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Old 05-05-2019, 09:15 PM
Dylan hunter Dylan hunter is offline
 
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Thumbs up Wmu 358 elk

Hello everyone,
I'm not looking for all the negative comments and how there's no elk here in this wmu 358, I'm headed up there for 5 days of scouting may long weekend and again this summer sometime! I've got an area pinned out with little road access and few trails as I'll be hiking in 3-4 km off the road to get away from the warriors...I have a few questions are the elk scattered all over the crown land or are they sticking to crown land that buys up to private land? Reason I've choose this area is it holds good amounts of elk and has plenty of crown land to hunt. My dads coming out from Ontario to hunt as well with me for his first elk hunt, he broke his back years ago and walks with 2 canes now so the bush wackking will be slow and limited but he won't give up. Any pointers and tips would be appreciated.

Last edited by Dylan hunter; 05-05-2019 at 09:22 PM.
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Old 05-06-2019, 05:46 AM
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-There are elk throughout 358, crown and private.
-there aren’t many places you can walk 3-4 Kms in 358 and not be closer to a road on the other side.
-358 is one of if not the hardest hunted zones in Alberta


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Old 05-06-2019, 06:28 AM
obsessed1 obsessed1 is offline
 
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Knock on doors and get permission. Elk are often a lot closer to the roads than you think. They are all over 358. It is hunted hard
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Old 05-06-2019, 08:18 AM
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Originally Posted by obsessed1 View Post
Knock on doors and get permission. Elk are often a lot closer to the roads than you think. They are all over 358. It is hunted hard
If you’re hunting in September don’t worry about private land, the elk are in in the bush on crown land still. Getting off the roads is key if you’re calling.
If you’re hunting late season (November) it’s a totally different game.
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Old 05-06-2019, 08:49 AM
Big Grey Wolf Big Grey Wolf is offline
 
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You are on the right track with Scouting for elk in area you want to hunt. You may want to pattern them later in summer as elk move around a lot. However if you find some good "elk bush" areas that will give you a good start for your scouting effort. Elk hunting will be tough for your Dad without good mobility, but if you can find some good elk trails by water or too some farm fields may be able to set him up for shot.
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Old 05-06-2019, 10:50 AM
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finner-duramax finner-duramax is offline
 
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I suggest Keeping a close eye out for old Rut activity, like rubs and wallows.
If you can find that kind of activity then you have a good starting point. Best would be getting good at using your bugle tube, so you can send out a locate bugle, then go from there during The rut.
Lots of crown, and lots of yahoos.
As has been stated, it’s probbaly the most hunted zone for elk.

Good luck.
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Old 05-06-2019, 12:47 PM
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Greatwest Greatwest is offline
 
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I can’t help u out as this year will be my first year hunting Elk in AB but good luck. I do have a question as there seems to be some knowledge on this thread so thought I would ask here instead of starting a new one. Can a guy use Electronic calls for Big Game in Alberta. I just moved from Sask last fall and u can still use Electronic Calls for Big Game. I have skimmed through the regs but haven’t got into depth of reading front to back yet but I do plan on it once they are released. If not I better get practiced up on my bugle again. It’s been a few years.

Last edited by Greatwest; 05-06-2019 at 12:58 PM.
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Old 05-06-2019, 12:53 PM
Salavee Salavee is online now
 
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I can’t help u out as this year will be my first year hunting Elk in AB but good luck. I do have a question as there seems to be some knowledge on this thread so thought I would ask here instead of starting a new one. Can a guy use Electronic calls for Big Game in Alberta. I just moved front Sask last fall and u can still use Electronic Calls for Big Game. I have skimmed through the regs but haven’t got into depth of reading front to back yet put I do plan on it once they are released. If not I better get practiced up on my bugle again. It’s been a few years.
Short anwser .. NO
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Old 05-06-2019, 01:51 PM
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Short anwser .. NO
That’s the long answer too lol
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Old 05-07-2019, 06:40 AM
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If you’re hunting in September don’t worry about private land, the elk are in in the bush on crown land still. Getting off the roads is key if you’re calling.
If you’re hunting late season (November) it’s a totally different game.
I live on the 357-358 boundary. I shoot an Elk every season in either zone. I've shot Elk as early as Aug 27 to as late as mid Dec( cow draw) all my hunting is short day hunts / Eve hunts . Every Elk I have shot has been within 1-2 km from a road. Last year in Sept we found a bull wallow / rub that was heavily used ( buddy shot the 5x5 within yards of the rub within two weeks of finding it) the rub was off the road by no more than 200 yards and in a patch of bush just off a hay field. Elk are like ghosts and can often be just yards away and you wouldn't know it. My experience is you don't have to go way back in there to get a chance at one. In either 357 or 358. There are tones of guys " hunting" Elk in those zones though so you need to find small areas that for whatever reason don't get pressure..that's often where the Elk hide.
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Old 05-07-2019, 12:13 PM
Dylan hunter Dylan hunter is offline
 
