Rocky Mountain house. 1st time hunting the area, any tips for wmu 328/330? Looking for grouse, and maybe a whitetail doe?

[Rabbit Snarer]

Originally Posted by Chap

Never heard of the wolf bounty neither has anyone I know. Could be why it isn't working to thin them out

Bounty has been in place since 2007 from Sundre to Rocky and a little later at Drayton. Hundreds of wolves killed. Hate to tell you but you cannot thin out or reduce wolf populations even with helicopter gunning and mass poisoning.

[greywolf]

Originally Posted by Rabbit Snarer

Bounty has been in place since 2007 from Sundre to Rocky and a little later at Drayton. Hundreds of wolves killed. Hate to tell you but you cannot thin out or reduce wolf populations even with helicopter gunning and mass poisoning.

So how was it achieved in the past???

[diamonddave]

Originally Posted by Rabbit Snarer

Bounty has been in place since 2007 from Sundre to Rocky and a little later at Drayton. Hundreds of wolves killed. Hate to tell you but you cannot thin out or reduce wolf populations even with helicopter gunning and mass poisoning.

Not sure where you got your info but there is NO bounty on wolves in the Rocky Mtn area.
At least not threw esrd anyway.

[Rabbit Snarer]

Originally Posted by Chap

Never heard of the wolf bounty neither has anyone I know. Could be why it isn't working to thin them out

I'm not surprised you haven't heard of the wolf bounty. The Sheep Foundation and F&G are quite secretive about them fearing public backlash. They refer to them as "ungulate enchantment programs" etc, but have been in place since 2007 in Sundre, and later Rocky and Drayton. Trappers are quiet wanting all the money for themselves.

It's proven that helicopter gunning and massive strychnine programs can't reduce wolf numbers....leaving bounties a total waste of money. In the Sheep Foundations case well over $50,000.

[diamonddave]

Originally Posted by Rabbit Snarer

I'm not surprised you haven't heard of the wolf bounty. The Sheep Foundation and F&G are quite secretive about them fearing public backlash. They refer to them as "ungulate enchantment programs" etc, but have been in place since 2007 in Sundre, and later Rocky and Drayton. Trappers are quiet wanting all the money for themselves.

It's proven that helicopter gunning and massive strychnine programs can't reduce wolf numbers....leaving bounties a total waste of money. In the Sheep Foundations case well over $50,000.

Sounds like you need to get over your hatred of the local trappers.

[Rabbit Snarer]

Originally Posted by diamonddave

Not sure where you got your info but there is NO bounty on wolves in the Rocky Mtn area.
At least not threw esrd anyway.

There was a wolf bounty in Rocky for years but I heard it had been cancelled last spring.

[Rabbit Snarer]

Originally Posted by diamonddave

Sounds like you need to get over your hatred of the local trappers.

Sounds to me like you can't deal with facts and have a very active imagination. Perhaps you should consult with your physician.

[diamonddave]

Which facts would those be? The fact that there is no wolf bounty? The fact that the trappers do get a form of a reward threw the trappers association for the wolves trapped? The fact that joe blow cannot go shoot a wolf on farm land and go collect a bounty? Which facts would you like to discuss?

[Rabbit Snarer]

Originally Posted by diamonddave

Which facts would those be? The fact that there is no wolf bounty? The fact that the trappers do get a form of a reward threw the trappers association for the wolves trapped? The fact that joe blow cannot go shoot a wolf on farm land and go collect a bounty? Which facts would you like to discuss?

The fact that bounties are useless!

[diamonddave]

And where do you see that I disputed that?

You said there was a bounty on wolves, I said their wasn't.

You said that esrd was keeping it secret and trappers were keeping all the money for themselves, I said that wasn't true.

You said I have an active imagination and should see a doc, I am just wondering what I am imagining here?

[Gboe8]

Originally Posted by Rabbit Snarer

Sounds to me like you can't deal with facts and have a very active imagination. Perhaps you should consult with your physician.

Sounds to me every thread you post on you try and push peoples buttons. You don't listen your always right...

[Rabbit Snarer]

For those interested in wolf demographics and bounties there was a very good article in Alberta Outdoorsmen by Dr's Carbyn and Boyce 3 or 4 months ago which explained the failure of bounties.

