CFB Suffield Elk Hunt

[splake0]

Anyone know what time and where the briefings are?

[Evan83]

6am at the Ralston Rec. Centre. The town is small and there will be lots of signage. Easy to find.

https://mywildalberta.ca/hunting/gam...AQ-Oct2017.pdf

[splake0]

Thanks... I could not find this info

[fish_e_o]

Originally Posted by splake0

Thanks... I could not find this info

didn't they send it to you?

they sent it to me when i went

[dbg498]

You will need to bring in your vehicle registration and insurance pink slip into the briefing as well.

[4x4bowhunter]

Follow this link and you can print off your Range Access Permit ahead of time. This will speed up the registration process on the first day of the hunt.


https://mywildalberta.ca/hunting/hun...Oct25-2017.pdf

[Flyer80]

Thanks, good info.

[farmsniper]

Can you take a second rifle as backup? And is the nwa still on raffle for entry or is it open to everyone as foot access only?

[splake0]

Originally Posted by farmsniper

Can you take a second rifle as backup? And is the nwa still on raffle for entry or is it open to everyone as foot access only?

yes you can but you must let them know make model caliber (same info as your other rifle)

[dennisb]

Whats the deal with the NWA area? I heard its walk in only and some safety equipment is required.

[Cowtown guy]

Originally Posted by 4x4bowhunter

Follow this link and you can print off your Range Access Permit ahead of time. This will speed up the registration process on the first day of the hunt.


https://mywildalberta.ca/hunting/hun...Oct25-2017.pdf

Anybody else see some weird stuff on that sheet? Or is it my computer? Not too sure it'll print out legibly.

EDIT...
Found it online and it prints good there.

[250mark1]

last year you needed the following to be able to hunt in the NWA
hand held gps
game cart or sled or carrying pack
food and water for 12 + hours
i would also recommend good led headlamp
lots of fuel you can easily put 200km a day on the truck just on the base

the draw was for 30 hunters per day in the NWA and lots of people didn't even try for it, when we were there as it was only the second hunt that was allowed in the NWA.( they were pretty flexible on this as if they had a few extra hunters apply over the 30 the let everyone go )
we had both our cows down late afternoon the first day
glad we had the GPS as we were working well into the dark that night
makes you feel pretty isolated when out in the NWA and you can't see any lights as reference points

[Cowtown guy]

Originally Posted by 250mark1

last year you needed the following to be able to hunt in the NWA
hand held gps
game cart or sled or carrying pack
food and water for 12 + hours
i would also recommend good led headlamp
lots of fuel you can easily put 200km a day on the truck just on the base

the draw was for 30 hunters per day in the NWA and lots of people didn't even try for it, when we were there as it was only the second hunt that was allowed in the NWA.( they were pretty flexible on this as if they had a few extra hunters apply over the 30 the let everyone go )
we had both our cows down late afternoon the first day
glad we had the GPS as we were working well into the dark that night
makes you feel pretty isolated when out in the NWA and you can't see any lights as reference points

GPS? Check
Game cart and sled? Check
Food and water? Check
Headlamps? Check
Hunting partner if I don't kill one Monday??? Nope! He's only able to help on the first day. Which is more than I thought he'd be able to da after what he's been thru health wise this year anyway so it's a bonus just to get him there for that day.

Looks like I will likely be doing the gutless method for the second time ever if I get lucky.

Good luck folks.

[4x4bowhunter]

Sure did not see many elk today (only 3) but with a tip from Cowtown Guy, managed to get a big old cow that had been wounded by someone else. Luckily it's injury was low on the back leg so next to no meat loss. Hope everyone else had success as well today.

[35 whelen]

Unfortunately this is a cull not a hunt that's one reason it never interested me even though I know some guys that killed some 380s and 390 there

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

[carlson]

I was looking forward to going there next week but after what everyone has said I don’t know what to expect

[Cowtown guy]

Maybe with different weather the elk will move differently

[DiabeticKripple]

Originally Posted by 35 whelen

Unfortunately this is a cull not a hunt that's one reason it never interested me even though I know some guys that killed some 380s and 390 there

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

if you want to make it a hunt, you can make it a hunt.

instead of just driving around road hunting, get into the NWA and burn some boot leather. i walked over 8km to get onto a herd and then had to make 2 3km trips (9km total) back to the truck.

Cowtown Guy, i urge you to go back. you used up your priority and i know i would regret it later on if i only hunted one day.

[Joe Black]

Go back. Got my bull last morning after not seeing a single elk for two days. was a later season as well so I'm sure they are still there this early.

Anything can happen.

