Elk Hunting in the Dawson Creek Area

[JcNemo]

If you’re questioning your physical abilities to find and retrieve an elk it’s probably not for you, unless you have private land or a few buddies to help out. My first bull ended up being 10x more physically demanding than I expected. Try imagine carrying an awkward 80lbs through dense and snaggy brush at midnight. Dragging a deer 200 m down a cut block is easier

that is why I am thinking about to go to Dawson creek area and try to shoot an elk in the open area, then tie a rope on the back of the truck and drag it out, or at least somewhat closer to the road or open area.

[wallz]

that is why I am thinking about to go to Dawson creek area and try to shoot an elk in the open area, then tie a rope on the back of the truck and drag it out, or at least somewhat closer to the road or open area.

Good luck with that one!

You and most of the rest, well maybe 90% have that same notion. The only time, and even if you are VERY lucky you see them like that is when they are doing "mach 3". With many hunters in the area they get nocturnal fast and if you are lucky you see even a glimpse of hide during the daylight, shooting hours.

Learn to call! Find a quiet spot, if that is even possible, and call before light in the am and unto dark in the pm. You might get lucky!

[JcNemo]

Good luck with that one!

You and most of the rest, well maybe 90% have that same notion. The only time, and even if you are VERY lucky you see them like that is when they are doing "mach 3". With many hunters in the area they get nocturnal fast and if you are lucky you see even a glimpse of hide during the daylight, shooting hours.

Learn to call! Find a quiet spot, if that is even possible, and call before light in the am and unto dark in the pm. You might get lucky!

lol, I guess most people are lazy like me. I'll see how this turns out this season. If it doesn't work out, then I will be going to GYM a lot before next season, prepare to carrry the meat out.

[tigrr]

You had this dream right?
that is why I am thinking about to go to Dawson creek area and try to shoot an elk in the open area, then tie a rope on the back of the truck and drag it out, or at least somewhat closer to the road or open area.
I had it too. And I knew people back in 1998 who owned the land. Now I just dream on. Followed a heard for 5 miles and smiled at the big bulls and went back to the truck and went home.
Find a rancher who is getting his bulls poked by elk antlers and you might find a place to hunt. I recommend going there 4 days early to ask around. Some ranchers get 50 phone calls asking for permission to hunt on their land, some 60 calls.

[RackStar]

The 3pt zone of bc is an absolute gong show because everyone has the same idea you have. This is not an easy hunt. I would stick to a 6pt zone. You’ll have success for sure.. calling in hunters. Elk are highly educated and pressured in these zones. Would only consider if you have farm land. Even then, gamble.

[eatram]

I commend you for going early to scout it out. Keep up your questions and your interest. Go into this hunt with the confidence you have. This is very good. Almost certainly, you will strike out and you will not get permission on the land that holds the elk. Don't let this stop you. Go. Learn. Regroup. Adapt. Do it again. Fail. Regroup. Fail again. Regroup. Then, and only then, will you become an elk hunter. After all of this, I will see you where the elk are; 2 miles further down the cutline than where the furthest hunter will hunt. I'll be the guy with the 7800, blood stained bag. Cheers.

[Husky7mm]

Not just a couple guys per camp, dozens per camp!! Last time I was up there, it was a phuckin shit show!! moosin

Ya, here too sometimes on the Alberta side. 15-25 people per camp, sometimes for around 2 weeks straight with each group, I don’t know what the phuck these people are thinking?!?!?
If they all enjoyed some success there wouldn't be an animal left for miles. The groups are way too big. Spread out FFS. People need to learn to go out and explore new areas and prospects instead of chasing gut piles.

[HappyJack]

Del Rio *used* to be a good spot, till it got burned by guys talking about it on the internet… Now its camp after camp of guys anywhere that you can set up a tent for most of the fall.

We still send people there, it's a good place to cut your teeth on elk hunting. Stewart Lake is another good spot. But really there are elk just about everywhere up there.

[HappyJack]

lol, I guess most people are lazy like me. I'll see how this turns out this season. If it doesn't work out, then I will be going to GYM a lot before next season, prepare to carrry the meat out.

An ATV or a chainsaw winch will save you lots of work. Years ago we had a big spool of rope and a couple of pulleys and would use the truck to drag our moose closer to the road. 600 feet of 5/8 Polly rope.

[JcNemo]

You had this dream right?
that is why I am thinking about to go to Dawson creek area and try to shoot an elk in the open area, then tie a rope on the back of the truck and drag it out, or at least somewhat closer to the road or open area.
I had it too. And I knew people back in 1998 who owned the land. Now I just dream on. Followed a heard for 5 miles and smiled at the big bulls and went back to the truck and went home.
Find a rancher who is getting his bulls poked by elk antlers and you might find a place to hunt. I recommend going there 4 days early to ask around. Some ranchers get 50 phone calls asking for permission to hunt on their land, some 60 calls.

Yes, having a dream is important.

I think I'll pass on asking the ranchers. My friend who owns a farm and has a lot of ducks, he get asked a lot by strangers and gets annoyed, so I don't want to annoy other people. The only time I asked for permission to hunt was a few years ago, when my 10 years old son was trying to hunt a deer. He is too slow and need a lot of time to aim. So I asked some ranchers. The rancher agrees, but we need to wait until his grandchild finish shooting the deers first (for the first 3 days of the youth season). My son didn't want to miss school, so we went on the public land. Fortunately enough, there is a 1 x 1 mule deer buck, stood in the middle of 4 does, eating grass in front of us for like 10 minutes (yes, it saw us, but he ignored us like what the does did). Then my son shot it, lol. That was dumb deer, I think it doesnt even recognize it is different from the does. Then my son refused to help out on gutting, he said it is too stinky and too much flies (early september).

Right now, my daughter is 11, my son is 13. If they want to go elk hunting, I will definitely go ask around. However, they don't want to miss school and they have limited interest in hunting (they are not against it, and is ok to pull the trigger, but they are not that interested either), so I usually go hunt with my dad (he is old, I just take him out to enjoy the view) and some of my friends. When I am going to the Dawson creek area, I'll also go check out the area. My friends and I talked about buying a ranch or something like that in that area as investment and hunting place. However, we want that ranch not only has elk, but also has moose and deers on there. So, if you guys ever know some place like that and is for sale, let me know.