Remember the good old days

[DiabeticKripple]

Originally Posted by Moosetalker

Its a fact more moose hunters than moose in Alberta now.

And Roads Everywhere harder to find an area {other than some of the hyper far north or Foothills} where you can follow a trail you hiked a few hours on foot to a secluded hot spot the year before Only to find a new road cutting right thru the old honey hole not to mention finding it logged out.

this has been my issue the past few years, granted I am not hunting far away from any industrial activity.

Ive lost 2 trail cams to fire block mulching, almost lost a cam this year to logging but the logger took it off the tree and we got in contact.

My WT spot where the mulching occurred now has a brand new road right on the side of the pipeline where I have taken 3 deer. While I am still technically able to hunt that pipeline, now its sketchy with the road being there and a vehicle coming down it.

[whitetail Junkie]

Originally Posted by DiabeticKripple

this has been my issue the past few years, granted I am not hunting far away from any industrial activity.

Ive lost 2 trail cams to fire block mulching, almost lost a cam this year to logging but the logger took it off the tree and we got in contact.

My WT spot where the mulching occurred now has a brand new road right on the side of the pipeline where I have taken 3 deer. While I am still technically able to hunt that pipeline, now its sketchy with the road being there and a vehicle coming down it.

If you are pulling your moose tag in this spot at least the pack out to the truck won’t be as bad.

[Stinky Buffalo]

Originally Posted by DiabeticKripple

this has been my issue the past few years, granted I am not hunting far away from any industrial activity.

Ive lost 2 trail cams to fire block mulching, almost lost a cam this year to logging but the logger took it off the tree and we got in contact.

My WT spot where the mulching occurred now has a brand new road right on the side of the pipeline where I have taken 3 deer. While I am still technically able to hunt that pipeline, now its sketchy with the road being there and a vehicle coming down it.

There is that... Sorry to hear about your cams!

I had a spot that I felt would produce some wolf action this winter. Came back from scouting and started to make plans with a friend to hunt wolves there in January together.

Went back in there a week later to hunt deer with my son, and the area had completely changed. They had restored the road and there were new log decks set up, and a feller-buncher was cheerfully knocking down trees. But in that area, I was kind of happy to see that, actually. It re-opened an area that I haven't been able to access in years, and it will be fine in a few years.

An area where I shot some large deer was logged a few years back, and I enjoyed hunting it now, seeing as it's not easily accessible except on foot.

There is also an interesting trend I have seen in the areas that I hunt - many cutlines that I used to travel are becoming so overgrown or blocked with deadfall over the years that they are changing the patterns of the movement of game in the area, and the quads etc. aren't patrolling them with the vigor that they have in years past.

So there are positives along with the negatives...

[Ronji]

I remember back in early 70's going up to Wabasca to fish with my grandfather. Any sort of rain shower made you stay up there longer due to road conditions.

My grandfather was friends with the local RCMP and he know all the local hotspots.

Hunting up there was spectacular, and getting my first moose up there when I was 12. Seemed like they and the bears were everywhere! Now, I cant be bothered to hunt or fish up there.

Fishing on Wabasca was unreal especially the river between north and south. Some of the locals were none to friendly either, especially if something was left unchained and you were out in the boat all day.

Life was simpler then.

[Dr Death]

Originally Posted by pikergolf

I got a Sage Grouse on the last general season they had. Late 70s or very early 80s. The guy that did the mount ruined it, I was young and looking to save a buck.

Don’t mean to picky, but the last general sage grouse season was ‘94 or ‘95. Good friend shot one on last afternoon of last day.

[DiabeticKripple]

Originally Posted by whitetail Junkie

If you are pulling your moose tag in this spot at least the pack out to the truck won’t be as bad.

moose is going to be a 200's WMU with range roads no further than 800m to the truck

Flat ground for the most part too. Should be an easy pack out, relatively speaking. A couple buds will be called once mr. moose is on the ground.

[pikergolf]

Originally Posted by Dr Death

Don’t mean to picky, but the last general sage grouse season was ‘94 or ‘95. Good friend shot one on last afternoon of last day.

No problem, could very well be. Memory is not a strong point for me. Seems a lot longer ago then that though.

