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09-12-2012, 02:28 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 743
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Wmu 400 elk help (or i"m dead meat)
Hi there.
I plan on getting an early start this season and have been told by my wife that all this preperation (camo, clothing, gear, guns and ammo) better be for nothing... I NEED TO FILL MY FREEZER THIS YEAR or I'm in big sh*t! 
I'm thinking of heading down to 400 or 402 next weekend with my partner. if anyone is familiar with this area please PM me. What are the elk populations like? Any better spots than others? I would love to chat a bit, or possibly even buy you a beer and look at some maps.
Otherwise I'm hiking in blind and hopin for luck.
Cheers.
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09-12-2012, 02:29 PM
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Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 218
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Time in!
__________________
Oh my buck! 
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09-12-2012, 02:43 PM
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Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 7,718
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Get up a valley EARLY in the morning (well before legal light), hike and glass....and then hike some more. There are a lot of elk in WMU 400/402 but both of them get hunted hard and do take some work to find a bull. If you get into some tougher country you'll get away from people and can find them though.
There are obviously easier places to fill your freezer with meat, but we wont tell your wife about it!!! Haha
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09-12-2012, 02:50 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: AB
Posts: 3,350
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4 quarters of elk meat is about 200 pounds. What you spent already divided by 200. Would be cheaper to buy 200lbs of AAA beef.
If its just about being successful a grocery store would be a better bet.
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09-12-2012, 03:04 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Turner Valley
Posts: 2,922
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I had a wife like that once, told her to take a hike. She did, and everybody, particularly me, was happy for ever and ever. Just go huntin', if ya get one,
BONUS:
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09-12-2012, 03:24 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 743
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Nah, she's a great wife and I am just testin the waters for the area. Never hunted down in 400 and have the bug big time this year. Looks like I'll try out the beaver mines lake area or byron hill.
I'll be happy, even if it makes for a day of hiking and some laughs with my buddy!
Wish me luck.
P.S I was out scouting in 308 last weekend and was stopped by a couple of old timers asking what we were up to (they were after grouse). After some laughs and joking around I asked him if he has seen any elk in the area.... He just started laughin and said "I aint tellin you even if I did... There's some things you just don't ask about" ... maybe the same applies on this site.
Great couple of guys!
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09-12-2012, 03:31 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 8,373
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Wear orange for the first 3 weeks... or untill the 300s open up for rifle. This zone is super freaky busy!! lots of hunters, and there will ikely be more hunters bugling than actual elk. Like the above posts said put the time in. Post in the sticky above to see if you can join someone as a hunting partner.
Hunting isn't just the killing. This is a great area to learn to hunt. Leave the quad at home and find areas where the quads can't go.
Be willing to exert some physical energy. There are cases of elk being taken by the road every year... but its for sure not a guarentee.
It is very beautiful country.... buy your white tail and black bear tag as well.
There are alot more griz in 400 than the castle tree hugger think there are.
__________________
"How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live.”
-HDT
"A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends on the character of the user." T. Roosevelt
"I don't always troll, only on days that end in Y."
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09-12-2012, 03:54 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 743
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good info thanks!!
No quads for us. We perfer to hump it in and hump it out!!
if anyone wants to partner up, were heading in Friday the 21st.
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09-12-2012, 04:08 PM
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Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 182
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400
PM sent....Timberj
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09-12-2012, 04:36 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: High River Alberta
Posts: 49
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Horses....why walk and pack gear when God made horses. They also can alert you when bear and cougar are around. I don't go into the hills or mountains without a horse.
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09-12-2012, 05:51 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 3,713
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wiz
Nah, she's a great wife and I am just testin the waters for the area. Never hunted down in 400 and have the bug big time this year. Looks like I'll try out the beaver mines lake area or byron hill.
I'll be happy, even if it makes for a day of hiking and some laughs with my buddy!
Wish me luck.
P.S I was out scouting in 308 last weekend and was stopped by a couple of old timers asking what we were up to (they were after grouse). After some laughs and joking around I asked him if he has seen any elk in the area.... He just started laughin and said "I aint tellin you even if I did... There's some things you just don't ask about" ... maybe the same applies on this site.
Great couple of guys!
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Not to sidetrack you but just wondering what you call byron hill. I hunted that 400 area lots quite a few years ago. Not sure how it is any more or how much pressure it gets. Good luck.
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There are some who can live without wild things, and some who cannot. Aldo Leopold
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09-12-2012, 06:19 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Alberta
Posts: 2,164
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rackmastr
Get up a valley EARLY in the morning (well before legal light), hike and glass....and then hike some more. There are a lot of elk in WMU 400/402 but both of them get hunted hard and do take some work to find a bull. If you get into some tougher country you'll get away from people and can find them though.
There are obviously easier places to fill your freezer with meat, but we wont tell your wife about it!!! Haha
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For a minute there, I thought you meant both elk instead of both zones.....lol. 
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09-12-2012, 08:38 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 180
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Keep in mind that statistically, 400/402 have the lowest success rate on bull elk anywhere in Alberta. There are bulls there but most people don't find them or aren't willing to pack them out of where live. Goodluck.
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09-12-2012, 08:41 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Camrose
Posts: 45,422
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If you get really desperate, you could always buy a ranched elk, and pass it off as one you shot. 
__________________
Only accurate guns are interesting.
