Halfway river trail around Vern?

[cas-has-cars]

I tried going around the farm last year and finally ended up at the fence corner post and could not get my Quad around in order to access the halfway river trail. The trail was narrow for a horse but not a quad we would have flipped the quads. We were able to Quad around quite a bit to the north of the ranch and the fence but were unable to get on the other side as we were blocked off by river to the west and fence to the south. North only went a few kms before we turned around. I do have a bison tag for dec 1 to 15 and hope to try again this year. But I was fully planning on paying vern at the farm. Let me know how you get around it as I;ve heard it can be done. We were there last year during Aug and ran into all the mud and were stuck many times getting to the corner post. Still had lots of fun but ended up at the corner turning around. And yes we were camped at the trail head to the right about 1 km before the ranch and up the side hill. Nice Camp.

Brian
Cas-has-cars

[bridger]

if you are going in december you will be using sleds i imagine. getting around with a sled is easier than a quad. just use the designated quad trail.

[sheep.elk.moose fanatic]

by the time you get there the trail will be well packed and groomed...piece of piss

[trigger]

peace of piss.
Just pay the toll. Much nicer being able to go through.

[cas-has-cars]

Thanks guys.
Now once were past the farm I understand the bison can be located anywhere but working our way up the hillsides will produce better results. Any help here would be appreiciated. Last think I want is to come home with no meat. .
I'm going caribou hunting Oct 1-8 in spatsizi and have been told my dogs might not eat a rutting caribou. So the bison has become my primary red meat for 2011. to go along with caribou jerky

[cas-has-cars]

By the way nice bison trigger, hope to find one just a nice. How many peices did you have to cut him into to make it managable. I thinking 7 with the head as one?

[cas-has-cars]

Sheep elk moose
Peice of piss sounds easy. So if we set camp at the trail head this side of the farm, sledding to prime country might be 1 1/2 hours ride is that about right? If its much further I might just pay the toll and and set camp on the other side of Vern. Thanks for any input.

[sheep.elk.moose fanatic]

Sheep elk moose
Peice of piss sounds easy. So if we set camp at the trail head this side of the farm, sledding to prime country might be 1 1/2 hours ride is that about right? If its much further I might just pay the toll and and set camp on the other side of Vern. Thanks for any input.

its around 10km around verns, just remeber 175 per person....

[Marlin375]

Vern charged us per hunter (we were also after Elk and Moose in Oct) if the elk and moose are closed he should only be charging you for the Bison hunter/tag, thats the way he explained it to us.

[sheep.elk.moose fanatic]

Vern charged us per hunter (we were also after Elk and Moose in Oct) if the elk and moose are closed he should only be charging you for the Bison hunter/tag, thats the way he explained it to us.

ya that changed!guys were getting charged per person last year...and your still hunting when you go around...:wink: 175 = alot of gas for sleds..:mrgreen:

[stoneslinger]

pice of piss. Go to a ranch and shoot young bison. Better yet go buy nice grain fed steer. Really. Stay closer to home and hunt for big december bucks in Merrit area. piece of piss.

[cas-has-cars]

ya that changed!guys were getting charged per person last year...and your still hunting when you go around...:wink: 175 = alot of gas for sleds..:mrgreen:


Ya your right the trail as far as we could make it aug 2009 was pretty promissing especially once we got through the worst mud by the fence line. We turned north away form the ranch and it was real nice country wide open and I thought it looked like nice bison country, we spotted a nice elk in that area. That year we gave up on the halfway river trial and ended up spending the rest of the week locating and hunting the cypress creek trial and area. There was 4 of us and we refused to pay the $700.

[bridger]

when my wife got her bison draw we paid the acess fee per person. well worth it. that fee is the less of your expenses and most of us will only get a bison draw once in who knows when. the bison hunt is a great experience don't cheap charlie this basically once in a life tiime opportunty. the advantage of going thru the ranch is money well spent. just getting into the area and finding bison is tough don't compound the problem. just my advice based on experience.

[cas-has-cars]

pice of piss. Go to a ranch and shoot young bison. Better yet go buy nice grain fed steer. Really. Stay closer to home and hunt for big december bucks in Merrit area. piece of piss.

Stoneslinger, what happened to your joy of the wilderness experience. Having fun in 30 below and cleaning a 1600 lbs animal with no farm equipment to help. Thats what I enjoy. The excitment of the hunt. I've got a relative in Rocky Mountain house who told me to come and shoot one of his bison on his ranch and I said theres no fun in that. Even if it was 30 below.

[cas-has-cars]

when my wife got her bison draw we paid the acess fee per person. well worth it. that fee is the less of your expenses and most of us will only get a bison draw once in who knows when. the bison hunt is a great experience don't cheap charlie this basically once in a life tiime opportunty. the advantage of going thru the ranch is money well spent. just getting into the area and finding bison is tough don't compound the problem. just my advice based on experience.

Thanks bridger. I know what your saying I've been trying to get this tag for I think 12 years and I do'nt want to screw it up. It sounds like it might be 175 per tag now which is more exceptable. Still have time to make my decision. Did you rent one of verns cabins or did you camp further in?

[stoneslinger]

Stoneslinger, what happened to your joy of the wilderness experience. Having fun in 30 below and cleaning a 1600 lbs animal with no farm equipment to help. Thats what I enjoy. The excitment of the hunt. I've got a relative in Rocky Mountain house who told me to come and shoot one of his bison on his ranch and I said theres no fun in that. Even if it was 30 below.

