Info on a northern river hunt

[spellswrong]

Hey guys Im looking for a river to float this coming season while hunting for elk and moose mainly. Ive been looking at the peace river but I've herd it gets crazy during hunting season. Ive also been looking at the Notikewin river west of Manning. I am not sure what game numbers are like west of manning for elk I know the moose success rate is low but the trip is more important than the outcome for me. Can anyone let me know what its like on either of those rivers or point out some resources I could use for researching a hunt like this? thanks

[Norwest Alta]

Wapiti or the Smokey might be worthwhile looking at. I can't say about the notekwin. Looks kinda of small and narrow. Naraway is another that might work for you.

[Dr.D]

The notekwin is very low in the fall! and don't think it would be a option.

[Diesel_wiesel]

i'm not sure about for Elk
but always thought maybe the steen river would be make great river to hunt moose from

[KegRiver]

The Notikewin is not a navigable waterway. Most years, in fall, there isn't enough water in that river to float a boat, even in the deeper pools.

The Peace River is a zoo, every fall, and it has been that way for years.

The best options are the Smokey, the Chinchaga, or the Hay.
All three are challenging. All three require special equipment and knowledge.

They are all accessible in the lower reaches via jet boat but all have serious shallow stretches which can strand even the best jet boat.

All the other rivers I am aware of are too shallow come fall. The Keg, The Wolvarine, the Clear Water, The Miekle, the Big Buffalo, all are little more then trickles in the fall.

Keep in mind, we have not had a wet year here for nearly a decade. Our rivers reflect that. All are at historical lows for much of the year.

Moose numbers are way down, Elk may be present but it's not likely. Elk were introduced up here a couple of decades ago, close to agriculture areas and that is where the majority still are.

If you are looking for a remote hunt, good luck with that. Such hunts are still possible but it's going to take a lot of work or local knowledge to get there, and locals have learned the hard way not to trust anyone from outside.


I should add that I live four miles from the Notikewin, four miles from the Miekle, and six miles from the Peace River. I have fished the Hay, the Wolvarine, the Big Buffalo, the Notikewin, the Miekle the Whitemud and several other rivers in the North.

I've hauled logs from the upper reaches of most of these rivers and I was a big game guide in the area for several years.

I am far from an expert on the matter but I am not guessing either.

I've lived and hunted this area for most of my life, that's nearly 64 years. Not counting the few years it took me to learn to walk.

[Big Grey Wolf]

Keg is the authority on Notikewin country. We had a trapline in area for number of years and was top moose country. However wolves have moved in a big way in last 20 years along with few outfitters. There were no elk in WMU 524 and 525 but some are migrating west from Peace River. However they tend to stay near farm areas where feed is better and less wolves/bears. You need a good quad to access that country and not a boat.

[spellswrong]

Hey guys thats for all the help I appreciate all the info I dont think im going to find the perfect trip on paper but im looking forward to getting onto a river at some point. Thanks again

[Diesel_wiesel]

ever looked into the Athabasca river????? I know it can be tricky
and there is lots of almost remote areas along its banks
I dunno much about rivers and float trips, I swim like a granite boulder so have always stayed clear of such adventures because of that,
another reason I'm not much into fishing on lakes or ice fishing,
to me that's like heights for some people I just cant bring myself out on the ice on a lake, or in a small boat, (had way to many morons thought it was funny to scare me in a small boat when I was a kid)
even the ferry's to cross to hongcouver island I get sea sick,
and yet I can stand out in the middle McLeod river and fish when the white fish are running ,
go figure

[JTRED]

I have personally never done it but our neighbours when we lived in Edson used to canoe the Macleod and then into the Athabasca. Used to be pretty good moose and elk numbers along there, not to mention whitetail deer, black bear, and grouse.

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by spellswrong

Hey guys thats for all the help I appreciate all the info I dont think im going to find the perfect trip on paper but im looking forward to getting onto a river at some point. Thanks again

I often thought about doing a float trip down the Peace, years ago, befor it got crazy.

I've hunted along the Peace for over forty years. But always from a power boat. I think it would be fun to just float along watching wildlife and enjoying the tranquility. And hunting in the process.
But I honestly don't know of any river I could try that on these days.

For years now, if it can be reached with any sort of powered vehical, come hunting season you will find a crowd already there when you arrive.