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09-12-2012, 08:45 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Lethbridge
Posts: 4,050
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Quote:
Originally Posted by elkhunter11
If you get really desperate, you could always buy a ranched elk, and pass it off as one you shot. |
Hey thats a good idea  (for a lazy mofo) bahahaha
My first season out I had more then a few chances but could not see enough of the bull to make a good shot. First bull I would hate to loose cause a bad shot
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09-12-2012, 08:49 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,197
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400 is tough hunting. I won't offer up my hot spots but I will tell you that using the other hunters to your advantage is a wise thing to do. Early season Elk hunting will has the bulls head up and play cards with the sheep.
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09-12-2012, 11:40 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Lethbridge, A. B.
Posts: 1,116
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bessiedog
Wear orange for the first 3 weeks... or untill the 300s open up for rifle. This zone is super freaky busy!! lots of hunters, and there will ikely be more hunters bugling than actual elk. Like the above posts said put the time in. Post in the sticky above to see if you can join someone as a hunting partner.
Hunting isn't just the killing. This is a great area to learn to hunt. Leave the quad at home and find areas where the quads can't go.
Be willing to exert some physical energy. There are cases of elk being taken by the road every year... but its for sure not a guarentee.
It is very beautiful country.... buy your white tail and black bear tag as well.
There are alot more griz in 400 than the castle tree hugger think there are.
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Lots of hunters, but if you get of your quad get in the trees and look up way up you just may find a elk or two. Dont where orange though as you may give away your secret spot to bessiedog looking for you LOL.
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09-12-2012, 11:53 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 8,373
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Damn!
You guys are quicker than I figured!
Crawfy, I got my spots, and I hit them hard with the bow. I'll be hunting elsewhere for the next two-3 weeks till the yahoo factor dies down. Hunting with my kids has limited my range somewhat.
Then I'll be back chasing the migrating bulls!
I recommended orange cause I got scoped by another hunter last year. Kindof unnerving when you realize someone's pointing their weapon at you.
You guys know it'll be a zoo next week.
Having said that, the elk are still there.
__________________
"How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live.”
-HDT
"A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends on the character of the user." T. Roosevelt
"I don't always troll, only on days that end in Y."
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09-13-2012, 12:08 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Lethbridge, A. B.
Posts: 1,116
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bessiedog
You guys are quicker than I figured!
Crawfy, I got my spots, and I hit them hard with the bow. I'll be hunting elsewhere for the next two-3 weeks till the yahoo factor dies down. Hunting with my kids has limited my range somewhat.
Then I'll be back chasing the migrating bulls!
I recommended orange cause I got scoped by another hunter last year. Kindof unnerving when you realize someone's pointing their weapon at you.
You guys know it'll be a zoo next week.
Having said that, the elk are still there.
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Yes it always good Opening week havent had that problem of being scoped yet,but then again have never seen another hunter up in the trees in our little spot either. Usually im just looking out for the big G Bears in the area instead of other hunters.
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09-13-2012, 07:37 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Somewhere around Calgary
Posts: 47
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bessiedog
I recommended orange cause I got scoped by another hunter last year. Kindof unnerving when you realize someone's pointing their weapon at you.
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That is one thing that really gets my goat... I dont mind someone scoping me, I am a decent looking guy, 6'3" 210lbs, so hard to miss. But if you are going to do it, dont do it with a fricken scope on a rifle, use bino's or a spotting.
I dont know you and I dont know if you scope with your finger on the trigger or if you are with a kid or someone who bumps you and then next thing you know I need to pull a matrix and start dodging bullets.
Sorry to rant like that.
On another note, good luck with the elk hunt in 400, sorry I dont know the area very well.
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09-13-2012, 07:48 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 8,373
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Crawf... you always get more elk than me I think.
When the kids are bigger, I'll be able to put in the time-altitude-disatance.
__________________
"How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live.”
-HDT
"A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends on the character of the user." T. Roosevelt
"I don't always troll, only on days that end in Y."
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09-13-2012, 12:38 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 743
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Thanks for all the info fella's... Roger on the Grizz factor and busy roads...
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09-13-2012, 06:43 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Lethbridge
Posts: 4,050
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wiz
Thanks for all the info fella's... Roger on the Grizz factor and busy roads...
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You pretty much answered it there lol. Other then sneeze iv only ever seen 1 guy out in this spot, Iv spent alot of time out there last fall. In fact ive seen more grizzly bears then people out there, once you get off the road, youll be laughing
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09-13-2012, 08:51 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: WMU 108
Posts: 2,465
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bessiedog
Crawf... you always get more elk than me I think.
When the kids are bigger, I'll be able to put in the time-altitude-disatance.
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I hope to see crawfy post next week, Im sure he will have a 400 elk in it.
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09-13-2012, 08:55 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Alberta
Posts: 4,278
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Quote:
Originally Posted by elkhunter11
If you get really desperate, you could always buy a ranched elk, and pass it off as one you shot. |
Yup, just make sure to remove the ear tag before you get home.
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09-13-2012, 09:02 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Lethbridge
Posts: 4,050
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KBF
I hope to see crawfy post next week, Im sure he will have a 400 elk in it.
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Me too  hehehe god I wish lmao, I am headed out saturday after lunch with the wife till I either get a bull or have to come back to go to work the next day. (the next work day being sept 24th) Fingers crossed for me I connect monday  before sneeze heads back to town so he can help me out packing
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09-13-2012, 09:40 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Lethbridge, A. B.
Posts: 1,116
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KBF
I hope to see crawfy post next week, Im sure he will have a 400 elk in it.
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Oh I can only hope, have next week off to go trump around in the bush.
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