Elk in the north...starting my homework for the fall - A few Questions

[Resolute]

Hi All,
Starting to do some research for the fall Elk hunt and have had great input from folks here in the past so I thought I'd run a few things by you all. I'm fairly new to Elk hunting in any serious kind of way. I've gone out and randomly wandered around in Elk country in the past but more recently have been putting in the effort to learn a proper approach. I've been reading books, listening to CD's and I have all my calls laid out on the seat beside me during my commute to and from work and think I'm making some progress.

Last fall I went to an area just outside Cranbrook for 10 days. It was great because we saw a few Elk and had some really good learning experiences. On the down side, we were there too early and missed out on the rut. We also had some pretty negative experiences with some other hunters who just didn't seem to give a damn about etiquette or even ethics for that matter.

I've always been the kind of guy who wants to park the truck and get out into the bush. I'm not the slightest bit deterred by a hike of several hours to get away from everyone roaring up and down the roads on their quads and in their trucks. After all, no matter how good that guy is with his cow call, I just can't figure a 6-point bull is gonna walk right up to him in his Chevy just cause he's blowing a call out the window.

In any case, I'm thinking of heading north this year when it's time to go for Elk and had a few questions. I'm thinking of the Fort St. John, Hudson Hope area in hopes of avoiding hoards of other hunters, is that a good strategy or am I still going to be running into people around every corner in that neck of the woods? Also, I was talking to a guy yesterday about the timing of the rut in that area and he really surprised the hell out of me by claiming that the Elk in that neck of the woods are actually originally a breed from down Mexico way and that they rut late! He claimed that they would be getting into peak rut around Oct 1 in those parts which seemed crazy to me as I would have thought that far north they'd be rutting in the first week of September...Does anyone have a comment on this?

I'd also be interested in talking to anyone who's interested in teaming up for an Elk hunt in the north. I have one hunting buddy who's game but I often fly solo and would really rather go into wild-assed country with some back-up so if you're allergic to road hunting and care at least a little about treating other people and the planet fairly well, give me a shout.

Thanks in advance for your feedback, I look forward to any comments I get back.

[hunter1947]

Elk will be rutting in early Sept up in 7-50 ,7-46 ,7-21 ,7-35 believe me as for what you have posted so far you are doing the right thing getting every thing in place for this Sept hunt.

Believe me elk are not as hard to hunt as what hunters believe hunting elk is kinda like hunting deer you cover ground and sooner or latter you will come across a herd of elk ,if you hear a bull bugle just don't over call him wait for the bull to talk to you when you get an answer then copy him he calls you call right back to him go right in on him or you can set up and wait and see if he is coming in closer if he is not coming in and going away when you are calling him then he might be a herd bull with cows you will have to go after him and call at him as you go after him he might turn around and come in on you ???.

I find that once you have located elk that come out into clearings to feed late evening be there the next day well before evening set up and wait look and listen the same for morning be thee right at daylight look see and if you see nothing then hunt the area if you had seen elk in the area the previous day they will be around that area somewhere O ya elk can smell like no other keep the wind in your face if you are stalking a bull they also have excelent hearing and eye sight ,good luck this up coming fall http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon14.png..

[bridger]

The Elk up here rut in September just like the rest of the province. They do taste better made into frijoles tho! Just kidding. There are lots of hunters in the peace and in the immediate area around fort st john, Hudson hope etc a lot of the elk are on private land, so you might want to research that some. The very best elk hunting in region 7b is remote and requires horses or jet boats. Having said that there are lots of elk taken in the ag zone. Guess what I am saying is that hunting elk up here isn't much different than any where else. Spots with access have lots of hunters.

[elkdom]

I counted over 90 elk in 3 different locations yesterday evening from the window of my pic-up truck, while my wife and I took a leisurely 20 minute drive about 8 pm last night, here in Reg 7-20,
and about 40 white-tail deer, another 20+ mulies,5 moose and 3 black bears,,, (all of these within no more than 200 yards)

thats more game than I have seen in the BEST WEEK of hunting,,,,
in either Reg 7-49 or Reg 7-50 during SEPTEMBER,,,,,:???:

unless you plan and KNOW HOW to go WAYYYYYY the HELLLL BACK away from river BOATERS and QUAD and HORSE trails ???
you will find the worlds biggest gong-show of hunting fools scaring the $hit out game and annoying other hunters,,

[The Dude]

In any case, I'm thinking of heading north this year when it's time to go for Elk and had a few questions. I'm thinking of the Fort St. John, Hudson Hope area in hopes of avoiding hoards of other hunters, is that a good strategy or am I still going to be running into people around every corner in that neck of the woods? Also, I was talking to a guy yesterday about the timing of the rut in that area and he really surprised the hell out of me by claiming that the Elk in that neck of the woods are actually originally a breed from down Mexico way and that they rut late! He claimed that they would be getting into peak rut around Oct 1 in those parts which seemed crazy to me as I would have thought that far north they'd be rutting in the first week of September...Does anyone have a comment on this?

I'd also be interested in talking to anyone who's interested in teaming up for an Elk hunt in the north. I have one hunting buddy who's game but I often fly solo and would really rather go into wild-assed country with some back-up so if you're allergic to road hunting and care at least a little about treating other people and the planet fairly well, give me a shout.

Thanks in advance for your feedback, I look forward to any comments I get back.

I'd like to meet this fool. I'd send him to town for three bags of steam and a glass stretcher.
Oh, and beer, of course.