Before jumping to conclusions I would try and determine what has caused the deer decline in these WMU's and go from there. I have my opinion and it was not wolves.

As for the consistent clap trap from Dave and company I'm not interested.

[diamonddave]

Sorry for the "clap trap", didn't mean to offend you. Its a public forum and you were stating information that just wasn't true. And we actually do agree, wolf bounties don't work to reduce the population as you and I both stated.

I just wanted you to tell me which facts I wasn't dealing with and what I was imagining?

But going threw your posts, most just are to argue for the sake of arguing, so carry on

I might throw some more "clap trap" in there when needed, but I will try harder to just stick with my imaginary facts.

[greywolf]

Originally Posted by Rabbit Snarer

Hate to tell you but you cannot thin out or reduce wolf populations even with helicopter gunning and mass poisoning.

Originally Posted by greywolf

So how was it achieved in the past???

Still waiting for an answer!!!

[Rabbit Snarer]

Originally Posted by greywolf

Still waiting for an answer!!!

Sorry, sorry, but to be blunt I don't know. Historically, it seems that as people populated farther west and north wolves and grizzlies were either driven [very unlikely] from the western plains and poisoned. Some say the disappearance of the bison and elk from hunting and the combination of poisoning extirpated the wolf and grizzly. This seems more plausible, but there must have been a pile of hunting and poisoning going on. I don't understand how they were all killed out of the mountains in the western states given the access available and the resiliency of wolves. To reduce numbers given suitable habitat and prey you have to take 50%-%65 per year, depending on which expert you believe, and you have to do it every year. This figure also should also produce a slow increase in ungulates given wolves were the primary cause of decline.

There are recent examples in Alberta and I'll mention one. As you know there has been a wolf cull for the past 9 years in the Smokey area to save the heard of caribou. According to the biologist in charge 100% of the wolves are taken every year which averages out to a little over 100 per year or something over 1000. Given the number not found with poisoning and wounding loss from gunning I suspect the kill in considerably larger. If this is true then neighboring wolves must be moving in every year in equal numbers which I don't believe. I am told they are starting earlier this year and broadening the area. It's all pretty lame when we are faced with increasing wolf numbers but it's the best I can do. I'm not convinced the 7500 figure touted is accurate either because of the way it was arrived at.

[greywolf]

Originally Posted by Rabbit Snarer

Sorry, sorry, but to be blunt I don't know. Historically, it seems that as people populated farther west and north wolves and grizzlies were either driven [very unlikely] from the western plains and poisoned. Some say the disappearance of the bison and elk from hunting and the combination of poisoning extirpated the wolf and grizzly. This seems more plausible, but there must have been a pile of hunting and poisoning going on. I don't understand how they were all killed out of the mountains in the western states given the access available and the resiliency of wolves. To reduce numbers given suitable habitat and prey you have to take 50%-%65 per year, depending on which expert you believe, and you have to do it every year. This figure also should also produce a slow increase in ungulates given wolves were the primary cause of decline.

There are recent examples in Alberta and I'll mention one. As you know there has been a wolf cull for the past 9 years in the Smokey area to save the heard of caribou. According to the biologist in charge 100% of the wolves are taken every year which averages out to a little over 100 per year or something over 1000. Given the number not found with poisoning and wounding loss from gunning I suspect the kill in considerably larger. If this is true then neighboring wolves must be moving in every year in equal numbers which I don't believe. I am told they are starting earlier this year and broadening the area. It's all pretty lame when we are faced with increasing wolf numbers but it's the best I can do. I'm not convinced the 7500 figure touted is accurate either because of the way it was arrived at.

Makes sense what your saying, I'm thinking between reproducing and relocating, (home range), that would explain why there back again the following year. I would think they would need to broaden out the cull area quite abit to be effective, but then again, its just a matter of time before they show up again. As long as there is food avail.

[muzzleloader16]

Ummmm, to get back to the original topic, we were in 330 today. Saw 12 does, 2 bucks, 6 grouse, 1 black bear, and 1 HUGE cougar!

