Open Season Hardest Animal to harvest?

[BiG Boar]

Assuming you have all gear necessary, including optics, guns, calls, hound dogs, etc.

Of all the animals in BC which have an open season, which is the toughest to take. Any legal animal we're talking, not a book animal.

Please discuss your top 3 toughest to take and why.

[Ajsawden]

Never having hunted them, I'll assume one of the Sheep would be the hardest for the following reasons. Distance from vehicle access and curl requirements. Most game can be shot from the road with no antler/horn requirements at some point in the open season.

[GoatGuy]

Probably wolverines, full curl cali and a distant third would be a 2 spike moose. The rest is very doable if you've got the time and the gumption.

[boxhitch]

Probably wolverines, full curl cali andreally really really light-blond black bears

[GoatGuy]

really really really light-blond black bears

Didn't think that was a species........ must be something new with SCI :mrgreen::wink:


I've got video of one in behind your house here somewhere. Should be big enough to poke a hole in now....... so long as all the predators didn't eat it...

[Prowler]

although its not on the above list along with several other BC game animals not listed, would have to say without a doubt the Dalls Sheep.. having said that, Im waiting to read about Big Bores adventure when he finaly hunts one!!! I say Dalls because of the small pocket of BC where they live and the very limeted access, and limeted numbers. Now I realize they might be on an LEH alocation so maybe thats not what your looking for. I dont have regs in front of me, but there use to be a GOS for Dalls I think. Only GOS species? I would have to say Goats. Although you can drive in to a few spots where they live, you have to be part goat to get in to there habitat, and seeing its on my bucket list, I know Im going to have to lay off the nanaimo bars and rice crispy squares for at least a year to get in to shape and go get one!! how about it Big Bore, Dalls Sheep in your future?

[BiG Boar]

You do have a regs in front of you, google: Hunting regs BC, or LEH BC.

Dalls didn't make the list because they are on LEH. Technically I should get one sometime in the next 12.6 years. That being said I want one eventually, along with all the species we have in BC.

If I never win a draw, I will head up to Alaska to hunt them. Far cheaper than NWT or Yukon, and one would probably get a better ram than they could in BC. BC doesn't have a huge population. I think the hunt itself has a very low success ratio in BC. There are 4 booners that have come from BC, so it is possible. But the odds are stacked against you.

Has anyone on here shot a wolverine?

[srupp]

hmmmm Cali....

steven

[835]

What about the Black tail?
Mulie or White tail?

Man You list sucks! :)
I have never hunted Goat but they sure seem the hardest to get to. Terrain,,, if you take a wrong step you die
Sheep seems you need some serious endurance to get to them. Cardio killer to get to them.
But to actually square off against,, i know im bias but the Island Blacktail is a crafty S.O.B that will drive you nuts to get a good 4x4

[pappy]

I think wolverine would be the hardest to hunt, as they are not often seen. You see more of pics of the open season sheep and goats, only a few pics of a wolverine. A good guess would be that the guys who have shot wolverines have had a tag and just happened to run into them.

[coach]

I voted wolverine - only because region 4 mule deer wasn't on the list!

[fuzzybiscuit]

It's not on the list but I also believe that a true 4x4 up top plus eyeguards (5x5 to some, me included) V.I. Blacktail would be the hardest to get.

On the Island very few are taken each year and the vast majority of those come from some farmer's field or close to city limits.

[Gateholio]

I'd say wolverine.

The reason for that is that they are rarely seen, there isn't many areas with an open season, and when you DO see one, you never have a tag! :)

A few years ago, I was lining up on a wolverine when I started to have doubts. "DO I need a tag? Hmm, I don't think you USED to need a tag.....Are they open in this MU? Hmm....I think they used to be open, but I can't remember now....But do I need a tag?"

Didn't shoot, and good thing, too. Needed a tag! :)

[ThinAir]

Wolverine is tops. They are rarely seen, and when a fellow finally does lay eyes on one, they are ALWAYS moving. I've seen 3 or 4 in my hunting career and couldn't of shot one of them.

I'd say Cali and Bighorn next...

[SHAKER]

I voted Cali..... but Wolverine would be pretty though but if you spent the time when they're open their is no horn restriction so IF you see one you could boom it. Both are pretty long shots though.

[BCbillies]

Have had a few wolverine tags over the years and haven't cut one yet! Plan to spend 4-5 days at it again in early February for goat and wolverine. Most guys that have one at home likely pulled it out of a trap.

[Darksith]

silly poll since there are so many variables. Wolverine are probably the most reclusive animal so they are probably the hardest, or at least the least harvested.

[ianwuzhere]

Of the list, wolverine, sheep then goat, cuz of where they live..

[moose2]

Wolverine was my pick. In 25 years of hunting and traveling in the north I have only seen 2 both at night on the alaska hiway. They are not hunted much there for I don't think alot are known about them. I plan on putting a trail cam on bait next week in hopes of getting a picture of one then I can go from there. Wolves are tough as well but do get bumped into because of higher #s my 3rd would be bighorn because of terrain and lower #s .
Mike

[houndogger]

Wolverine tags are 8 bucks. If your hunting where they are open you should buy a tag.

