the lake? Did you guys head out that way? Did nevis have any cabins to rent? Do you know the cost. What about the 10 mile cabins?

[Jrax]

the number i got was 60km away to the west in the rockies, over the divide at sikanni headwaters - akie watershed. I cant verify this, just what i heard, and who knows where they are now. We were in nevis area and yes we went all the way to trimble, redfern lake etc. The snow was a bit deeper there in the open but fairly shallow in the pine flats and slopes near besa. We were looking/hunting for solo bull or small group as the main herd or one of the main herds being so far but we didnt even cut tracks. Its possible we cut one set between besa river and trimble but couldnt verify without seeing sh*t. We hiked the north and south sides and spent good time around 10mile.

There is at least one cabin to rent at nevis a newer one that looks nice and tight (no mice/rats) but not sure about the others. The guy that was renting said it was $200/night. I dont have the contact info but one of the owners name is Erin. I didnt check out the cabin at 10 mile so i dont know the condition of it, i think there is only 1?

we stayed in a wall tent and went in with snowmobiles but there was rocky patches and ice overflows coming out after the melt. hope they got more snow or quads would be doable.

[swampthing]

The 10 mile cabins are in rough shape right now and the mice/rats have taken over. You can rent from nevis but they are pricey at $200 per night, per person! Firewood not included! The new owners are Aron and Andrew Reimer. They have a website at redfernlake.ca

[hellojello74]

Thanks for the extra info.
Too bad no one is seeing much. It's a fun hunt, but not easy. It's hard to justify going all the way if it's been a hard season. Was hoping it would be a good year for people with the gos.
Also too bad that the area now holds so little game. We used to go up there lots in the fall but stopped in 2009. Was up there last summer and saw almost no game. We went one december about 15 years ago and saw 200 moose on the trip in the main valley wintering, when we stopped counting.

There were always some single bulls or small groups that would hang around some too especially near 10 mile and Trimble.

Sounds like next year will be better and hopefully more snow. Always surprised how little snow they would have in there.

[LBM]

Thanks for the extra info.
Too bad no one is seeing much. It's a fun hunt, but not easy. It's hard to justify going all the way if it's been a hard season. Was hoping it would be a good year for people with the gos.
Also too bad that the area now holds so little game. We used to go up there lots in the fall but stopped in 2009. Was up there last summer and saw almost no game. We went one december about 15 years ago and saw 200 moose on the trip in the main valley wintering, when we stopped counting.

There were always some single bulls or small groups that would hang around some too especially near 10 mile and Trimble.

Sounds like next year will be better and hopefully more snow. Always surprised how little snow they would have in there.

Have heard lots of not good stories how the area has gone down hill, and things going on up there.

[wallz]

The LEH season was slow up there as well this year. My brother had a tag and we spent 2 weeks without even seeing a track. Mid October. Stories of only one taken with the outfitter. (very low count). They just were not there to be found.

Good luck if you end up going.

[REMINGTON JIM]

The LEH season was slow up there as well this year. My brother had a tag and we spent 2 weeks without even seeing a track. Mid October. Stories of only one taken with the outfitter. (very low count). They just were not there to be found.

Good luck if you end up going.

WOW ! that was Sh*tty ! :cry: did you see any game at All ? RJ

[wallz]

WOW ! that was Sh*tty ! :cry: did you see any game at All ? RJ

A few cow elk. They were so spooked tho as I figured by Oct there was an exuberant amount of pressure up there. Few does, lynx, and some grouse for the dinner table.

Was an expensive holiday to say the least.

[REMINGTON JIM]

A few cow elk. They were so spooked tho as I figured by Oct there was an exuberant amount of pressure up there. Few does, lynx, and some grouse for the dinner table.

Was an expensive holiday to say the least.

Sorry to hear ! That's Very Disappointing - Hope you seen some Nice Country ! RJ

[Redthies]

Too bad it didn’t pan out for you guys that made the effort. Still better than working though.

My deer hunting partner got invited up on a GOS hunt. I suggested it would be a VERY low chance of seeing anything based on what you guys have posted, and what I’ve read elsewhere. He passed on the trip, but the other guys should arrive in camp tonight. Not sure where exactly they’re going in. I’ve only met one of the other guys that are going, and I doubt he could find his own ass with two hands and a map. That said, there is always a fluke or lucky break. I’ll post up when I hear how it went for them.

[wallz]

Sorry to hear ! That's Very Disappointing - Hope you seen some Nice Country ! RJ

Beautiful is an understatement. I haven't really hunted that far north before so I was up for the adventure and a chance to look around. Would do it again if a chance comes up next year, but concentrate on moose and elk more than anything.
Getting up in the morning sleeping in the back of the SUV made me realize I need a better sleeping bag. Any water bottles froze almost solid overnight. Figured about -15 on some nights.
Got to try out my limits on ropes, and winch on the SXS as well. Lots of bog country up there I got to slosh around in first hand. Takes only seconds to burry the SXS to the mid way point on the doors in the stuff. And then only to realize there are not that many good trees to anchor from to pull out. I was alone in the SXS for 4 days, and only did this once, and that was plenty enough.

All said it was an awesome time and would do it again without much thought.

Would be curious to see how the guys made out in Jan for the GOS.

[browningboy]

I tried for 25 years for a bison draw, nothing so with the GOS I thought I may give it a go but it sounds like without a draw it wouldn't be worth it.

[wallz]

Even with a draw it can be hard. Know of a few that didn't even see any animals and they had draws. That said maybe a late hunt on sleds might be better. They were hunting in mid Oct.

[ajeatoo]

The LEH season was slow up there as well this year. My brother had a tag and we spent 2 weeks without even seeing a track. Mid October. Stories of only one taken with the outfitter. (very low count). They just were not there to be found.

Good luck if you end up going.

I know of four taken this year, two of which were taken by my husband’s group.

[weatherbyjunkie]

I know of four taken this year, two of which were taken by my husband’s group.

Nice!! Congrats! That’s a lot of good eating right there! What dates were your husbands bison taken, early or late? Cheers

[Redthies]

I know of four taken this year, two of which were taken by my husband’s group.

Was there someone from the “Cupcake Ranch” in your group? I know Dave was heading up that way in late January.

[ajeatoo]

Nice!! Congrats! That’s a lot of good eating right there! What dates were your husbands bison taken, early or late? Cheers

Thanks, he was up there the last part of November.

[hellojello74]

How did all the bison hunters make out this year?
Did anybody head out late season? How was the snow, we looked at heading up but could not get all the "cats" heading in the same direction for the GOS.
Any idea on how many have gotten a Bison on the GOS?

[swampthing]

How did all the bison hunters make out this year?
Did anybody head out late season? How was the snow, we looked at heading up but could not get all the "cats" heading in the same direction for the GOS.
Any idea on how many have gotten a Bison on the GOS?

I heard of 2 being taken at the same time. I went in and poked around for a bit. It certainly seems like a guy needs snowshoes and the ability to pack one out of the alpine or in the back basins for sure. I found one last year but figured it would have taken about 4- 6 days to get it to the snowmobile by myself. And probably 2 more to get it to the truck!