Hunting in 339

[Trout Man 82]

Do you enjoy:

Lots of road hunters?
Being scoped daily?
Sign shooters?
Nearly being run over by ATVs?
Lack of big game?

Then WMU 339 is for you!

Have hunted this area in the past and have had success, this year has been a horror show. I usually stay away from the roads and get into the bush, but even then, it is packed with people out there!

Anyone having success this year, or have I been cursed?

[dmcbride]

I heard it was a zoo out their last weekend.

[Trout Man 82]

Originally Posted by dmcbride

I heard it was a zoo out their last weekend.

Except zoos usually have non-humanoid animals

[pdfish]

We went down the elk river road yesterday and only saw 4 guys driving around. Did see 3-4 camps set up though. I just can't believe how much some of the cut blocks have grown over the past couple years, made some of my favourite areas relatively unhuntable. Basically spent the morning driving around and glassing some of the open hillsides, then went to one of my favourite spots to sit for the evening. Between 3 of us we saw 0 deer and/or elk all day. Although, I did see one heck of a bull moose with a cow when I was sitting for the evening.

[Tyangelo]

Ditto for lots of 340.

Damn convoys out there.

[Trout Man 82]

I did see a few camps in that area as well. I wasn't sure if they were hunting camps, or just people hanging out. I took a walk around, but didn't want to be impolite and start hunting around where they had already set-up. Besides, I did notice they had a couple quads and had a bad experience with one the previous day.

[bowhunter9841]

I finished up my weekend out hunting in Rocky Mountain house by driving up past brazaeu and hunting the evening near lodgepole in 339. There was a lot of logging in the area I hunted a few years ago. Didn't see one deer, or grouse, but I did see a bunch of guys driving around though! Not my thing! I'd rather stick to the farm land! Less people ruining your hunt!

[dmcbride]

Originally Posted by Trout Man 82

Except zoos usually have non-humanoid animals

Lol. Seems every year more and more people are using that area and not just hunters.

[dezmo13]

traffic sucks...

[kidd]

I was in 339 for one day last weekend too. It was pretty busy, I agree. But why was it busy? Because its one of the closest zones to Edmonton, Red Deer, etc, thats open for general whiteail already, for one reason.
I had a bad experience with a couple guys blowing by me on the road, ensuring I was covered in dust, but I also had a good chat with a couple other guys. Didnt see ANY big game but I was good to be out.
kidd

[Bearski]

Drove Elk river Rd. Lots of trucks, rigs etc. got a cracked windshield for my troubles. One grouse, yay!

[birdee]

ya was there on the weekend not much game burn't a lot of gas and shoe leather saw 6 does and one buck(not quick enough on the draw for him.10 grouse split between rough and spruce. No elk ,wolves were howling tried calling them in but no luck there neither. lots of camps not sure if im going back there gotta be better places to try here in alberta.

[Dunezilla]

330,328,340 & others are very busy as well.
When you have "road warriors" stop & complain about the lack of deer they see to you then you know the sighting of deer is down. I just said yea. Then they left.

339 is overrun with lease sites & workers as well. Cutlines are over grown with bush. My favourite spots are now housing pumps or over grown with bush. However there is some deer in the bush but they either spook, or you need to let them go because you need to bring them back up hill if you shoot it & of course you don't have a back pack, bags, & a saw so you can de-bone the deer.

So I let a 4x4 buck & a doe go in one area, & the next day 3 WT deer spooked in another area. All deer were in the bush. Even driving to get to the wmu's I hunt the deer number are down on the farm lands.