Still lots of deer here, just get back on the cutlines and off the roads.

(the cutblocks are pretty good too)

[bighorn1]

Get off the roads and you will see the game, went out for a couple hours this evening in 328 and saw 9 wt bucks , 20-30 does and shot a few ruffies.

[Rabbit Snarer]

Originally Posted by bighorn1

Get off the roads and you will see the game, went out for a couple hours this evening in 328 and saw 9 wt bucks , 20-30 does and shot a few ruffies.

Hope you guys are right!

[bowhunter9841]

I must have stayed too close to Rocky Mountain house, because we saw way more hunters than animals. Everytime we would park to walk a cut line, 5 trucks would drive down the road doing 60! I was fairly disappointed that it was so busy. Lots of wolf sign as mentioned before. Deer tracks everywhere, the odd moose track and one set of elk tracks that looked fairly fresh when we walked down the one road. Despite the business, I managed to get my buddy his first deer. He was pretty excited and I was happy he wasn't going home empty handed. Next time I go, I'm getting further away from town!

[Bearski]

Originally Posted by muzzleloader16

Ummmm, to get back to the original topic, we were in 330 today. Saw 12 does, 2 bucks, 6 grouse, 1 black bear, and 1 HUGE cougar!

Still lots of deer here, just get back on the cutlines and off the roads.

(the cutblocks are pretty good too)

Thanks!

[jacenbeers]

We saw lots of does over the weekend and some decent bucks. There are tons of ruffies and sprucies as well. The further north you go the less hunters you see and I agree with the previous poster who said to get off the major roads. There are tons of deer but they aren't just out in the open until right before dark.

[jpohlic]

I guess we were in the wrong part of 328. We spent last week north of Jackfish Lake, about the 20 km marker and then west of the road about 1 km. We hiked cutlines and game trails and sat in front of our two favorite natural mineral licks and in that time my daughter and I saw a few grouse and one bull moose. My buddies son saw one deer. We've been hunting this area for quite a few years, my dad's been going out here for 30+ years, and game numbers are way down, wolf numbers are way up, and the road and new well sites are expanding like crazy.

On the way home we did see numerous deer along the highway. Maybe it's time to start road hunting.

[Kauna]

Originally Posted by jpohlic

I guess we were in the wrong part of 328. We spent last week north of Jackfish Lake, about the 20 km marker and then west of the road about 1 km. We hiked cutlines and game trails and sat in front of our two favorite natural mineral licks and in that time my daughter and I saw a few grouse and one bull moose. My buddies son saw one deer. We've been hunting this area for quite a few years, my dad's been going out here for 30+ years, and game numbers are way down, wolf numbers are way up, and the road and new well sites are expanding like crazy.

On the way home we did see numerous deer along the highway. Maybe it's time to start road hunting.

Yups , you right , that area used to be great . Wolves need to be done with and the exploration has pushed everything out of place forsure , its never ending

[bowhunter9841]

I know this is almost a year old, but I figured rather than start a new thread about hunting the nordegg area, I would revive my old thread. So here goes....
Has anybody been out scouting around nordegg so far this year? I hunted west of Rocky last year but didnt venture as far as nordegg. Was hunting on the thanksgiving long weekend so I'm sure that didnt help with the number of hunters we saw! I'm thinking of staying in nordegg this year and maybe hunt during the week instead of on the weekend. Thanks in advance for any help! I live about two hours away from there so It's not easy or cheap for me to scout. I hunt with a buddy who lives in Calgary and nordegg/rocky area is pretty much a meet in the middle kind of thing.

[fatboyz]

Deer numbers still down, and no more supplemental antlerless tags in 328. Still nice place to hunt, but for deer I stick to the farm land. I'm mostly bow hunting though so nice long season before rifle starts.

[Dunezilla]

Originally Posted by fatboyz

Deer numbers still down, and no more supplemental antlerless tags in 328.

Which is ok by me. That will ease the traffic pressure in 328. Maybe I stand a change at getting one of the bucks I have been after for a few years. Deer numbers are down that is for sure. I made three scouting trips (three 6 hour scouting trips) & I haven't really seen that many does. Well you might as well add bucks in there.