Bison hunt

[curt]

Well I'd like to start this story off on a good note I had a great experience and I managed to harvest my bison on the evening of the opening day after some scouting the day before I found a herd of about 20-25 animals hanging out off a small ridge back in the timber I played cat and mouse for most of the day but stuck to the plan and managed to tract them down and seal the deal!! What pissed my off was the day before scouting I ran into a couple of nice guys from Fort st john looking for bison as well, however they had the intel on the area from other locals. They mentioned the bison werent hanging out where they typically are right now because the local natives were back there just 1 week prior to the season opener and shot at least 9 bison!! When we went into the back meadows where we have seen the bison in yrs past on a number of occassion I was shocked at what i seen. Being of native back ground myself I was embarassed, angry and ashamed we found some gut piles and we found 1 bison the was killed, the hide quarters were boned out but I found the hide quarters 100yrs from the kill and all that was taken was the horns and the back straps. Now I didnt see anyone do this obviously and some may be upset that I assumed it was the local natives but those small communities usually have a pretty good idea whats going on up there so I take their word on it. I took a few pics i'll try and load them for your veiwing displeasure. If the pic wont load I have put 1 in my gallery feel free to check it out!

[ianwuzhere]

One can always assume who did it hey?

[f350ps]

One can always assume who did it hey?
You seem to know a lot about natives, why don't you give us your theory! Curt, being of native background gave us his so you must know more about this than he does with that remark! I'm all ears!!! K

[Bear Chaser]

This is not surprising and I do not doubt who did it.

The Halfway Valley has been getting treated like a community grocery store and ATV Paradise by a certain group of shall we say non-white people for several years now. During our trip in there this summer we saw one bison; a lone bull right at the top of a mountain pass about twenty miles from where ATV's can go.
On the ride in & out on the main valley trail it was like a highway full of ATV's.

That being said I hope they kill every last bison in there. They don't belong there and are very destructive to the sheep habitat and disruptive to the other ungulates as well.

BTW congrats on your bison Curt.

[curt]

my hunting partner has hunted that country quite abit back in the early 2000's it was game rich with wt muley elk moose and bison all that is left is bison a few elk wolves and lots of bears!!! sad but true game is way down up there but i suspect the bison arent the issue!?

[curt]

Those Bison seem to be adapting to the heavy pressure 2006 we were up there and they were roaming the open meadows like domestic cows now they stick to the timber as much as possible and they run hard at the smell or sight of people!

[Bear Chaser]

Those Bison seem to be adapting to the heavy pressure 2006 we were up there and they were roaming the open meadows like domestic cows now they stick to the timber as much as possible and they run hard at the smell or sight of people!

We've noticed the same thing. In 2006 we could ride right up to them on horses. Now if they see us coming in the high meadows and draws they are moving out before we get to within 400 yards.

Make no mistake about it however they are really a nuisance and quite destructive with their wallows in the high country and the amount of forage they take away from the sheep and other critters.

[aggiehunter]

..don't forget they are the best table fare we have in BC...

[44inchStone]

Have been up there too. Saw a BIG bull bison grazing not 200 yards from a group of Ewes and lambs. Competing for the same patch of grass at 5000 ft is crazy. Their rolling pits were everywhere taking up GREAT sheep grazing land. Yes they taste great but 5000 ft, WOW. It's not like the weather was hot. This is now where they have taken up residents because of pressure. You will STILL get the ODD good bull down low but the SMART ones have certainly moved to a much safer zone away from SPRING and SUMMER pounding.

[daycort]

No critters left in that valley, killed out years ago.

[curt]

yup they are high up and in the timber because our 1st nations have unfortunately shot everything within a km of the main access rd!!! Rumor is from some of the locals they would like to slaughter the entire heard so Zone A is the only game in town and you get to pay them a head levy to get access to hunt I think it's BS myself, and honestly being the largest wild Bison heard in the world it would be a shame to lose them. The sheep well they will adapt just like the Bison have, And I could be wrong but there really isnt that big or a sheep heard in that country according to the co's in 2006 and if I had to pick Id vote for the bison over a small heard of sheep there is plenty of sheep country in BC. Now Im pretty sure that opinion will fire some guys up but easy boys just my opinion.