Camp Wainwright 2017 Totals

[Syndre]

Well OK, things seem a little testy, but let's stick to the topic at hand.

I'll be heading up on the last hunt thurs to sat. Anyone have a report on the weather and snow there?

Also, as a side note, does anyone happen to know if there are butchers who can do a quick process on the deer and freeze it overnight for me? I'm heading up from Calgary and would like to bring at least something back.

Alternatively, is there an area to personally process the deer at the camp?

Thanks!

[fatboyz]

There's meat on right in town but i doubt they can do it over night. Bone it out right where it dies. Just bring out the meat and head for testing. Easy Peasy. A deer should take you less than 20 min. After skinning. Buy one of those trailer hitch hoists and it's even easier.

[brendan's dad]

Something positive.....

I was in Wainwright for the 1st time for the muzzle loader season. I was with a group of four that had 1 bull moose, 1 cow moose, and 2 deer tags b/t the 4 of us. 2 of the four had hunted wainwright several times and knew some great areas. Did some walking and we connected on the bull, cow and 1 deer. I had the deer tags and could have easily taken a second but I didn’t need the meat.

I was wasn’t sure if I was going to enjoy wainwright but it ended up being a wonderful time and I would definitely go again. Saw many hunters helping other hunters and did not witness any behaviour like described in this thread.

Thanks to the great staff and military for this great opportunity.

[Full Curl Earl]

I've hunted it probably 8 times over the last 30 years, it's kind of a nostalgic tradition. Every year there are rumors of a few bad apples, but they sure are rare. Unfortunately, Shed Crazy gets to deal with all of them.
It's a different beast than the Southern base hunt, that's for sure.

[elkhunter11]

Tomorrow will be my sixth hunt on the base, and compared to Suffield, the hunts seems better organized, and I have seen less illegal or unsafe actions in my five hunts at Wainwright combined, than two days at Suffield.

[slickwilly]

Has the weather been warm enough to start to soften the roads up during the days? Or is it staying pretty solid all day long.

Headed out for deer tomorrow. Very excited.

[NIKON]

Originally Posted by Syndre

Well OK, things seem a little testy, but let's stick to the topic at hand.

I'll be heading up on the last hunt thurs to sat. Anyone have a report on the weather and snow there?

Also, as a side note, does anyone happen to know if there are butchers who can do a quick process on the deer and freeze it overnight for me? I'm heading up from Calgary and would like to bring at least something back.

Alternatively, is there an area to personally process the deer at the camp?

Thanks!

4-6” of snow. Just guessing. You can get around almost any road except a few trails with steep banks. It’s icey for sure. Snow is very loud to walk in. Good luck!

[NIKON]

Originally Posted by slickwilly

Has the weather been warm enough to start to soften the roads up during the days? Or is it staying pretty solid all day long.

Headed out for deer tomorrow. Very excited.

Roads are fairly icey still as of yesterday afternoon. We were seeing 20+ deer a day but never seen a mature buck. Didn’t need the meat after taking a bull Elk early November so I’m hanging both my tags on the tree this year. Good luck.

[Syndre]

So, it's OK to just de-bone in the field and leave it there?

Not to start a fight, but with the CWD consideration and general rules (not sure if they are different at wainwright) isn't that a bit of a no-no?

[Desert Eagle]

I was wondering the same thing. Any suggestions where to look for deer? I'm heading out tomorrow morning.

[shedcrazy]

Roads should be good and polished after today's melt and wind but access should be great. The weather is crazy warm for this time of the year and a complete opposite from last year.

De-boning in the field is fine as long as you tag it proper with evidence of sex/sps as in most cases the head will be left behind for CWD testing. Ideally not on a road or trail though. While extremely out of date this is still a good document to follow. WMU 728/730 already have CWD so best to limit the spread by leaving parts where you got it or disposing of the carcass properly.

http://aep.alberta.ca/fish-wildlife/...ng-Oct2009.pdf

[sns2]

Originally Posted by bobalong

Take notice MODS, a couple more with nothing but criticism, pot stirring, give them a time out, its the only way you are going to stop this kind of BS. This is how the threads go down fast with many of them being locked.

Feel free to use the complaint function, or a pm to any of us, but the public calling out of mods, and all the references to AO going downhill have become tiresome already.

As for these posts, neither broke the rules, no insults were lobbed, they referenced a topic in the thread, so what rule was broken? I think 99% of those who read this were wondering the same thing about how many shots were missed, and if animals were wounded. Some want us to be strict, some think we are too strict. We will just continue to moderate to the rules.

[Syndre]

Originally Posted by shedcrazy

De-boning in the field is fine as long as you tag it proper with evidence of sex/sps as in most cases the head will be left behind for CWD testing.

Any recommendation on how to tag it if the bones will be left in the field? Should I just tag the leg anyway and leave it or stick it through the ear and bring the rest?

I know the guide states to leave the quarter with the tag intact, but that then requires that I de-bone it off site and that leads to more potential contamination.

