Elk 404

[c-dubb33]

Hi new here

I got 404 antlered elk this year and am starting to formulate a plan.

Anybody here happy to share some tips or experiences for that area.

Looking to spend a few days mostly by foot.

[Dean2]

What a GREAT first post! Welcome to AO, I am sure this is going to work out wonderfully for you.

[CNP]

I've only hunted sheep in 404. Get out and find some elk in 404 now...

[UngulateMeatEater]

Harvest reports for last season show 4 elk 3 males 1 female with a 3% hunter success rate.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[LKILR]

Been there done that. Your in for a very difficult hunt. Hope you have horses. Best get out there and take a look around yourself.

[dalewig]

Mcphail Creek and Mist Creek are well known areas in the unit (past search of WMU 404 + elk would likely bring them up), however finding a legal 6 point bull might be a different matter.

Although numerous areas in Alberta have grizzlies, I think this area has quite a high density of them relatively (hunter was killed in Mist area some years back). If shooting an elk I think you'd either need horses or a number of friends to help pack out, I definitely would not want to be hunting there solo.

I've talked with Anchor D outfitter guy who guides in there quite a bit, and sounds like sadly wolves have done a number on the elk.

Beautiful country however, and one of my favorite places to hunt. Won't be easy, but guess ya don't know unless you try

[calgarychef]

Hike lots and look lots, there aren’t very many legal 6 pointers but I’ve seen some dandies come out of there. Most guys drive the highway and glass, that’s mostly futile you have to get up into the hills. Don’t forget you’ll need some way to get that animal out.

[roper1]

Good info here! Steep, high country hunt. Grizz closures fairly common, and they're enforced rigorously. We use horses to get out there, hunt hard afoot, horses to retrieve the head & meat. Cow elk can be hunted not far off the road. Go hike the country a bit first, learn what you're up against. Good luck!

[Dubious]

404 is a tuff zone it covers a large amount of area with little road access. The regular morning crowd loves to drive the highway and spot the hills from pavement remembering the glory days before the wildlife corridor was put in. I have a love hate relationship with that zone. You can also drive the loop up the trunk road and down the high road out past the north end of chain lakes. Best of luck if you are looking for an easy hunt your in for a rude ruff ride.

[Prairiewolf]

Welcome to the forum and congratulations on drawing an elk tag.

As others have said, you've picked a formidable WMU to hunt. No OHV access and the wildlife corridor forces you to move. This hunt can be done without horses, but its best to have 2-3 other hunters with you, which given that everything is draw (except for archery) you may not have.

I've had success on the eastern slope side of the hump road (HWY 532) on foot, but was in the best shape of my life when I did that. Use the drainages and work your way up. If you're anywhere near Bear Pond, you're too far IMO and you may as well refocus on the corridor side west of the hump.

Trolling the road is technically still hunting, but there's a reason the success rates are so low here. The priorities required to draw tags are historically low not because there aren't animals here (don't listen to anyone who says that) but because the hunt so darn difficult experienced eastern slope guys go elsewhere or prepare accordingly.

Take a drive out there and do a few good hikes back in there, this will help you solidify a plan. Best of luck.

[Pasc43]

Originally Posted by Prairiewolf

Trolling the road is technically still hunting, but there's a reason the success rates are so low here. The priorities required to draw tags are historically low not because there aren't animals here (don't listen to anyone who says that) but because the hunt so darn difficult experienced eastern slope guys go elsewhere or prepare accordingly.

Quota numbers have decreased from 80 bulls and 11 cows in 2016 to 20 bulls and 1 cow this year.. I would say that's a pretty good indication that animal numbers are low.

[Knotter]

The terrain is challenging to work and the areas that hold elk are far from the road. I’d suggest picking up a good topo map of the area and finding all the spots where elk bed to avoid the sun and there is a prevalence of feeding areas nearby. There are wolves that frequent the zone which means they are a silent group.

[Big Grey Wolf]

I am highly suspicious of you making first post and going after elk in high country. I have helped guys like you in past "acting like a beginner", but just trying to pump hunters that have spent years and much boot leather locating elk.

[Joe Black]

if want to give the guy some tips, do. if you don't, then don't. no need to flame a guy for asking.

I've never hunted 404 specifically as it is a draw. typically how all those 400 zones works(with some exception) is the majority of the elk will move to the adjacent 300 zones for the summer to calve. bulls will follow. they will stay there(bulls) till the rut is over, or till they get pushed back into the mountains after general rifle season opens in the 300 zones. some herds will stay in the mountains all summer, but they will be way back from the 300 zones, as its so much easier going for them in the 300 zones.

so that means your best chance for a mature bull may be along the 300 zones during the rut(little to no access) or in the late season(November) which also means snow and grizzly weather. tough hunt on foot.

[1 eye]

Just a question, why did you apply for this area in the first place?

[Prairiewolf]

Originally Posted by Pasc43

Quota numbers have decreased from 80 bulls and 11 cows in 2016 to 20 bulls and 1 cow this year.. I would say that's a pretty good indication that animal numbers are low.

Not sure where this data is coming from? When you say quota do you mean some report which shows tags available versus harvest report which summarizes actual kills?

From the harvest reports, 404 did experience a decrease year over year (18 animals in 2017 versus 4 last year) but 402 just to the south appears to have made up the difference (52 in 2017 growing to 73 last year, including one by me). With the changes to OHV regulations in 402 perhaps some hunters used general tags on elk in an area a bit easier to hunt but now curtailed from the OHV free for all it used to be. This also allows them to build priority elsewhere.

Not denying predators could be an issue there, but its a theory, just like above.

[Pasc43]

Originally Posted by Prairiewolf

Not sure where this data is coming from? When you say quota do you mean some report which shows tags available versus harvest report which summarizes actual kills?



From the harvest reports, 404 did experience a decrease year over year (18 animals in 2017 versus 4 last year) but 402 just to the south appears to have made up the difference (52 in 2017 growing to 73 last year, including one by me). With the changes to OHV regulations in 402 perhaps some hunters used general tags on elk in an area a bit easier to hunt but now curtailed from the OHV free for all it used to be. This also allows them to build priority elsewhere.



Not denying predators could be an issue there, but its a theory, just like above.

Quota is directly from the draw results. It is the exact number of tags the AEP decides to make available each year in the draws.

Not sure I understand your theory at all. 404 is draw only and a 6pt zone. 402 is general tag with only 3pt restriction. There is no comparison between the two.

But as you mention, a smart hunter would hunt off general tags in 402 and save priority. 404 is not worth pulling.

[warriorboy10]

Originally Posted by Dean2

What a GREAT first post! Welcome to AO, I am sure this is going to work out wonderfully for you.

Another entitled!!

[mk63]

I've hunted this zone pretty consistently for the past 10 years, the elk #'s are a lot lower then they used to be, but there are still some good spots. Enjoy the experience, once you get 400m from the road you likely won't see another hunter.

[Jjolg123]

Originally Posted by mk63

I've hunted this zone pretty consistently for the past 10 years, the elk #'s are a lot lower then they used to be, but there are still some good spots. Enjoy the experience, once you get 400m from the road you likely won't see another hunter.

Yup beautiful sites, and as you said quiet. I spent alot of days for 2-3 years after the flood exploring the area and chasing muleys i was shocked how many small herds of elk i found within a km of the corridor, just on little benches not visible from the road... get high early and spot em don't always have to go too far.