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Thanks for all the input everyone, that's the plan is to hit up some watering holes and little creek beds that's I've found on iHunter...I've got 4 trail cams to throw up so that will help out lots. And yes my main focus will be rubs and wallows once those are found bulls always return everyear from what I've seen, I'll be doing a archery hunt/scout sept 1 for a week and that should get me prepared for sept 17 rifle opener!!
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Old 05-08-2019, 09:40 AM
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Originally Posted by Dylan hunter View Post
Thanks for all the input everyone, that's the plan is to hit up some watering holes and little creek beds that's I've found on iHunter...I've got 4 trail cams to throw up so that will help out lots. And yes my main focus will be rubs and wallows once those are found bulls always return everyear from what I've seen, I'll be doing a archery hunt/scout sept 1 for a week and that should get me prepared for sept 17 rifle opener!!
Just a heads up, be prepared for the opener to be a sht show!
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Old 05-08-2019, 09:48 AM
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Hunted up there a few years back for a week. Didn't see an elk but the old man got a small bear and on another trip he got a small bull. We did not scout ahead of time but heard a few calls.. Also ran into some Wolves.
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Old 05-08-2019, 09:54 AM
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Be prepared for lots of mud and water. Its been very wet back in the trees in that area for a couple years now. The lease roads when wet will stick to your tires and give you a 3" lift. Twice as bad on your boots! That's the only time was over 6' tall!
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Old 05-08-2019, 07:12 PM
Dylan hunter Dylan hunter is offline
 
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Be prepared for lots of mud and water. Its been very wet back in the trees in that area for a couple years now. The lease roads when wet will stick to your tires and give you a 3" lift. Twice as bad on your boots! That's the only time was over 6' tall!
Lol so true, I've did lots of whitetail hunting in Conklin and north up towards fort Mac and it doesn't matter what you ya have on for tires that clay turns into a **** show, I'm well prepared for the worst and what it's got to offer!
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Old 05-10-2019, 09:20 AM
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Find a recent built pipeline that has new growth on it in the fall, elk are all about the fresh groceries. Tall seeded out grass doesnt mean anything to an elk. Get in behind the fringe land. Hunt for the cows, the bull will be there. Good luck to you guys. The area is busy till you get off the roads. Make sure your atvs have winches. Mud abounding, mudoppolus, mudderphucker, happy hunting.


PS, you drove past a lot of elk to hunt 358.
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Old 05-10-2019, 03:08 PM
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Originally Posted by obsessed1 View Post
I live on the 357-358 boundary. I shoot an Elk every season in either zone. I've shot Elk as early as Aug 27 to as late as mid Dec( cow draw) all my hunting is short day hunts / Eve hunts . Every Elk I have shot has been within 1-2 km from a road. Last year in Sept we found a bull wallow / rub that was heavily used ( buddy shot the 5x5 within yards of the rub within two weeks of finding it) the rub was off the road by no more than 200 yards and in a patch of bush just off a hay field. Elk are like ghosts and can often be just yards away and you wouldn't know it. My experience is you don't have to go way back in there to get a chance at one. In either 357 or 358. There are tones of guys " hunting" Elk in those zones though so you need to find small areas that for whatever reason don't get pressure..that's often where the Elk hide.
Ya. I live in 357 and had a Trapline in the saddle hills for a dozen or so of them. I watched the elk every year on trail cameras and what they did after the invasion of hunters started then tapered out.
Killing elk is easy, killing something more then 3 years old isn’t. Like Mr. Goodbrand stated above there isn’t many places to get too many miles off the roads. But those areas 1-2 kms into the bush you’re talking about eliminates 90% of the hunters who won’t actually leave the beaten quad trail, if they ever leave the truck in the first place
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Old 05-10-2019, 03:27 PM
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Originally Posted by husky7mm View Post

PS, you drove past a lot of elk to hunt 358.
That is one of the most accurate statements I’ve ever read on AO !!!

