Elk in WMU 527 (Manning Area)? November Hunt

KrisJ · #1 08-20-2010, 08:42 AM

Hi, first post here. A friend and I have been drawn for antlerless elk in 527. I
ve never hunted Elk before, and don't know the country well in that area of the Province. Can anybody help us out with some advice? Season runs from Nov 1st to Dec 15th, approximately.

Any advice appreciated. Thanks KJ

timsesink · #2 08-20-2010, 08:52 AM

From what I've heard all along the river is quite a few elk, huge herds. You should be able to get some as farmers are pretty desperate to thin the herds. A good spot to stop is always at the coffee shop in town and ask around. Good luck.

yamaha 1 · #3 08-20-2010, 09:24 AM

I know one thing the farmers are getting frustrated with the hunters in and around Peace River not the Elk as much. Too many peaple not asking for permission, driving all over the fields, and spot lighting, and yes if you veer your truck lights into the field to see what in there, its is spot lighting. Last year F&W were in full force,even flying over the country trying to keep order on all the traffic ( and yes it was BAD ). Now saying that I know around Five Star and Manning north there is alot of Elk.You just have to come up before hand scout around ,ask farmers for permission and you may have luck. The key is you have to get up here first and find out for yourself and do some scouting.

KrisJ · #4 08-20-2010, 05:15 PM

Is there any good Elk Hunting country up there in the Public Realm? Don't know any farmers in that country. We are coming from Eastern Alta....about a nine hour drive and scouting, at least this year, won't be an option....other than what this trip could turn out to be.

827rotax · #5 09-13-2010, 06:45 PM

sounds like someone got some undersubscribed tags>> maybe??
Pick up a county map, and pound the pavement, I picked a undersubscribed tag for 527 for this year as well, I hunt 522 every year and 523 some years, only a 50 min drive from my camp, we will be looking for Elk as well. But I have done some scouting and bought the county maps. do your home work.

pickrel pat · #6 09-13-2010, 07:39 PM

west of north star. big herd, kinda hard to get permission there though, mostly farmland.. all along the peace river hills,( crown land ), harder to hunt. along the powerline where it crosses the hotchkiss river north of manning. (crown land along river, farmland up top.) easier to get permission than west of north star. and numerous small herds in pockets throughout the area. lived there 35 years, moved away 3 years ago. like poster said earlier, go to aurora hotel cafe and ask about the elk, you will more than likely find a teed off farmer that would let you hunt his land.. some farmers really hate em up there( peein on bales etc.) the year i left , i no of farmers wanting treaty indians to go hunt there land and cull them!!! ( dont condone this..).

bowzonebucks · #7 09-13-2010, 10:01 PM

Thanks pat. Mine as well draw a map too

Dan Boone · #8 09-13-2010, 10:40 PM

Well, I absolutely love the manning area, but my wife drew a tag for 359 for Dec/Jan. So won't make it up there this year unless we are skunked again in Spirit river.
Made three trips to Spirit river, last trip my wife did get a legal bull. Very very tough hunting, so since she had her elk, we traveled north to Manning. Arrived mid day, drove around the area looking for elk and talking to farmers. Farmers said most of the Elk were still in the hills due to the warm weather and a pack of wolves nearby manning.
Didn't hold out much hope for elk, started calling farmers where we had seen some whitetail to ask permission for the following day, abandoning all hope of getting my cow elk.
Woke up before dawn, drove to a field where I had seen a few Deer the evening before, and at the first light, there wasn't an animal to be found.
Walked back to the truck and drove another few miles to another field I had
permission and low and behold 20-30 cow elk in this field.
I backed the truck up out of sight and suspected once i walked back to the field the elk would be long gone,
but they weren't Sweet.

Was gonna try to stalk them, but they seemed spooked, probably from me almost driving on the field before I saw them. Figuring it was now or never, and with one cow off by itself I took the shot, breaking the back of the cow at a distance I should not have been shooting. ( Forgot my Range finder)

Fortunate enough i belive god was with me and the bullet that day as I judged it at 300 yards and once I ranged it it was 473.

So Manning, for me was the easiest hunt I have ever been on. Called the farmer I harvested a elk on his land and he drove out to assist me.
Great people, great numbers of animals and hope I get drawn there again next season.

PM if you want a little more detail on where I hunted