Trip location advice

[sed8ed]

Opinions please, I am open to any other suggestions

So the trip I was going on up to the Liard got cancelled due to two members of the party actually winning their LEH's which is fine, however that leaves me on a solo hunt this september.

Since I will not be sharing fuel with anyone I would like to keep the distances within 1000 km of the lower mainland hence the choices, elk and moose are on the menu and the hunt will be from sept 11-21 back to work on the 24 with all gear put back into storage. I will have my truck, ATV, zodiac and toy hauler (12' enclosed trailer with a fold down bed)

Option A.

Butler ridge east slope, northwest of Hudson's Hope. I have hunted here before 3 years ago, didn't manage to drop an animal myself, however the person I was hunting with took a nice 4pt elk and the guys camped by the lake shore took 1 moose and 1 elk over the 8 days we were there.

Option B.

Pink Mountain. Never hunted here before, heard great things... not sure how busy it will be or how the access will be due to oil and gas exploration but I love exploring new places.

One advantage pink mountain has is that 7-57 is open for caribou and 7-58 is open for archery caribou... I am not sure how good the odds are for that in either region but that is one animal that is on my bucket list that I would like to check off (Hence the original Liard trip) If this is the location I end up going to, caribou would be the primary reason for the hunt with moose and elk being primarily opportunity based (aka, if I see one while hunting caribou)

[olharley guy]

Howdy, voted Pink Mountain but now have changed my mind. Go to where you were before as you allready know the area a bit. later

[sed8ed]

Ok, so I have been reading all the caribou threads (especially the pink mountain ones) and I have come to the realization that the meat probably won't be in an edible condition given the late season I am hunting and the caribou are hit or miss in that area... so back to moose / elk. Meat spoilage is not an issue since I am bringing a large deep freezer and the trailer is air conditioned.

I think I will plan a Dease trip for next year or the year after for bou.

[kennyj]

If it was me I'd go to butler ridge, and hunt caribou next year out West. By the way the caribou will be good eating at the time you're going.
kenny

[Bear Chaser]

Saw a grand total of about 26 caribou last year in the Pink Mountain area end of September. No legal bulls and none of them within 15 miles of a legal ATV trail. Lots of oil & gas activity off the highway from Wonowon to Buckinghorse.

East Butler Ridge area has definitely changed in the past three years due to oil & gas exploration. Not currently as busy as last fall but still lots going on there. Likely the better option given your circumstances.

[ianwuzhere]

Ya i was going to say Pink Mt caribou you would have to work pretty hard to find a legal bull..
Good luck where every you try.. To put meat in the freezer 7b can be great, makes it much easier with the cow and 3+ bull elk option.. and if you already have a spot your well ahead of some others..

[David]

Pink Mtn oil & gas exploration has been down the last few years - it's active, but not as active.

I usually hunt in that general area (wonowon up) for early Moose and I have to say the last few years have been tough. Not sure if it's over hunting, illegal hunting, heard a rumour of a tick epidemic - not sure. I've also heard from people who go up there later that once the migration/rut starts everything is as good as it used to be, but the "local" Moose population "in the felt" seems to be down. I'm usually in 7-44, 7-57, or 7-58. Haven't been down into 7-35 or 7-43 in quite a while so couldn't say what population is like in that area at that time of year.

Personally if I was going up that early I'd try your second choice of Butler Ridge.

No early Moose for me this year :(

[sed8ed]

Ok guys, i'm going to bump this back up since I am leaving in 2.5 weeks

The poll's say Pink but all the responses say Butler Ridge which leaves me leaning towards Butler Ridge... If I don't see any good sign, I can always head up to Pink after 3-4 days right

On a side note, new moon is on the 15th... That gets me excited