Every year they flock to them there hills, and 60 kms south the chance of shooting a 300 inch plus elk goes up by at least 75% lol
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Old 05-10-2019, 06:19 PM
obsessed1 obsessed1 is offline
 
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Ya. I live in 357 and had a Trapline in the saddle hills for a dozen or so of them. I watched the elk every year on trail cameras and what they did after the invasion of hunters started then tapered out.
Killing elk is easy, killing something more then 3 years old isn’t. Like Mr. Goodbrand stated above there isn’t many places to get too many miles off the roads. But those areas 1-2 kms into the bush you’re talking about eliminates 90% of the hunters who won’t actually leave the beaten quad trail, if they ever leave the truck in the first place
Your spot on about the older than 3 years. I'm a meat hunter so I don't hold out for the corkers....not many 280-300 bulls in the hills. 2 year old 5x5 bulls and smaller are the norm.
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Old 05-10-2019, 09:08 PM
Dylan hunter Dylan hunter is offline
 
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Originally Posted by Torkdiesel View Post
That is one of the most accurate statements I’ve ever read on AO !!!

Every year they flock to them there hills, and 60 kms south the chance of shooting a 300 inch plus elk goes up by at least 75% lol

That is definitely the truth I do believe...I've found an area to hunt elk east of fox creek but the problem is it's down on the Athabasca river and my dad isnt capable of a walk few kilometres to the river and then down the steep banks onto the river (plus he'd never get up the shale/moss bank)

Also 60 km south is 356 I believe which may contain more trophies but we are after first legal bull because it probably his first and last elk hunt and he's all about the experience could care less what the head gear says!

And stats don't lie 2012 produced 111 bull elk in 356 30% success rate which isn't horrible but has been down hill all the way to 2017 where is was 52 bull elk and 6% success rate.


358 has held consistent with 180-230 bull elk shot every year since 2012 and success rate is from 40%-25% which I think is my best option o put the time in scout now for 5 days, I'll scout in early archery season bow in hand of course, and I should be prepared for sept 17-25 and be able to put him on an elk!!
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Old 05-14-2019, 11:55 AM
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Originally Posted by Torkdiesel View Post
That is one of the most accurate statements I’ve ever read on AO !!!

Every year they flock to them there hills, and 60 kms south the chance of shooting a 300 inch plus elk goes up by at least 75% lol
Well I kinda mean the entire way back to edmonton. Not just south of GP, I would say that area gets pretty picked over too.
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  #22  
Old 05-15-2019, 08:12 AM
Big Grey Wolf Big Grey Wolf is offline
 
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Dylan, you are on the right track, scouting is the key to bagging a elk! I do the scouting for my son and his hunting buddy, they are very busy with work and family. Over last 6 years they have always bagged their moose in 1-2 days, last year only took 1/2 hour.
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  #23  
Old 05-21-2019, 09:56 AM
Dylan hunter Dylan hunter is offline
 
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Well the scouting trip was a success, managed to see 11 elk in the woods, 2 of which were bulls, i shot a big boar down a pipeline, found 5 huge wallows, and probably 60-70 rubs from last fall and many big game trails...put 3 cameras up so time will tell what's sticking around in the area.

All these areas where off a logging road down a quad trail/ very grown in not much use/ and then a good 500 yds off in the bush, I must say it looks very promising!
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Old 05-22-2019, 02:52 PM
anorthernhunter anorthernhunter is offline
 
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A boar? How'd it taste?
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Old 05-22-2019, 03:02 PM
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A boar? How'd it taste?
male bear
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Old 05-22-2019, 05:07 PM
anorthernhunter anorthernhunter is offline
 
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Sorry - thought it was a boar ... male pig.
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Old 05-26-2019, 10:14 PM
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Originally Posted by Dylan hunter View Post
Well the scouting trip was a success, managed to see 11 elk in the woods, 2 of which were bulls, i shot a big boar down a pipeline, found 5 huge wallows, and probably 60-70 rubs from last fall and many big game trails...put 3 cameras up so time will tell what's sticking around in the area.

All these areas where off a logging road down a quad trail/ very grown in not much use/ and then a good 500 yds off in the bush, I must say it looks very promising!
Glad to see you’re actually taking your own time to scout for yourself, that’s great to see. And when you’re successful it’ll feel that much better.
To many people on here looking for the easy way out, and not putting the boot work in.

Well done! And I hope it all works out for you. The hard work will pay off.
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Old 08-11-2019, 12:03 PM
Dylan hunter Dylan hunter is offline
 
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Well after a day of checking trail cams the spot is definitely holding good elk number there's 6 legal bulls showing up consistently, with a few spikes and split horns, and good number with cows n calves one picture had 5 cows and 3 calves which is amazing to see! Sept 12-25 is going to be a great elk hunting adventure I think! 9000 photos of elk and a couple bull moose on cam is sure enough to get a hunter excited!
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Old 08-11-2019, 12:20 PM
35 whelen 35 whelen is offline
 
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Nice area I'd be excited to

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Old 08-12-2019, 10:09 PM
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So are these elk in 358 or 526, like you posted
They were on Facebook?


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