[Freerider]

Originally Posted by Syndre

Any recommendation on how to tag it if the bones will be left in the field? Should I just tag the leg anyway and leave it or stick it through the ear and bring the rest?

I know the guide states to leave the quarter with the tag intact, but that then requires that I de-bone it off site and that leads to more potential contamination.

Read the regs ensure you understand them before you do this. No the ear is not an option. There’s no reason to debone in Wainwright not that far to pack. As a minimum do not bone out one of the hind quarters ensure that 1/4 has proof of sex and spiecies attache tag to that 1/4 and you will be good. Dispose of he bones in a proper landfill and there’s no issue. Or hang on to them until you get your CWD results and go from there if negative no concerns do what you always do if positive they will call you and you can ask them then.

[slickwilly]

Originally Posted by shedcrazy

Roads should be good and polished after today's melt and wind but access should be great. The weather is crazy warm for this time of the year and a complete opposite from last year.

Thanks.

[slickwilly]

Originally Posted by Syndre

So, it's OK to just de-bone in the field and leave it there?

Not to start a fight, but with the CWD consideration and general rules (not sure if they are different at wainwright) isn't that a bit of a no-no?

The disposing of possible CWD-infected bones and meat is intended to stop the spread to new areas. I assume those rules are intended to prevent people taking bones home and dropping them in non-cwd zones.

[thumper]

The only bones I take out of Wainwright (and anywhere else for that matter) is the quarter with evidence of sex and species (tail) attached. And sometimes, antlers on the skull plate. The rest is left to return to the ecosystem from whence it came. Unless regulations require me to transport the head to a freezer or F&W office.

[elkhunter11]

Our moose hunt is now concluded. We saw five deer, four antlerless moose, and one antlered moose , which is going home with us. A good hunt with no illegal or unsafe incidents observed by us. My friend used a partner license to take his first moose, and we bave have a lot of nice meat.

[slopeshunter]

^^ Congrats!

[elkhunter11]

I will add that both the military and F&W staff were excellent as usual. Apparently a fair bit of nonsense occurred last week, but the staff did not let it effect the way that they dealt with the hunters this week. The trails were very icy, to the point that we avoided some hilly trails altogether.

[Desert Eagle]

It was my first time on the base. It was ran amazingly well. The briefing covers everything, it surprised me to hear of some of the shenanigans from the week before. It's hard to imagine these warm temps in mud December though. Good luck to all who are hunting!

[BPost]

Here is our last day {Saturday} bull moose from rifle 1.

[slickwilly]

Just got back from Rifle 3 for deer.

First of all, great work by the base staff and the people running the checkout station (F&W, AEP, wasn't sure who all was from where). Was really cool to see so much scientific data being collected. Happily contributed my two bags of fresh deer pellets, and had the two students collect glands from my second deer.

We had an amazing hunt. Probably saw fifty deer over the weekend, shot the biggest mulie we saw (not a monster, but my first mulie buck) on a really satisfying spot and stalk on the hills.

Missed a shot on a nice whitetail, and then saw it the next day just over the fence in a restricted area. Then a muley doe decided to walk right in front of us, and we couldn't say no.

Hiked away from the truck all 3 days. Never saw another hunter on foot the whole time. Beautiful country. Great experience all around.

[shedcrazy]

RF #3

Deer: 48
Running total 302
Moose 35
Running total 150 (total harvest record)
Elk 1
Running total 8 (7 bulls and total harvest record)
I missed writing down a cow elk last hunt and can't edit it for those that noticed the math

All the days turn into one long one. lol 3 more to go!!

S

[BADBOY]

Thanks for the update Shed, you guys do a hell of a job there, I was there for PW and enjoyed my time for the 2 days, harvested a cow moose Sat afternoon so it was worth it. Keep up the good work, greatly appreciated when were on the base.

[dugh]

Shed, I think I broke last years record. I turned in deer number 248 and 249 (I think there was 247 total last year). This was my third time and my wife's second time hunting the base, it was very well run and we didn't witness any undesirable shenanigans. Good job.
Doug

[Snap Shot]

Man that seems like a lot of moose for that small of a area. That's pretty close to more moose then the surrounding wmu's.

[slickwilly]

Originally Posted by Snap Shot

Man that seems like a lot of moose for that small of a area. That's pretty close to more moose then the surrounding wmu's.

Some big chunks of land that are nothing but prime moose habitat. Willows and swamps for quarter after quarter. No fields cut out of the bush. Would be a veritable moose factory, in my opinion.

[shedcrazy]

RF#4

Deer: 45
Moose: 13
Elk 0

Final totals:

Deer: 347
Moose 163
Elk 8

No hunters harvested..just ticketed

And that's it for another year!

S

[sns2]

I can tell you that one of those moose, harvested by Elk11 and a friend, tasted absolutely delicious when it came out of my frying pan last night.

Thanks for all your hard work. I know it is appreciated by many!