[pikergolf]

I started hunting pheasants in 77 at 17, thought I was in heaven. Three bird limits and tons of birds in the Rolling Hills, Hays, and Brooks region. About 6 yrs ago I befriended an older gentleman, he tells stories about the real heyday of that region, the 60s. Five bird limit, 6 guys coming home with 30 birds, man I love listening to those old stories. He talks about every road being lined with willows and looking down a mile or two of road and watching pheasants zip about like gophers do now. Would have loved to have seen that.

[Smokinyotes]

Back in the early nineties we used to hunt by boat. Right at legal light in the morning we would cruise around the lake looking for moose. We would bet how many moose we would see. The first 10 years were pretty good and we always saw moose from the boat.

Wolf numbers were increasing and oil activity improved access to the lake. By 2003 our group would sometimes only get 1 moose on our annual trip. By 2008 we quit going to the lake as all you see is wolf tracks and black bears.

We moved to a new area a long ways north. Moose numbers are not real high but so far we have done well. We don’t see many but the majority of the bulls we see are big bodied 48” plus. When you get one on the ground you definitely have your work cut out for you.

Wildlife are not a priority for the government and I believe that until populations become endangered not much will be done at all to improve the numbers.

Higher priority and reduced chances have become the norm that I don’t think will change in my life time.

[MyAlberta]

In the early 70’s I sought to acquire trapping rights for what was is now the Blackfoot reserve. My visit was unsuccessful, as the lands were tied up by an old timer, but I did leave with permissions to hunt the reserve and all the Gray lands, covering a good chunk south and east of the reserve. There were few farms through the area, and over time I met most of them, acquiring further permissions to hunt.
Although this was prime whitetail country, having taken some handsome specimens, my love was migratory. Back in those wet years, the barley swaths were full, and the ducks were thick. Amazing shoots on late season mallards and pintails.
Through the 80’s, there was change in the air. A persistent drought started knocking down the bird numbers, Beaverhill no longer held the swarms, barley was transitioning to canola, and the old time homesteads were becoming acreages. Mid 80’s were my last years freely hunting that area. I have hunted the Blackfoot recently, and appreciate that it continues to be accessible.

[German]

Originally Posted by Dean2

There was also less than 1.6 million people in the whole province, 422,000 in Edmonton and 385,000 in Calgary, which meant very little population outside those two centres and the other cities. The massive rise in population has not improved the hunting, fishing or living conditions one bit.

Yes, this is a massive problem and is not going to get any better.

[Full Curl Earl]

Originally Posted by Salavee

I guess I'm an old guy. Got my first hunting license in 1954 when BG Tags were $5.00 ea, Grizzly included.
... . About all we had to hunt in N Alberta was Moose, a few
Elk ,Mule deer and Bear. I Didn't see a Whitetail in these parts until about 1958. Saw my first one around Smith/Hondo area at that time. Lots of Mulies right around Spruce Grove then.

Those were good times. Lots of game, few hunters and miles of Prime habitat with few roads. Things progressively worsened from a hunting perspective from the time of the 60's oil boom , when lots of new roads and cutlines opened up a lot of new country. I remember when they opened the Fox Creek area. New roads and cutlines everywhere, and I swear there were two to four Moose per sq mile throughout that large area when it first opened up. Non -resident alien hunters could take two bulls for a short time around there.. Never did figure out why . It wasn't Wolves that decimated them.. it was easy access by hunters. Roads and cutlines mean easy year 'round travelling for all their major Predators as well.

South of Gr Prairie to the mountains was a literal Hunting and Fishing paradise for just about all BG species . Nearly every Creek held Grayling and the main rivers were home to a lot of big Bull Trout. Only two small roads cut through that whole country between the BC border east to the Simonette River and South to the Mtns .If it rained hard while back there you could count on on spending a couple of nights , at least. More if a Bridge went out.

Good times for sure with lots of great hunting opportunities for any and all who were interested in such things. Times, topography and Game populations have changed quite a bit in, what seems to me at this point, a very short time.

It's up to us to defend, with vigor, what remains.

Those sure sound like great days Salavee. Right now I would turn back the clock no questions asked...