Nicola Valley Hunting

[264mag]

Can anyone tell me which ranches or bands grant permission to hunt the ranch land between Kamloops and Merritt.

Thanks
Chuck

[MuleyMadness]

There are multiple different ranches AND bands in those areas. Perhaps you could be more specific as to exact area.

[264mag]

I was thinking the Stump lake area, although I am not fussy, I was coyote hunting up there and noticed most signs do not give the landowner information. The Frolek ranch seems to be the one with the best signage. I am looking for a good mule deer area to take my boys, we like to hike and are not road hunters.

[4 point]

Lots of areas around there to go on crown land.

[MerrittBow]

From my knowledge stump lake dose not give permission as with Douglas lake ranch, frolek ranch gives permission but they only allow a number of people in. As four point said there is alot of crown land still up there, you can go way up the peterhope road and it takes you into a number of logging roads that are good for mule deer and moose.

[beni]

I was working in Nicola Lake area during the summer, stayed out there for a few weeks did some driving around. Some prime moose and deer areas there for sure, I never did get around to checking it out during the season. Would definitely be a place I would have spent some time if I had a chance. Lots of nice blocks, a few small lakes and lots of sign. I would bet there would be a fair amount of game in the area.

[Sleep Robber]

Although it was my late fathers doing, I've still got permission and gate keys for 2 big outfits up in the Merritt area, but they don't just give them out to anybody. My folks used to have the cowboys in for coffee {maybe a shot of whiskey added :wink:} and treats all the time, especially on the sh!tty days, and they were also great friends with the cow boss who worked for both outfits {obviously not at the same time}. My dad gave one of the outfits his ice fishing shack that he made, and converted it into a line shack for them to use, and the cowboys make good use of it. Nothing like a place to get warm in and make some hot coffee and a bowl of hot soup when cold weather comes. He put in a wood stove for the gang, and would cut a few cord of wood every year for them as well. My father would go out of his way to help the ranch all the time, mind you he would have done this even without hunting permission, it was just who he was. Sadly my dad's gone now, but the ranchers always say I'm more than welcome to go when ever I can, and remind me that the keys still work, so use them :-D

All in all, our family were just good close friends with the whole gang and they new we would be there to help them in a heartbeat if they needed any. They new we hunted and were actually the first to mention that we should go for a hunt to begin with, which put big smiles on our faces to say the least, as we would have probably never asked {just our way}. But there's nothing like having literally 1000's of acres basically all to yourself to go hunting, so I feel very fortunate.

I must say though, there's acres and acres up there of good crown land to find game on and you don't need the private land to find a great place to hunt by any means. But if your ever lucky enough to get permission.....use the land with the utmost respect, or you'll get your ass kicked off as fast as you can wink, I guarantee it :wink:

Good luck with your hunting, :)