[Roebag]

We'll be there next week too. Last year was first time there and was a learning year but we did shoot two bulls in the NWA. This year my brother and my middle son will be the hunters and we are looking forward to it.

Is there still a designated walk in area that you can hunt without the winning one of the daily NWA draws?


PS we are staying at the Travel lodge

Rob

[C & C]

Originally Posted by Roebag

We'll be there next week too. Last year was first time there and was a learning year but we did shoot two bulls in the NWA. This year my brother and my middle son will be the hunters and we are looking forward to it.

Is there still a designated walk in area that you can hunt without the winning one of the daily NWA draws?


PS we are staying at the Travel lodge

Rob

There hasn't been yet it all draw and only 25.

[bpk1982]

Originally Posted by Roebag

We'll be there next week too. Last year was first time there and was a learning year but we did shoot two bulls in the NWA. This year my brother and my middle son will be the hunters and we are looking forward to it.

Is there still a designated walk in area that you can hunt without the winning one of the daily NWA draws?


PS we are staying at the Travel lodge

Rob

Yes there is. They only told us this on day 2. You can drive in on road but it's foot access from there. Look on map. It's a big section south of main nwa.

[Cowtown guy]

Originally Posted by DiabeticKripple

if you want to make it a hunt, you can make it a hunt.

instead of just driving around road hunting, get into the NWA and burn some boot leather. i walked over 8km to get onto a herd and then had to make 2 3km trips (9km total) back to the truck.

Cowtown Guy, i urge you to go back. you used up your priority and i know i would regret it later on if i only hunted one day.

No can do. Logistically it won’t work. I’m 500$ in already. Priority or not, it really isn’t worth it.
I’m not eligible for the NWA as a single hunter either.

[horsepower]

I was a mule on this hunting trip for a friend had drawn a tag and he was in need of someone with a strong back and a weak mind. Well, that’s me.

The first morning was full of optimism and enthusiastic energy. Being the first day of base hunting we expected to find pockets of elk dotting the landscape. After morning briefing from base staff and wildlife biologist we where cautioned that we may not see as many elk as perhaps we had hoped for as the herd reduction plan has been effective. As well the dry summer followed by the fire has kept numbers down on the base. We saw 3 groups of elk first thing in the morning. 2 groups were in the NWA which we did not have access to and as we were closing in on the 3rd group a truck pulled up on a neighbouring road and the herd ran away as a cow was shot. The rest of the day was spent in the north part of the base travelling roads and glassing hills. No elk were spotted and we noticed a lack of forage. We left the base that day dejected and talked about the lack of elk seen. Tomorrow would be another day.

The second morning we decided to draw for a NWA opportunity and were successful. It was close to 10:30 by the time we checked into the NWA and began our hunt. We immediately parked and headed east. Without going into detail we successfully harvested a bull at last light. We accumulated 23ish Km’s of hiking. Saw a combining of many herds into a super herd of 1700+- elk that we were able to get within 250yds of. The noise and chatter of this herd was phenomenal and something we all won’t forget. It was a huge challenge to find an animal that we could ethically shoot as their were often several animals either in front of or behind our target bull. We had a fantastic day and left tired but fulfilled.

This is our first experience on a suffield hunt and cannot say enough good things about base personnel. After our experience on the first day we decided to make this a hunt and we worked very hard for our bull. The experience will be what you are able to make of it.

Good luck to all in future hunts.

[astepanuk]

Originally Posted by horsepower

I was a mule on this hunting trip for a friend had drawn a tag and he was in need of someone with a strong back and a weak mind. Well, that’s me.

The first morning was full of optimism and enthusiastic energy. Being the first day of base hunting we expected to find pockets of elk dotting the landscape. After morning briefing from base staff and wildlife biologist we where cautioned that we may not see as many elk as perhaps we had hoped for as the herd reduction plan has been effective. As well the dry summer followed by the fire has kept numbers down on the base. We saw 3 groups of elk first thing in the morning. 2 groups were in the NWA which we did not have access to and as we were closing in on the 3rd group a truck pulled up on a neighbouring road and the herd ran away as a cow was shot. The rest of the day was spent in the north part of the base travelling roads and glassing hills. No elk were spotted and we noticed a lack of forage. We left the base that day dejected and talked about the lack of elk seen. Tomorrow would be another day.

The second morning we decided to draw for a NWA opportunity and were successful. It was close to 10:30 by the time we checked into the NWA and began our hunt. We immediately parked and headed east. Without going into detail we successfully harvested a bull at last light. We accumulated 23ish Km’s of hiking. Saw a combining of many herds into a super herd of 1700+- elk that we were able to get within 250yds of. The noise and chatter of this herd was phenomenal and something we all won’t forget. It was a huge challenge to find an animal that we could ethically shoot as their were often several animals either in front of or behind our target bull. We had a fantastic day and left tired but fulfilled.

