Chetwynd Elk

[cmc destroyer]

Hi Guys, If you had to choose one week this fall to hunt Elk and Moose around Chetwynd which would be the best as far as the rut is concerned? Regions 7-21 7-22 and 7-31 7-32..

[elkdom]

as they are going at it now(rut/calling/gathering harems) and the weather is ok, although a bit warm, they still find cool drainage's to do "their thing",,,
as for the "ideal week" ? looking my canceled elk tags over the last 24 years show the 7-20a area is most productive between Sept 10 to about to Oct 01,,, but that can ALL be useless information if the weather turns wet, raining and foggy and the elk shut down vocalizing completely for several weeks at times like this,,, I have seen it happen,,,

[parkerhale308]

The elk here (chetwynd) usually get going early sept and are going hard by the second or third week, (having said that i have called in and shot bulls as late as oct 30th)

[d6dan]

as they are going at it now(rut/calling/gathering harems) and the weather is ok, although a bit warm, they still find cool drainage's to do "their thing",,,
as for the "ideal week" ? looking my canceled elk tags over the last 24 years show the 7-20a area is most productive between Sept 10 to about to Oct 01,,, but that can ALL be useless information if the weather turns wet, raining and foggy and the elk shut down vocalizing completely for several weeks at times like this,,, I have seen it happen,,,

I second that!. 7-20A is your best bet, But make sure you get the land owners permission.

[elkdom]

I second that!. 7-20A is your best bet, But make sure you get the land owners permission.

AND there is literally MILLIONS of acres of CROWN Land in Reg 7-20a,,,

zone 7-20a FULLY encompasses MU's 7-32,7-33,7-34, and PORTIONS of MU's 7-20,7-21,7-35,7-45 and 7-46

[Schmaus]

The elk are screaming around the Peeg right now as well

[Ghillie]

Hunting crown land we ran into a beautiful bull but couldnt follow him, and called another in today, chetwynd area.

[cmc destroyer]

Good enough. Thanks for the help guys. Ill at least have some pics to post of a great week hunting with my bud if we dont bag anything.

[davein108]

I am planning on hunting for elk this fall(2024) around Chetwynd, any local guides that do not charge an arm and leg?


The elk here (chetwynd) usually get going early sept and are going hard by the second or third week, (having said that i have called in and shot bulls as late as oct 30th)

[18Wheeler]

We would be interested in someone who knows the area showing us around. My brother and I are late starters (brand new) to hunting and are looking for some guidance. Happy to pay but cannot afford the guided outfitter hunts.

[Gateholio]

We would be interested in someone who knows the area showing us around. My brother and I are late starters (brand new) to hunting and are looking for some guidance. Happy to pay but cannot afford the guided outfitter hunts.

It's illegal for you to pay someone to guide you, that isn't a guide/outfitter for the area you are hunting in.

[HappyJack]

We would be interested in someone who knows the area showing us around. My brother and I are late starters (brand new) to hunting and are looking for some guidance. Happy to pay but cannot afford the guided outfitter hunts.

If you're not sure where to hunt elk just go into the Del Rio, it's the place to be. Jackfish Lake. You can go just about anywhere around Chetwynd and find elk.

Other than that you cannot legally pay for 'guidance' unless it's from a licensed guide. You'll have to just figure it out on your own, or find someone to hunt with that knows where to go, and how to hunt elk.

[Walking Buffalo]

It's illegal for you to pay someone to guide you, that isn't a guide/outfitter for the area you are hunting in.

There seems to be an increase in new hunters seeking mentorship, and believing that they have no other path than to pay someone to teach them.

Makes sense as that is how we treat everything else nowadays.


B.C. is progressive, perhaps it should lead the way with a "Hunting Mentor" license.
Allow the teachers to get compensated....

(Somewhat serious with this post)

[srthomas75]

There seems to be an increase in new hunters seeking mentorship, and believing that they have no other path than to pay someone to teach them.

Makes sense as that is how we treat everything else nowadays.


I can see how it would be tough on someone who didn't learn while young and have older friends/ family/ mentor type people available to go with. [ same goes for fishing to a lesser degree ]
I don't always think that it's the going along with a stranger etc.. but it's the going into an area that maybe you've spent many years learning to figure out. Most hunting people I know probably wouldn't be willing to share all of those details??
On a related note: I used to go on a moose trip not far from jackfish lake outside of chetwynd [ 6-7 years in a row 15-20 years ago now] There were lots of elk around and probably still are. I'd still hunt there if I didn't start going on a different trip with other friends.

B.C. is progressive, perhaps it should lead the way with a "Hunting Mentor" license.
Allow the teachers to get compensated....

(Somewhat serious with this post)


I can see how it would be tough on someone who didn't learn while young and have older friends/ family/ mentor type people available to go with. [ same goes for fishing to a lesser degree ]
I don't always think that it's the going along with a stranger etc.. but it's the going into an area that maybe you've spent many years learning to figure out. Most hunting people I know probably wouldn't be willing to share all of those details??
On a related note: I used to go on a moose trip not far from jackfish lake outside of chetwynd [ 6-7 years in a row 15-20 years ago now] There were lots of elk around and probably still are. I'd still hunt there if I didn't start going on a different trip with other friends.

