Tuchodi River Elk

[RiverBoatFantasy]

Where were all the elk this year?

Does anyone have any feedback or any rational explanations? I have never in my life seen such few numbers of elk and such limited amount of sign in the area.

[cainer]

I'm hoping they're near Cranbrook, since that's where we'll be on the 13th for the end of the season :)

[Deadshot]

We were up in Region 6 the last two weeks of Sept. & the amount of game we saw compared to previous years was "slim".Some of the cow caribou were just losing their velvet & the moose weren't coming to the call. A very late year we figured.Maybe the hot summer & fires. Who knows?

[Gateholio]

Hot weather= Less animal movement?

[Moose72]

Tryin to get into the chetwyn area for the 21st or 22nd. Hope there are a few elk left.

[bridger]

we hunted the tuchodi the first few days of the season saw about 20 bulls in three or four days but due to the hot weather hunting was done after about 7 am

[tinhorse]

My buddies did a fly in trip to fern lake (160 km south west of ft. nelson) and were there for 12 days. Called in a few bulls but only saw on 6 point that they never got a shot off at. Lots of moose though. They said the elk were far and few between.

[RiverBoatFantasy]

My first thoughts were the effects of a long, hot, dry summer.

It did snow and there was cold temperatures while I was there - perhaps not long enough duration to bring the elk out to the south facing slopes just yet.

It is well known that elk dont show up much in the heat.

[daycort]

lets see..... 1000 screaming river boats+high winds+high temps= no elk movement.

I have a friend that was up doing a litlle guiding and he said everything was fairly normal givin the conditions. Once they got away from the river it was good huning until about 8 am, just like bridger was saying.

[RiverBoatFantasy]

lets see..... 1000 screaming river boats+high winds+high temps= no elk movement.

I have a friend that was up doing a litlle guiding and he said everything was fairly normal givin the conditions. Once they got away from the river it was good huning until about 8 am, just like bridger was saying.

Actually, the number of riverboats and camps along the river was lower than previous years.
The numbers of visible elk and elk sign was WAY, WAY down from the previous 12 years of observations.

The lack of visible elk sign was what I found most striking. I suppose they were still living in the cool, high spots and deep, dark timber.

I just find it a bit unusual to not be able to count at least 200 elk up in the hills from my usual vantage point.

[David Heitsman]

RBF,
What else could you expect after they got the bejeezus shot out of them with a cow season last year. I was in there last year for a couple weeks and we figured that would push the herds back from the river. Gonna have to hike further now!

[BCfishguy]

we were near Deaddog Sept 14-22, and were into many bulls. Killed 2 and had many other opportunities. BUT, we had to go way back from the river That said, places where we've seen animals/sign in the past were less active than other years. Hot weather, lots of wind likely decreased animal activity in the open country.

[RiverBoatFantasy]

RBF,
What else could you expect after they got the bejeezus shot out of them with a cow season last year. I was in there last year for a couple weeks and we figured that would push the herds back from the river. Gonna have to hike further now!

We did hike further and still did not see as many as I am accustomed to seeing. I am actually concerned about the population. I enjoy cow elk meat and have harvested a few of them but I must admit that I am not in favour of the GOS for cow elk in 7-50.

The difference between last year and this year was very alarming to me. I saw tenfold more elk last year than this year. The trails that have been normally black and pounded near the river are all growing in and barely visible.

[whitetailsheds]

Much wolf sign up there? Can't see numbers of them being any lower than around here (or any other part of the province for that matter).

[RiverBoatFantasy]

Much wolf sign up there? Can't see numbers of them being any lower than around here (or any other part of the province for that matter).

We did see some wolf tracks and crap but did not hear or see any.

[tuchodi]

We were there for the last 3 weeks in Sept and there were a lot less animals near the river. There was a lot of boat traffic up and down every day passed our camp and there were a lot of camps back in the bush where you could not see them from the river as a lot of hunters were beeing dropped off and picked up that didn't have a boat themselves. The traffic and hunting pressure plus the warm fall kept the elk along ways back off the river. We had to go back 2 valleys from the river and then we found elk. The hurd is still very heathy and what they need to do is another burn enhancement like we did back in the 70's as the poplars and willows are starting to grow over the grass fields again.

[bridger]

I have noticed a decline in the bull component in the population over the last few years as the season has specifically targeted bulls. imo the cow season is necessary as cow calf groups are flooding the winter ranges which are deteriorating due to the fact that the parks branch will no longer allow controlled burns in the tuchodi. the big elk population that grew in the tuchodi mainly developed as a result of the burning in the spring over a period of years and controlling wolf numbers. the area in the tuchodi we have hunted since 1985 is about 10-12 miles back from the river. the habitat has declined significantly in recent years. throw in a healthy uncontrolled wolf population and you have a recipe for disaster.

[RiverBoatFantasy]

Thanks for all of your input.

[Deaddog]

We elk hunted in an area we had never been before, didn't take to long ( an hour off of the river) to get into lots of elk, I think the high winds, hot weather and pressure by the river just moved them back (as it usually does) The cow season IMO is a good thing as it at least does something to curb the population of elk which in a lot of areas have moved into sheep country and are competing for the same food as the sheep

[iron sights]

We just came outta there 2 1/2 weeks ago. Rode in on horses from Tetsa River Trail. Saw alot of good Bulls at all times during the day. Evening was the best though. 1st time for me into touchodi so i can't compare. But i had 4 good chances an finally connected with a nice bull at about 1:30 in the afternoon. I think that guys are going to have to get farther away from the river and wearout some shoe leather. Not a bad way to spend the day.