Elk and black bear in 355
 

Hey everyone new to the forum!! Headed out for elk on an underprescribed tag to wmu 355 between grand cache and grand prarie, any idea a decent place to start as its a 7 hour drive for me and will be going in blind!! Not looking for anyone's honey hole just looking for a decent place to tag a cow elk, in addition what is the black bear pop like there? All I see is that it's full of grizz, appreciate the feedback and thanks in advance!!

Hi welcome.
So you're looking for peoples second rate spots? I would say head up there and get some boots on the ground. You may get some help but probably not. Sucks that the drive is enormous for you but you wont find much help here. Good luck though

I've noticed a lot of ppl start an account then ask for advice on the wmu that they drew in. Wouldn't you scout and then put in for the draw?

even worst, draw and drive several hours for a unit that locals ignore for good reasons......

almost seems like a waste

He did not draw the tag. He picked up an under subscribed tag and is making a go if it. No one who wanted the draw lost out and he is making an effort to hunt it. If his other draw applications did not come up this year and he is making an effort to learn and explore some new areas, good on him.

MAC

They should shut that unit down for antlerless elk. The wolves take all the calves every year and the few herds that reside there are struggling.
Should be good for bear hunting though.

I don't know how they have cow tags in that zone!!!

What a joke.


To the OP.... Stay home, save a cow elk....

our bio want to kill the 10 elk left in there to starve the wolves in hopes of saving the 2 caribou left

tough crowd :thinking-006:
i hunted there last year felt like a month for a couple of days.
not a lot of sign and seen 2 white tail and a lot of oil and gas trucks.
wolves were howling and no elk calls or tracks but maybe i was in the wrong area.

This is very likely the reason and its sad. Kill off a species that can thrive to hopfully prolong the demise of one that has been in decline for many dacades. Same bios think the whitetail are an invasive species, prehaps they have expanded their range but that is normal for many species, it always changes over time. We should manage for what we have instead of what we had.

That whole area is good .Good luck .Post some pictures when you get back.

Exactly this!!

Here you will find ppl that th first thing they will do is bitch and complaint instead of helping you with any leads...then you will also find guys that really like to help you....its a matter of finding someone that genuinely liles to help....if i inew the area id definitely would give you ablny leads but I don't...good luck

I disagree, his 1 post and join date of sept 2016 are probably why no one wants to help

Never been there but a quick look at Google maps shows a ton or roads and cuts. Guess I'd follow those until I see some fresh tracks then follow them from there.

Carry bear spray handy. I would imagine a lot of grizzlies in those areas.

Yes and no, it is because there's not much help he can get. The area has been devastated by logging and over harvest (orchestrated by our bio).

Here's a little story:

Last july I pulled out my last trail cam set in 355. It was set overlooking a natural lick, with 4 "used to be" major trails. There's a few nice meadows with tons of feed nearby and steep hills for escape and/of bedding, lots of old rubs. The lick is 5 km from the nearest road, and 1.5 km from the nearest quad access. My camera was there 12 months a year, and in the last 3 yrs combined I got: 0 elk pic, about 12 deer pics and 30 moose pics.

As hunter, we should also be conservationist, not exterminator, just cause it's legal.

Thanks to the people who had helpful input.. Yes I just started on the forum so it was my first post.. I never put in for this draw I went in to a place that sold
Licenses and when it opened up at 8 for the under prescribed I had about 25 seconds for all the tags to be gone so I never had much of a choice, what are the chances seeing a black bear In that area?

Good chance for a bear, shoot 2. Find recent disturbed ground where new grass and clover are growing. ie new logging and pipelines. There are still berrys in the shade.

There is a whack of oil patch work going on south of grande prairie so try to stay south of that. I have seen small heards all through the area but most of them have been about 80 ish Km south of the city. Just north of grand cash past the mine seems to be not bad if you looking for a cow. Most of if not all of the roads are oil roads and some are blocked to hunters. Finding a couple of good cut lines is going to be your best bet. Look for any recent sign of elk and spend some time there don't just walk past them. There has been a lot of rain this year so telling if they are fresh tracks should not be hard. They will be full of water or washed out if they are old.

Good luck hope this helps.