[Husky7mm]

Never ever before has there been so much free advice on “how to” what have you, and still people want a hand to be held. I got to say 1/2 the the pleasure of getting to taste the success is figuring it out. Look at google earth, look at harvest stats, look at moon phases, look at the latest, greatest satellite images, watch and read the best info and data there is. Learn to call, just do it over and over again until you sound like a boss.
Then go there and hunt your ass off, hunt all day, look for fresh sign, brows, tracks, soft shit, find wallows, licks, bedding areas, pinch points, find areas you can have the upper hand, to sit, push, wait or rush, hunt like a pack of wolves, or if solo like a cougar. Constant Success is not because it is casual.

If your not getting the “pump”you need from your hunting experiences, pack up your stuff and move to somewhere better or make lots of money and pay a reputable guide outfitter. The key word is reputable, many of them are just posers. They rely on blind ass luck like almost everyone else.

Again, never has there ever been more free advice then there is today on how to get an elk…… and its not how to start a fire with a “drill” or sucking water out of a puddle with a life straw. Get tough, get hungry, want it bad, picture your success, learn how the forest operates. Hunt all day, and scout all year. How bad do you want it?

[jan.wi97]

Never ever before has there been so much free advice on “how to” what have you, and still people want a hand to be held. I got to say 1/2 the the pleasure of getting to taste the success is figuring it out. Look at google earth, look at harvest stats, look at moon phases, look at the latest, greatest satellite images, watch and read the best info and data there is. Learn to call, just do it over and over again until you sound like a boss.
Then go there and hunt your ass off, hunt all day, look for fresh sign, brows, tracks, soft shit, find wallows, licks, bedding areas, pinch points, find areas you can have the upper hand, to sit, push, wait or rush, hunt like a pack of wolves, or if solo like a cougar. Constant Success is not because it is casual.

If your not getting the “pump”you need from your hunting experiences, pack up your stuff and move to somewhere better or make lots of money and pay a reputable guide outfitter. The key word is reputable, many of them are just posers. They rely on blind ass luck like almost everyone else.

Again, never has there ever been more free advice then there is today on how to get an elk…… and its not how to start a fire with a “drill” or sucking water out of a puddle with a life straw. Get tough, get hungry, want it bad, picture your success, learn how the forest operates. Hunt all day, and scout all year. How bad do you want it?


Husky, you have the makings of a hunting motivational speaker!

[mpotzold]

I can see how it would be tough on someone who didn't learn while young and have older friends/ family/ mentor type people available to go with. [ same goes for fishing to a lesser degree ]
I don't always think that it's the going along with a stranger etc.. but it's the going into an area that maybe you've spent many years learning to figure out. Most hunting people I know probably wouldn't be willing to share all of those details??
On a related note: I used to go on a moose trip not far from jackfish lake outside of chetwynd [ 6-7 years in a row 15-20 years ago now] There were lots of elk around and probably still are. I'd still hunt there if I didn't start going on a different trip with other friends.

Lived in Chetwynd in 1965 when still a teen doing surveys in the wilderness.
Almost daily flew with helicopter to & from work.
Never saw any elk but plenty of moose, black bears & some grizz.

Was up there again in the late 60s & early 70s & never saw any elk.

[HappyJack]

Lived in Chetwynd in 1965 when still a teen doing surveys in the wilderness.
Almost daily flew with helicopter to & from work.
Never saw any elk but plenty of moose, black bears & some grizz.

Was up there again in the late 60s & early 70s & never saw any elk.

I have several bull elk racks from the Chetwynd area, and lots of moose and deer around too. We moved away from there in 1965 for the mill construction jobs in PG. I think you can go just about any direction out of Chetwynd and find elk now.

[Weatherby Fan]

Shot my first Bull Elk in Chetwynd, it was up the Sukunka river.......seen elk everyday of course this was 30 years ago, put some effort in you'll have some success, it was very busy with hunters and Grizzly bears, stay alert.

Read Husky's post again there's more info there than meets the eye.

[RackStar]

husky has it laid out. If you’re passionate and hungry enough you’ll learn. Nothing will come easy or cheap

[Husky7mm]

Husky, you have the makings of a hunting motivational speaker!


Thank you. I think some folks need to get that fire inside roaring, we live in the age of expected instant gratification, but the real prize is in earning it.

To the person that revived the old thread. I hunted up there 2x about 20 years ago with hopes of a moose or an elk, we saw both, just nothing legal on our short hunts. I thought it was nice country, real nice country. Man did we put on the miles. I would have hunted it again but moved to the EK and had no reason to. Now I am in north west Alberta and have no reason to again but certainly would if I needed to. A great variety of terrain in every direction. You don’t have to get far from the O&G and logging activity to get into elk. Elk live around it like a WT, using the cover to its advantage and moving at night. They like the new growth that the disturbance makes just don’t expect them to be standing by the road 1 hour after sunrise. Stick to the river valleys and find newer hidden cut blocks with deactivated roads. If no cut blocks hunt the aspen benches along the river valleys.