[Spy]

Im going with wolf!

[open-sights]

Male Ruffies, very ellusive!

[Rubberfist]

Interesting poll results...elk are more difficult to harvest than goats or Stone's...good to know!

Taking any species of sheep is the "hardest" due to numbers, the effect of hunting pressure, geography, and considerations of legality. Between Stone's, Rocky, or Cali...Cali would be the "hardest".

Next would be goats, due to geography (their numbers and distribution are very healthy). If you are lucky, you'll find a goat in an accessible spot. If you're able bodied and/or determined, you'll bring yourself up to where they usually live. If you have no self pity, you'll do it more than once.

Third would be wolverine, due to rarity. However as they are a predator, calls and/or bait can be used. So if you know one is in the area, you can dramatically increase the odds - if you aren't opposed to calls/bait.

[ufishifish2]

Having worked in the bush for 19 years now, a wolverine is the only thing I can think of that I have never seen. Gotta be hard to hunt something that I have never seen after over 3500 days in the forest.
I am sure I could find any of the sheep you mentioned with 10 days and a little bit of research.

[Rubberfist]

Having worked in the bush for 19 years now, a wolverine is the only thing I can think of that I have never seen. Gotta be hard to hunt something that I have never seen after over 3500 days in the forest.
I am sure I could find any of the sheep you mentioned with 10 days and a little bit of research.

Are you a forester or equipment operator? If the former that is bad luck. If the latter it makes a lot of sense - wolverine have a disposition much like a grizzly.

[ufishifish2]

I'll say. Trust me, it is bad luck in so many ways. :( basically I hike through the bush laying out cutblocks and roads all day. I have seen their tracks while on snowshoes many times, but the buggers keep eluding me!

[BiG Boar]

Wow, at this point it's easier to get a stone then an elk!

[Deer_Slayer]

Grizzly Bears. Hard to find, hard to kill, hard to pull trigger on. hard to clean your underwear after an encounter.....ooops my bad..didn't see "open season animal to hunt" oh well

[longrifle]

BB, I managed to successfully hunt a wolverine back in 2008...But, those were the days when I used to live in Nunavut:-D:mrgreen:...In BC I've only managed to get a look at two, neither of which were in an area that had an open season!!


'rifle

[hunter1947]

I say a wolf look at how many hunters there are in the woods hunting each year and very few wolves are seen or shot numbers of wolves out number the wolverine by a big number and very few wolves are shot..

[BearStump]

really really really light-blond black bears


already got one of those in 2010! yay.

[bighornbob]

Since I have a full curl California and Rocky Mountain Bighorn on the wall taken in a GOS I would have to say the Wolverine or wolf as they are animals that are taken by chance encounter for the most part.

BHB

[Skull Hunter]

I have to go with Wolverine as well. Although I've never hunted any of the sheep, at least I've seen them. I live in an area where there is an open season on wolverine, and have yet to even see one. Wolves are usually just taken by chance, but I also don't think a lot of people are out there actively hunting them. If you're out looking for them you can find them often enough, but it does take some practice to get them into shooting range as they're so weary.

[Ajsawden]

really really really light-blond black bears

^^I actually know the place to get these ones! ^^

Maybe a dumb question, but... How different are the three sheep species in huntibility. If you sum up the sheep it's currently more than the wolverine??

[ryanb]

I've seen wolverine on every hunting trip to northern BC. If I was inclined to shoot one I could have on more than one occasion, but I have no desire. I don't think they're hard to get in the right area. Buy a tag on a stone or caribou hunt if you want one and you've got a decent chance.

[Mr. Dean]

I'm gonna toss my hat in, for:

Wolverine.

[The Hermit]

None of them are easy with a bow!! LOL

[tomahawk]

1) Wolverines with rifle or bow.
2) Wolf with a bow.
3) Goat or any of the sheep with a bow.

I have harvested #2 and #3 but have yet to nail the wolverine, despite having one stealing pieces of our moose in camp 2 yrs ago and being within 40 yds of him twice.

They are cunning and elusive when pressured, here's the claw marks he left in the 9" tree where our moose was hanging
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj230/tomahawktom/Moose09037-1-1.jpg

[BCbillies]

I've seen wolverine on every hunting trip to northern BC. If I was inclined to shoot one I could have on more than one occasion, but I have no desire. I don't think they're hard to get in the right area. Buy a tag on a stone or caribou hunt if you want one and you've got a decent chance.

Looking at the regs . . . in Region 7 the wolverine season opens on October 15th and in Region 6 on September 15th. Most of us are done sheep hunting by September 15th. Seen a few wolverine but not during the open season. Best chance is to find one on a goat or sheep kill in late season but finding a kill isn't easy. We watched one on a ram carcus this summer and it didn't take him long to clean it up . . . plus the buggar stole some of our camp meat! :(