This is our first experience on a suffield hunt and cannot say enough good things about base personnel. After our experience on the first day we decided to make this a hunt and we worked very hard for our bull. The experience will be what you are able to make of it.

Good luck to all in future hunts.

Great info exactly what I needed to get my hopes up cannot wait to go.

[rielbowhunter]

Originally Posted by horsepower

I was a mule on this hunting trip for a friend had drawn a tag and he was in need of someone with a strong back and a weak mind. Well, that’s me.

The first morning was full of optimism and enthusiastic energy. Being the first day of base hunting we expected to find pockets of elk dotting the landscape. After morning briefing from base staff and wildlife biologist we where cautioned that we may not see as many elk as perhaps we had hoped for as the herd reduction plan has been effective. As well the dry summer followed by the fire has kept numbers down on the base. We saw 3 groups of elk first thing in the morning. 2 groups were in the NWA which we did not have access to and as we were closing in on the 3rd group a truck pulled up on a neighbouring road and the herd ran away as a cow was shot. The rest of the day was spent in the north part of the base travelling roads and glassing hills. No elk were spotted and we noticed a lack of forage. We left the base that day dejected and talked about the lack of elk seen. Tomorrow would be another day.

The second morning we decided to draw for a NWA opportunity and were successful. It was close to 10:30 by the time we checked into the NWA and began our hunt. We immediately parked and headed east. Without going into detail we successfully harvested a bull at last light. We accumulated 23ish Km’s of hiking. Saw a combining of many herds into a super herd of 1700+- elk that we were able to get within 250yds of. The noise and chatter of this herd was phenomenal and something we all won’t forget. It was a huge challenge to find an animal that we could ethically shoot as their were often several animals either in front of or behind our target bull. We had a fantastic day and left tired but fulfilled.

This is our first experience on a suffield hunt and cannot say enough good things about base personnel. After our experience on the first day we decided to make this a hunt and we worked very hard for our bull. The experience will be what you are able to make of it.

Good luck to all in future hunts.

Congrats any pictures of the bull?

[fishnguy]

Originally Posted by horsepower

I was a mule on this hunting trip for a friend had drawn a tag and he was in need of someone with a strong back and a weak mind. Well, that’s me.

The first morning was full of optimism and enthusiastic energy. Being the first day of base hunting we expected to find pockets of elk dotting the landscape. After morning briefing from base staff and wildlife biologist we where cautioned that we may not see as many elk as perhaps we had hoped for as the herd reduction plan has been effective. As well the dry summer followed by the fire has kept numbers down on the base. We saw 3 groups of elk first thing in the morning. 2 groups were in the NWA which we did not have access to and as we were closing in on the 3rd group a truck pulled up on a neighbouring road and the herd ran away as a cow was shot. The rest of the day was spent in the north part of the base travelling roads and glassing hills. No elk were spotted and we noticed a lack of forage. We left the base that day dejected and talked about the lack of elk seen. Tomorrow would be another day.

The second morning we decided to draw for a NWA opportunity and were successful. It was close to 10:30 by the time we checked into the NWA and began our hunt. We immediately parked and headed east. Without going into detail we successfully harvested a bull at last light. We accumulated 23ish Km’s of hiking. Saw a combining of many herds into a super herd of 1700+- elk that we were able to get within 250yds of. The noise and chatter of this herd was phenomenal and something we all won’t forget. It was a huge challenge to find an animal that we could ethically shoot as their were often several animals either in front of or behind our target bull. We had a fantastic day and left tired but fulfilled.

This is our first experience on a suffield hunt and cannot say enough good things about base personnel. After our experience on the first day we decided to make this a hunt and we worked very hard for our bull. The experience will be what you are able to make of it.

Good luck to all in future hunts.

This is truly awesome and probably the best post in the Suffield threads that I have seen. Good job!

[stirfry1]

Hunted there today pretty slim pickings outside the nwa.
Biologist said 6 taken yesterday and when I left around 5 o clock
There was one bull taken

Hunted here before, seemed a lot different this year with the dry conditions and fire. So be prepared.

Consensus from the people I talked to that there were very few animals seen on the last few days

I hope everyone on the next hunts has better luck than me

[odsixer]

Stirfry, did you see any bulls outside the nwa?

[AlbertaWild]

Will a normal pick up truck handle these roads if i went in prepared with sand bags & shovels & tow straps & jack and chains?... would gladly appriciate that info.