The only way to have a remote hunt is to walk in or to hunt a place no one else knows about.

I used to know a lot of such places, but now only one or two of those are known only to me and my freinds. The rest have been found and overrun by the crowds.

I hope you find your remote hunt. It's a dream many have.

[JTRED]

Originally Posted by KegRiver

I often thought about doing a float trip down the Peace, years ago, befor it got crazy.

I've hunted along the Peace for over forty years. But always from a power boat. I think it would be fun to just float along watching wildlife and enjoying the tranquility. And hunting in the process.
But I honestly don't know of any river I could try that on these days.

For years now, if it can be reached with any sort of powered vehical, come hunting season you will find a crowd already there when you arrive.

The only way to have a remote hunt is to walk in or to hunt a place no one else knows about.

I used to know a lot of such places, but now only one or two of those are known only to me and my freinds. The rest have been found and overrun by the crowds.

I hope you find your remote hunt. It's a dream many have.

Kegriver is surely right about that, if it has motorized access you can be sure people will be there but if you're willing to put the effort in and get away from the trails you really don't have to go far to get away from other people. Where I live now I've found if I hunt road closures I hike in as far as day hunters will go and set up camp. Usually not more than 3-5km depending on terrain. The horse hunters almost always go deep(because they can) and day trippers are usually starting to question whether or not they should shoot something. On road closures I use a game cart both to pack my camp in and if I'm fortunate my game and camp out. It's a lot of work but any remote hunt will be and solitude is golden.
My hunting partner and I also use established hiking trails to get us up to alpine lakes where we base ourselves and access the alpine for early(September/October) mule deer hunting. We usually spend the late morning/afternoon fishing for cutthroat(we eat like kings at times-cutthroat stuffed with garlic and huckleberries) while glassing the slopes around us, mornings and evenings are spent in the alpine or at tree line still hunting or glassing for bucks.
Hope you find your area.

[spellswrong]

Yeah it tough finding places that are off the beaten path. I am considering floating the Hay for moose and the smokey for elk ill be going past each so I think I can break it into 1 long trip. Jtred backpacking in is my favourite its what I always imagined hunting to be. Most of the trips Im on I go it alone and rarely see another person its fantastic. I was hoping a river trip would be similar but I think it will be tough finding a spot. I have several months to scout out areas and research and Ive gotten alot of good info thanks everyone

[Bub]

It is not easy, but definitely not impossible. Plenty of areas along the shores are accessible from water only on both Peace and Smoky and there aren't too many willing to go there. It surely will not be a float-spot-shoot type of a trip; more like float-park-hike a lot (a day (get familiar), two, three, and so on)-shoot-good luck packing out type of a trip. Motorized boats will probably be a nuisance on both rivers I mentioned, though not necessarily, depending on the time of your trip. Notikewin is definitely out of the question, just like any other river of similar size.

What I would do is look at Google Maps' satellite and terrain layers and go from there. I would find sloping areas that have no access but from the river and the top of the hill private properties with no visible trails coming down. I would use the terrain layer to make sure there is quite a hill going up from the river, the steeper the hill (obviously steep within reason), the less likelihood of meeting anyone in the bush. When I say anyone, I mean not a sole. One does not have to believe, but there are areas like that. Moose can be seen from a canoe once in a while; to see an elk though is much more of a rarity, in my experience anyway. I am talking about the "right-at-the-river" encounters. You may see elk up on the hills as you float down or paddle up the stream. You will see elk and you will see what it takes to get to it and you will realize why there aren't many or any at all hunters around.

I probably am making it sound more than it really is, but it is a lot of work. If you are looking for a good elk, it could be a hunt of a lifetime. Moose too, of course, but there are less of them around in general, so I would not be too excited. Again, like I said, it is not just floating; it is a difficult hunt and you will have a heck of a time pulling the animal out. Yet, if that's what you are looking for, it is out there and not that hard to find.

[spellswrong]

Bub I get what youre saying most of the hunts I plan are done through google maps and then scouting. I have never packed an animal less than 2km and have never had any help so if anything having a group with me should be an improvement. As long as I wont be loosing any meat I enjoy the suffering of packing an animal out its more fun to reminisce about endured pain than an easy trip. Ill be looking closer at the Peace the Hay and the Smokey. Thanks for the help