Flat head Valley?

[Joshua13]

So I've got a buddy who is working at a mine near Sparwood. turns out he is a new hunter, so i figure this is a good opportunity to make my way over to that neck of the woods.

what is it like over there these days?

[Bullreaper]

Flathead specifically. Logged to shit, decimated by wolves, lots of grizzlies, very busy during hunting season. Game numbers definitely not what they used to be, but if you do manage to find something, it’s probably gonna be big. That valley always produces big animals. Elk Valley in general, like anywhere, not what it used to be, but still really good hunting opportunities if you’re willing to put in the work.

[elimsprint]

If you're hunting wolves or grizz have at it, otherwise it really sucked the last time I was there about 10 years ago and I hear from others that is worse now. Flathead.

[J_T]

Living there, and visiting there to hunt are very different situations. Living there, you will get to know it in much more detail. Plenty to do, see, hike, fish and harvest there.

[ElliotMoose]

It is tough going in there these days. If you just travel the main road you’ll see 30-40 trucks in a full day of hunting. There is still good opportunity in the back bowls, just be ready to work. Quite the haul out of some of those back basins with meat on your backs and no horses but the game is there.

[Joshua13]

here i was thinking it looked somewhat secluded... hmm. how is quad access?

[Joshua13]

Well i am hoping that my buddy who now lives in sparwood can get in some good recon this summer so that we are better equipped to go. i hate going to new places without knowing the landscape. that being said i spend hours on google maps, hours and hours during preseason

[Bullreaper]

here i was thinking it looked somewhat secluded... hmm. how is quad access?


It’s definitely a jaunt out of town to get there. It’s a big valley. As previous post said, if you get in the back areas, you’ll find game, but you’re gonna earn it. Especially if you don’t have horses. Pretty much everything on the east side is road closure. Roads that still have motorized access, you can drive a truck on, no problem. Quad or sxs is good for covering ground or saving on fuel, but you won’t access much more then you would in a pickup. Make sure you got a spare tire and an extra can of gas. I can’t remember what KM it is, but north of the Pollock rec area, on the main flathead FSR, there’s an orange flag in a tree, that is the only place with Cell service in the whole valley. Bring a fly rod. Decent fishing in the river. Or at the south End, Frozen lake is good too.

[J_T]

here i was thinking it looked somewhat secluded... hmm. how is quad access? Not sure I'd bring a quad into the valley... haha. Seriously, there are more road closures in the Flathead and Elk than anywhere in the province. But you know that, you've looked at the access maps for the area.

As previously stated, lots of closed roads and there will be more.

[Dour]

If he’s in sparwood. Why not hunt around there ?!?!? You can stay at his place and be on so many fsr with in a hour . I’m not going to name any. Because I also hunt there. And so do many others !!! No point traveling to the flat head. That’s a rip. From sparwood. Get a backroad map and explore. And make sure you look at the road closures on the website ,There are sooo many! And also make sure you’re not in an archery zone. If you’re hunting around sparwood.

[ElliotMoose]

The quad access is decent but the game is scarce in all those once productive basins that now have good 4x4 trails into them. Guys will rip their quad to a vantage point, shut it off, bugle, wait 2 mins and then fire it back up and carry on. The animals that do still exist in those basins are pretty call shy and tough to hunt. Your best bet would be to hike one of the vehicle closures and get into some back country that sees less pressure. It truly is beautiful country to hunt which is why I still find myself in there once a year but I would agree that there is just as good if not better opportunity right outside of sparwood, elkford, hosmer, morrisey etc.

[GreyDog]

here i was thinking it looked somewhat secluded... hmm. how is quad access?
Quad access is a good part of the reason the Flathead isn't what it used to be. I have always liked the valley and spend a fair amount of time there. I have had a couple of trips where I saw more grizzlies than elk. GD