For me the bison hunt is not desirable. I would never consider paying any person (be they white, indian, or other) a large fee to cross private land in order to hunt species that were introduced by a GO who was looking to profit. The LEH hunt for these species should not be in place. It should be GOS. A general open season I would participate in. I favor complete eradication of those animals in order to make room for the elk and moose. Having said that I would prefer a top quality grain fed steer over bison any day.

[trigger]

By the way nice bison trigger, hope to find one just a nice. How many peices did you have to cut him into to make it managable. I thinking 7 with the head as one?


thanks. I was very picky but could have filled my tag the first night out with a good meat cow.
The head and the hide was one portion. 4 quarters, Back straps and tenderloins another, and as much neck and rib meat that was worth keeping. once quartered you'll find that they arent that hard to deal with.

[bridger]

hunt was in october so we used our horses and camped in about 20 miles.

[Goliath]

For me the bison hunt is not desirable. I would never consider paying any person (be they white, indian, or other) a large fee to cross private land in order to hunt species that were introduced by a GO who was looking to profit. The LEH hunt for these species should not be in place. It should be GOS. A general open season I would participate in. I favor complete eradication of those animals in order to make room for the elk and moose. Having said that I would prefer a top quality grain fed steer over bison any day.


You got it brother.

[trigger]

Obviously neither one of the above to have ever looked into the bison hunt.
I have done many different hunts in my life and I found the bison one of my top experiences. Quite a thrill. Just my opinion.
They might change there mind if they had ever gotten the chance.

[Goliath]

Obviously neither one of the above to have ever looked into the bison hunt.
I have done many different hunts in my life and I found the bison one of my top experiences. Quite a thrill. Just my opinion.
They might change there mind if they had ever gotten the chance.


Yes, obviously. :? Here's how I see it...

I have done many different hunts in my life and I found the bison one (2x) of no challenge (except the packing & butchering). Not a thrill. Just my opinion.
I might change my mind if I'd hunt archery bison in December. That could be fun.

[stoneslinger]

Obviously neither one of the above to have ever looked into the bison hunt.

One should not jump to erroneous conclusions that are clouded by personal bias. Been driving past those stupid things for almost 20 years!

[shawnwells]

see ya up there cas-has-cars....we'll be up there at the same time

[Chironomid_16]

Obviously neither one of the above to have ever looked into the bison hunt.
I have done many different hunts in my life and I found the bison one of my top experiences. Quite a thrill. Just my opinion.
They might change there mind if they had ever gotten the chance.

Well said Trigger, been on 3 hunts now, look forward to bison hunting every year, considering friends draw tags, will be joining Shawnwells in December, super stolked!

[cas-has-cars]

chironomid and shawnwells
Sounds like fun. I'll be on the lookout for you guy's. Are you going through vern or around?

[shawnwells]

around....we got helges cabin booked...pray for some non -40 and feel free to pop by for a beer..or a beer-cicle...whatever the case may be

[trigger]

around....we got helges cabin booked...pray for some non -40 and feel free to pop by for a beer..or a beer-cicle...whatever the case may be


We stayed at helges place last year. It was top notch for what we needed. we took a cabin that was just a cabin and a woodstove. We brought cots and table and chairs. It worked out great. Can ride the sleds or quads right from camp

[trigger]

One should not jump to erroneous conclusions that are clouded by personal bias. Been driving past those stupid things for almost 20 years!


And you find moose to be smarter???????

I sure dont. have hunted them for years. But i still get a thrill out of it.

[shawnwells]

ya i read your thread trigger...cool man...i never stayed there...good job on your tatanka bro...it sounds like the cabin in talking to helge holds like 10 people....is that the same cabin you stayed in?

[Mik]

Where is this "Helges" cabin. We too have a draw in January, not sure if were going to wall tent it or get a cabin, might even see Jamie at pink mountain??

[Buck]

chironomid and shawnwells
Sounds like fun. I'll be on the lookout for you guy's. Are you going through vern or around?


We will see you in Dec as well.We have the 1st to 15th.We are staying at Jamies

[cas-has-cars]

We will see you in Dec as well.We have the 1st to 15th.We are staying at Jamies


So buck is this your first bison hunt or have you been there before? Jamies place is that on the highway at the cafe by the pink mountain turnoff? I'm only planning for a week as I was thinking that should be long enough to round up a nice one. So I imagine your sleding around the farm, or does Vern let you go back and forth for a couple of weeks with only one toll fee?
Should be a good hunt.
Went out this morning around Big White ski mountain seen 8 deer and none we could bring home. Still had a great time driving and walking through some nice country.

[cas-has-cars]

Where is this "Helges" cabin. We too have a draw in January, not sure if were going to wall tent it or get a cabin, might even see Jamie at pink mountain??

I'm not sure where Helges cabin is either. Shawnwells maybe fill in where your staying is it the large outfitters cabin on the farm?

[sheep.elk.moose fanatic]

I'm not sure where Helges cabin is either. Shawnwells maybe fill in where your staying is it the large outfitters cabin on the farm?

helgies cabins are about 19km on the pink mt road, MVP G.O's has the large cabin on the ranch.

[Buck]

Yes it is our first Bison hunt and we plan to sled around the ranch .We are there for a week and will be staying at the Pink Mtn motel.I am not sure how the fee works at the ranch.If it is a one time fee to cross the ranch for the week we might do that.We are really looking forward to the hunt....Cheers