Suffield Cow Elk Hunt and Rumours

[cdrabb]

Just wondering how everyone else is making out on the hunt outside the base. Rumour has it there was a reduction of a couple thousand elk. It seems the southern and north western herds have disappeared.
For 10 years we have seen them most days hanging inside the base and occasionally coming outside. But this season absolutely nothing.

Any thoughts?

[Big Grey Wolf]

Older lead cow elk become very smart in 20+ years and determine where danger "hunters/wolves" areas they have had trouble in past. They have a uncanny ability to take the herd into safer areas.

[Sledhead71]

I'm still seeing small pockets of elk outside the base.... Your going to have to work for them, not like it use to be.

[marky_mark]

Originally Posted by Big Grey Wolf

Older lead cow elk become very smart in 20+ years and determine where danger "hunters/wolves" areas they have had trouble in past. They have a uncanny ability to take the herd into safer areas.

Ya like to Saskatchewan lol

[astepanuk]

I’ve spent a good hard week hunting around the base and didn’t see a single track chasing Antelope and Mule deer. The sufield hunt should certainty be interesting to say the least.

[DiabeticKripple]

They are in there. Seems like they herd up in big herds and in the country they can be hard to find. We put quite a few km’s on the boots in Jan and we only saw 1 cow. Other groups saw a herd of over 1000 they said.

We saw more elk driving around the base than we did on foot.

[mindoutside]

Last year, the army guys said there was about 2000 left.probably less now since last year

[IR_mike]

Originally Posted by mindoutside

Last year, the army guys said there was about 2000 left.probably less now since last year

If that number is true it shows how bad Alberta is at managing our wildlife.

[CanadianEh]

I'm interested to know how things are down there.

I have a tag for January.. Really could use the meat!

Was within 80 yards of elk back in Sept but couldn't make it happen.. Just wasn't possible to close the distance. And they wouldn't come closer to the treeline. Unfortunately for me, that is far to far of a shot for me to take with a bow.

[Flatlandliver]

Originally Posted by IR_mike

If that number is true it shows how bad Alberta is at managing our wildlife.

The point of the cull was to reduce the number of elk.

[drake]

Originally Posted by CanadianEh

I'm interested to know how things are down there.

I have a tag for January.. Really could use the meat!

Was within 80 yards of elk back in Sept but couldn't make it happen.. Just wasn't possible to close the distance. And they wouldn't come closer to the treeline. Unfortunately for me, that is far to far of a shot for me to take with a bow.

If you have a January Suffield tag, how were you hunting elk in sept?

[Lefty-Canuck]

Originally Posted by Flatlandliver

The point of the cull was to reduce the number of elk.

Exactly, it was never meant to be a trophy hunt, the first couple years that was the thought but quickly the herds were reduced and the elk spread out.

LC

[CanadianEh]

Originally Posted by drake

If you have a January Suffield tag, how were you hunting elk in sept?

If you read the regs and take a look at what's available.
You can get special tags for 212 bow zone to harvest 2 cow elk, regardless of your general or draw tag you also may have.

[drake]

Makes sense. That’s why I asked the question? Hard to convey curiosity without sounding accusatory online.

[CanadianEh]

Originally Posted by drake

Makes sense. That’s why I asked the question? Hard to convey curiosity without sounding accusatory online.

That is true indeed. Cannot always tell a person's tone from text we read.

[mindoutside]

Originally Posted by IR_mike

If that number is true it shows how bad Alberta is at managing our wildlife.

Yea, not sure how that makes any sense. But maybe this will clear up your concern.

I forget exactly their herd size goal, but it is around 1000. We also need to remember that elk were re introduced to the area and since all of that areas predators are gone as well, they needed to use hunters to manage the population almost exclusively.

On a side note, there are so many speedy goats out there they keep your heart jumping at first glance in the distance hoping it's an elk herd

[DiabeticKripple]

Originally Posted by mindoutside

Yea, not sure how that makes any sense. But maybe this will clear up your concern.

I forget exactly their herd size goal, but it is around 1000. We also need to remember that elk were re introduced to the area and since all of that areas predators are gone as well, they needed to use hunters to manage the population almost exclusively.

On a side note, there are so many speedy goats out there they keep your heart jumping at first glance in the distance hoping it's an elk herd

Or when they are running from you and cut back across the road from behind a blind hill and you almost cream 3 of them. Almost made me poop myself.

[smith88]

Saw 50 or 60 this morning, couldn't get a shot. Will give out information once my group has filled there tags. Good luck all.

[mindoutside]

Originally Posted by DiabeticKripple

Or when they are running from you and cut back across the road from behind a blind hill and you almost cream 3 of them. Almost made me poop myself.

