5-02D Moose?

[Anfoman76]

Hey guys and gals! I've been hunting my ass off the last few days trying to get a Moose in 5-02 D. My draw started on the 1st and goes to the 15th. I haven't seen a damn thing!! A few does and some old sign but that's it . I've put on over 700kms. I'm hoping with the fresh snow I mght be abe to find some more sign. How did everyone else do? Has anyone seen anything? Were did all the moose go? And they're talking about opening it back up :icon_frow.

[bcfirefly]

Spent 7 long days via horseback in 5-04 and saw some sign but only visually saw cows. Lots of wolf tracks. Not sure if thats the problem or not. was fun anyways

[brielle&steven]

I know in 5-2c we saw quite a few bulls and cows and even after our draw ended and out deer hunting we have seen some nice bulls.

[M.Dean]

I wonder if instead of driving around looking for Moose, find a nice swampy, moosey looking area and try calling one in? Also, what I've done is try calling in a good spot at first light, give it about about ten or fifteen minutes, then drive or walk or ride up the road a bit and try calling again. If possible do this in a area where you can call in 3 or 4 spots, then, when you get to the end of road or trail, wait a few minutes and start back tracking, stopping at each place you called from earlier. Glass lots, give a few more grunts and see if there's any dumb moose out there! Yes, I know it's a real bad way to shoot a moose, but this year I've called in 4 bulls doing this dumb idea, and took one home in the Quad Trailer. It does work,so maybe try this as a last resort, and never give up is the main thing!

[KB90]

Not sure what area your hunting since your in williams lake, but having that draw several times as I am from quesnel I would recommend the sunberg road (maude lake) take a left at 50km and spend the day working the area. We have killed several moose there.

[MOWITCH SLAYER]

Have not hunted 5-2 in a couple years, but when i did. we always did really good in the hendrix lake area. It's right on the boundry, so you have to watch your maps. The bulls came in there about now, on there way too winter range . Good luck

[Anfoman76]

Thanks guys took today off but back at it tomorrow

[MuleyMadness]

I don't think this time of the year is a great time for road hunting for moose. Bulls aren't going to be on the move wandering, they will be holed up in places of good dry cover, water, and good food....and they may not move out of that area for a long time, until they are fully recovered from the rut and started putting lost weight back on. You're going to have to go in and find them.

[tuffteddyb]

had a really nice bull run thru my yard at the 150 last week!
almost fell off the deck when i seen him!
later in the winter we get a few cow moose here but never seen this big brute before.
like a dumbass stood there lookin stunned and camera was on the table.

[srupp]

hmmmmmm suggestion try near the RIVER....the southern part..try 2600 rd stay north and in the valley bottoms...wet..with willow...forget the 700kms try 7 kms slowley still hunting..

cheers from Alberta..

srupp

[Anfoman76]

LOL I'm actually off to the 2600 road this morning just waiting for the coffee to brew :) wish me luck. Lots of walking today maybe save on some fuel!!

[Trackeye]

definately the wolves. i have a cabin in that area and just returned from there aswell trying to get a bull moose. i talked to someone who saw a couple bulls in a helicopter but we never saw anthing but a couple old tracks. saw more predators than prey and if you look in the regs there is a no bag limit on wolves in 5-2 from august to july i think.

[ravensfoot]

Not sure what area your hunting since your in williams lake, but having that draw several times as I am from quesnel I would recommend the sunberg road (maude lake) take a left at 50km and spend the day working the area. We have killed several moose there.

I was up there this year, isn't that Sundberg Lake area private property?

[Anfoman76]

Well I spent all day out yesterday walking and driving in the freshly fallen snow. I figured as it was the first day in a couple that wasn't snowing, everything would be on the move. NOT A DAMN SIGN! Lots of dog tracks (wolf and coyote) a few cat tracks, rabbit and deer. but not a moose track anywhere. I drove into an area that had lots of old sign the other day before the snow, and I walked for several hours and not a damn swamp donkey track to be found. They're not here plain and simple. Either hunting pressure or predator pressure or they're wintering in Mexico.

[Bigbear]

Up of the 700 Rd, Steve is right about the 2600 RD. The roads of the Bottom of Jefferson's old Farm as well. in behind the {ower station opposite Gavin lake RD to.

[Anfoman76]

Was on the 2600 yesterday, not a thing. 700rd Friday prime country but nothing, we counted 6 camp set ups though from this season as they had fresh firewood in almost all of them. Was just depressing didn't even see a cow.

[Anfoman76]

Also talked to Al in town at the store and I guess I'm not the only one. Noone is having any luck.

[NinVic]

My brother and I hunted 5-02D, both sides of the Quesnel river, hard for 8-9 days in first 2 weeks of October. NOT A SINGLE BULL. We did see 9 cows but it was a gong show of hunters. Found 3 bull carcasses (skin, head, hooves) from Sept LEH draw, so there were a few bulls in Sept. Come October, nothing. We tried calling them (called in cows only!), explored cut blocks in 2600 road, etc.. Nyland Lake, Maud Lake areas, etc... NO BULL. We met several disappointed hunters..
Personally, I think they've allowed too many LEH draws in the past 2 years and along with wolves, have put a dent in local bull population... To see 9 cows and no bulls was strange during peak rut (Oct 1 to 9th we were there.) I hope they lower the amount of draws next year to let population rebuild.. I'll be hunting else where next years

[Jagermeister]

So who is going to make an effort to do some wolf cull. You know the greenies are not going to let the government administer 1080 or shoot them from helicopters. It's up to us to help thin the packs down.

[LYKTOHUNT]

So who is going to make an effort to do some wolf cull. You know the greenies are not going to let the government administer 1080 or shoot them from helicopters. It's up to us to help thin the packs down.

I would agree somethnig has to be done but it will not be easy, first the idea of helicopter and poison will not go down easy with the greenies and to go out there and expect to shoot a bunch of them is very optimistic, yes you might be lucky here and there, it will take some baiting and very determined folks that can spend the time to get far enough off the roads to moniter the baits. I know the local guide out our way has done his part in trapping them but it has not put much of a dent in there populations.
I am afraid I do not have the answers, but I can assure you I wish I had done my part when I could have about 5 or 6 years ago when I first started seeing them.

[KevinB]

Our group has hunted that zone (5-02D) on and off for probably 20 years or more. This year three of us had the draw for for Oct 15-31. Didn't get any bulls (or let alone see any), but I did see a whole whack of cows, and lots of calves. Everything was tending to stick to or close to the thick stuff, as there were wolves working the area, but the moose weren't all eaten by any stretch of the imagination. They just weren't moving much and were consequently not easy to see from a truck. Get your ass out of the truck and plunk it down on a stump and start glassing. I had several mornings where I'd be watching several cows/calves at the same time, with tons of trucks driving back and forth on the roads, oblivious to the animals feeding 100 yards away. When I did still hunt the timber, there was quite a bit of sign. Everyone I talked to, mentioned how many moose were running all over the place during the previous year...ungulates aren't mushrooms, they have legs and if conditions dictate (i.e. lots of wolves, lots of feed even in cover due to wet summer, etc) they will move around. We've had many years in the past where we've seen very few moose, and other years where they seem to be all over the place. I personally think that these apparent fluctuations have less to do with overall population changes than they do with population movements, habitat changes, climatic conditions, etc.

[LYKTOHUNT]

a bit of an update to my previous post , our group has had great success over the years including this year with moose in 5 2 d my comments are made with respect to very low deer populations.