Hunting Herrling Island/Conditions near Chilliwack Lake

[JIL_24/7]

Hey guys,
Just wondering if anyone here has ever hunted Herrling Island and if you can drive onto the island. Also, has anyone been up near Chilliwack Lake this past week? I was there two weeks ago and the snow was so crunchy we couldn't even sneak up on anything. Just trying to make one last run at something before the season closes. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks and God bless.

[BearStump]

Herrling Island is blocked to vehicle access now by huge concrete blocks. No discharge of single projectile either. although I have seen the odd deer print down there, and a couple bears I would'nt think it'd make for a good day of hunting.

[jetboat jim]

just make sure its a blacktail your going to harvest, because there are some whitetails that live there.....i dont need to tell you that they are closed in reg 2

[deerhunter2001]

hey man where abouts do you live because i live in chilliwack

[JIL_24/7]

I live in Surrey (start the jokes). I have tomorrow off, so I thought I'd give it one more go. I was told Herrling Island was ok to hunt, but looks like it's not. I was near Chilliwack Lake a couple weeks ago and found a good spot with lots of sign, but the snow was so loud I really couldn't get into good spots. Just trying to figure out if another snow has fallen or it has softened up. I have a buddy who just started hunting this year and he didn't get anything so I'm taking him with me, and since this is my second year I'm a real expert :). I got a small whitetail earlier this year, but not enough to feed my family till next season so thought we go out and try to get a meat buck.

[Mauser98]

just make sure its a blacktail your going to harvest, because there are some whitetails that live there.....i dont need to tell you that they are closed in reg 2

As far as I know, the island is linked to the rest of rest of the valley so what keeps the alleged Whitetails on Herrling Is. It seems to me that after all these years, the WT population would have spread out by now.

[recoil]

Spent a couple days hunting Herrling a couple years ago looked promising but was disappointed, saw only 1 doe. Shotgun or bow only. That warining about whitetails has been in the regulations for years but i dont know of anyone that has seen a whitetail in that area ever. I have seen some mulies on the south side of the highway between rosedale and hope....

[Westslope]

Definently whitetails on Herrling.

[Tikka270]

I saw a wt on crowsnest where the coq. Splits off. It was in between north and south lanes. Not too far from herrling island.

[Camp Cook]

I've never tried hunting Herrling but a couple years ago a fellow I know and his buddies all new Canadians went hunting on Herrling Island he used his Rem 700 in 7mm mag and all of his buddies were packing rifles as well one of the group shot a buck with he phoned me later on their way home and bragged about them bagging a buck when I heard where they were I told him it was illegal to shoot single projectile there and not to do it again.

He got totally pissed at me started telling me I was jealous that they had been successful a few weeks later when I bumped into his wife she told me I was jealous as well.

I just walked away shaking my head at the close minded stupidity I do not have anything to do with this guy or his wife ever since.

CC

[SHACK]

I know the old whitetails on Herrling Island thing gets brought up at least once a year around this site.....show me a pic, with a definet land mark, or suck it up buttercup they dont exist! I call BS!
Other than that, yes, there are plenty of blacktails on Herrling, would ya do better elsewhere....probably, is it worth a shot? hell ya, I have seen some nice bucks there over the years.

[jetboat jim]

in the years past I have seen whitetails there , I'm not about to drive out there and find one to take a photo just to please some grumpy old hunters.

it was brought up just incase.

[Westslope]

Shack, what makes you the expert on this place, do you live in a shack there? I used to build dirt bike trails on the island and saw whitetails on many occasions, one spring we saw them everyday. I thought it was strange that they liked it there and we didn't see many away from the island, wondered if they hadn't been planted there somehow..

[Rut Buck]

Sounds like the mith of lake trout in alouette lake, same kinda thing only fishing. People say there is but theres never any proof not to say there isnt any its just a pic is nice. Friends of mine have said they have seen them in south langley, they said they seen them running with there whitetails up but ive seen blacktail do the same and a 3 point blacktail rack with brows can also sometimes look whitetailish Imo.

[JIL_24/7]

Wow. Glad to open that can of worms. Obviously didn't head to Herrling as I am only a rifle hunter at this time. Snow was seriously loud and crunchy still near the lake. Needless to say I didn't get a meat buck today, but I did see a good sized black bear that I didn't spend enough time chasing after about a kilometer before the lake. Sad to put the hunting gear away for the year. Lots of tag soup with a little whitetail mixed in.

[1/2 slam]

i know the old whitetails on herrling island thing gets brought up at least once a year around this site.....show me a pic, with a definet land mark, or suck it up buttercup they dont exist! I call bs!
Other than that, yes, there are plenty of blacktails on herrling, would ya do better elsewhere....probably, is it worth a shot? Hell ya, i have seen some nice bucks there over the years.

x2....................

[SHACK]

Shack, what makes you the expert on this place, do you live in a shack there? I used to build dirt bike trails on the island and saw whitetails on many occasions, one spring we saw them everyday. I thought it was strange that they liked it there and we didn't see many away from the island, wondered if they hadn't been planted there somehow..

While not an "expert" on Herrling, I have spent some time on the island, and more than my fair share of time angling near or around Herrling. I have on MANY occassions seen blacktails walking the beaches, in the timber lots and basically all over the island, not a once have I seen a whitetail. Further to that, for the last 25 or so years, the regs have had the warning in them, do you realy think in that many years they NEVER came off the island, never got hit by cars on the number 1 hwy, never been photographed, trail cammed by the numerous hunters on this forum or elsewhere! Come on, I just call it MIS-IDENTIFACATION. Show me the proof, and I will eat my words, until then.............

[DDD]

1/2 Slam nailed it.

[slyfox]

How about bird hunting on the island