Haha, they always just seemed to stare at us. Wouldn't mind taking some of those horns, some are pretty big!

[Springer]

I did the Base Hunt in January 3 yrs ago , never saw a single on the base, however on the other side of the barbwire fence there was a scattered herd, waste of 10 yrs priority , only did it because my BC friend is very limited mobility.
However now theres the option of drawing a chance to hunt the NWA area or whatever it was called if your drawn out of the bucket.

Good luck and have fun out there ..

[Mateo]

is the herd being managed just through the hunting? or is there off season 'control' being done? i did one of the first years and got my elk. but there were 7000 back then. and with the rate they were growing every year it was hard to imagine the guys that were successful having an impact in a way that reduced them this fast. I remember we did the math back then and it looked like it had gotten out of control and that other methods of culling were gonna be needed to have the impact that was needed.

[Ronaround]

Originally Posted by mindoutside

Yea, not sure how that makes any sense. But maybe this will clear up your concern.

I forget exactly their herd size goal, but it is around 1000. We also need to remember that elk were re introduced to the area and since all of that areas predators are gone as well, they needed to use hunters to manage the population almost exclusively.

On a side note, there are so many speedy goats out there they keep your heart jumping at first glance in the distance hoping it's an elk herd

Did you forget about the wolf population.. or in that area they are minimal?

[mindoutside]

Originally Posted by Ronaround

Did you forget about the wolf population.. or in that area they are minimal?

From what I have seen being there, they are minimal. Personally I did not see any but the soldiers said there are not many.

[mindoutside]

Originally Posted by Mateo

is the herd being managed just through the hunting? or is there off season 'control' being done? i did one of the first years and got my elk. but there were 7000 back then. and with the rate they were growing every year it was hard to imagine the guys that were successful having an impact in a way that reduced them this fast. I remember we did the math back then and it looked like it had gotten out of control and that other methods of culling were gonna be needed to have the impact that was needed.

Yea I heard there was "off season" culling at the start. There was also first Nations hunting

[unclejesse]

We came up new years eve and have been staying in Buffalo. Weve been putting some miles on and haven't seen a single elk. Theres a ton of mule and antelope but the elk are scarce. I'll post up if we have any luck and share the details. I'll be here until Saturday then I'm back to reality 😫

[mightybuck]

I know that over 2800 bull elk most of the trophies were killed the first year they opened the base. Most by not guys who had the draw either but from out of province. Sad to see another one of the great hunts that the Alberta Government just messed up with. Oh well good luck out there hope you get to hunt the NWA

[DiabeticKripple]

Originally Posted by mightybuck

I know that over 2800 bull elk most of the trophies were killed the first year they opened the base. Most by not guys who had the draw either but from out of province. Sad to see another one of the great hunts that the Alberta Government just messed up with. Oh well good luck out there hope you get to hunt the NWA

How have they messed it up?

The purpose of the hunt was herd reduction, and it’s working.

It was never meant to be a trophy hunt.

[marky_mark]

Originally Posted by DiabeticKripple

How have they messed it up?

The purpose of the hunt was herd reduction, and it’s working.

It was never meant to be a trophy hunt.

Pretty easy to see how they messed it up
They should have offered more tags off of the base before it got out of hand
It took a p14 I think before they opened up the on base action
I don’t really know what the bios in that area actually do?
Their management of that area is terrible

[shooter12]

Originally Posted by mightybuck

I know that over 2800 bull elk most of the trophies were killed the first year they opened the base. Most by not guys who had the draw either but from out of province. Sad to see another one of the great hunts that the Alberta Government just messed up with. Oh well good luck out there hope you get to hunt the NWA

I was there 2 years before they opened antlered season and was one of those who used my 7 priority antlered in the first year.
I remember seen 400ish bulls before the gong show started and with my high priority I killed a.. pathetic 4x4 out of a around 600-700 heard animals..the biggest I saw that day.. That one was the smallest out of all elk I killed in Alberta and I never liked the white colour of the antlers as there are no trees around to rub on it .
After that hunt I stopped even applying for a draw for antlered elk as I had enough of luck to kill 6x6 bulls with a rifle or bow on a public or a private land without the help of those 'cull programs'.
And I know for a fact that around of 200 +prime bulls were taken on the first day were by a FN, many of them were from Saskachevan.

I'll stick to my friends farmers and mountains hunts.

S12

[IR_mike]

Originally Posted by marky_mark

Pretty easy to see how they messed it up
They should have offered more tags off of the base before it got out of hand
It took a p14 I think before they opened up the on base action
I don’t really know what the bios in that area actually do?
Their management of that area is terrible

More or less what I was getting at....big difference between a target population of 900 as opposed to 9000.