Where to use a P12 antlered elk

[Tlyle]

I looking for any incite or help On where to use my high antlered elk priority.
I was eventually planning on hunting the September outside suffield season. But from what I read and here that opportunity has been missed. I am trying to plan my 2018 season. Any info or help would be greatly appreciated.

[Running Bear]

1st choice. Zama
2nd choice. Chinchaga

[Akoch]

Use it to draw an antlered elk tag, then plan to hunt that antlered elk like you’ve been saving all your hunting energy for 13 years.

[bucknaked333]

I pulled the tags after 12 years outside the base and scouted and searched. Asked everybody I meet. Rented a plane and searched some more. I got my pick of all the bulls I found and it didn’t make 300 inches. I never heard of a bigger bull taken. There might have been but not that I heard of. I’d look south, maybe the fire scare locked a few places up and them elk can get a extra year on them. Good luck.

[ram crazy]

I know a guy who shot a 347" bull outside the base. You have to be in the right place at the right time.

[whitetail Junkie]

Originally Posted by Tlyle

I looking for any incite or help On where to use my high antlered elk priority.
I was eventually planning on hunting the September outside suffield season. But from what I read and here that opportunity has been missed. I am trying to plan my 2018 season. Any info or help would be greatly appreciated.

Where in alberta do u live approximately?

[Flatlandliver]

How is the elk hunting in the YaHa Tinda now?

[elkhunter1234]

PM sent

[3blade]

Big elk are a matter of hard work and luck, not just high priority. I don't have a recommendation for you as I haven't answered that question for myself.

Be aware that the prairie elk herds migrate to avoid hunting pressure and sometimes for no apparent reason. For example, the cypress hills herd spent a good deal of time in Saskatchewan this year, much to the frustration of elk hunters on this side

[Joe Black]

spend the next two years scouting in aug and september in high priority zones, along with trying to gain permission in the future if you see good prospects, (if you are not hunting draw zones on public land). no easy way into this. a guy with a P2 got a cranker at suffeild in one of the late seasons a couple years ago. high priority does not always mean your chances are better, sometimes it works against you due to where you get drawn.

[LKILR]

I’m P-12 also. Was originally Gona try Suffield but I’m not much of a prairie hunter. I’m leaning towards 404 or 406 even though it only requires P-3. I would rather hunt in the mountains. Not expecting much because I don’t really know the area. But seeing new territory is more satisfying than shooting an elk for me.

[kujoseto]

Probably better off pulling a tag where you can put loads of time in to scouting and hunting as opposed to somewhere anyone else would recommend

[whitetail Junkie]

Originally Posted by kujoseto

Probably better off pulling a tag where you can put loads of time in to scouting and hunting as opposed to somewhere anyone else would recommend

X2

[Buckhorn2]

Ill second ya ha tinder. Ive been practicing my scouting there. Ive located a legal bull every year over the past 5 years there. And i am not an elk hunter by any means. No monster bull but its my favorite area to explore.


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[calgarychef]

Someone mentioned 404, I love hunting there but finding a legal bull is difficult. I've hunted it two seasons over the years and got one barely legal bull, it's truly a tough go.

[omega50]

Anywhere but 406

[cowboyhunter]

I think in all reality you mean 408! I just wasted a P11 to hunt there.

[cowboyhunter]

Look east !

[warriorboy10]

Buddy was P10 and drew into 404 and guess what tag soup..

[spirit4u]

yep I'm done with 404 for now. I could not locate a legal bull within walking distance of the road. They are there but numbers are low from what they were years ago. I could not even get a shot off at a mule deer buck or doe. Their numbers are down to. I did manage to get very close to 6 spiker elk and a rag horn. Maybe one of those will still be alive in 3 years and be legal. I'll go back when it snows to look for the wolf pack. I'll have to go general Elk for the next few years then decide if a 6 point Elk is worth looking for.

[slough shark]

Originally Posted by Buckhorn2

Ill second ya ha tinder. Ive been practicing my scouting there. Ive located a legal bull every year over the past 5 years there. And i am not an elk hunter by any means. No monster bull but its my favorite area to explore.


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I love hunting the yaha tinda but they only put out 5 bull tags a year, I remember hunting there when I was younger 15 or so years ago and one could shoot a 6 or a cow with a bow and they had quite a few bull and cow rifle tags as well, now there is 5 bull tags and no cow, it is a shadow of its former self, I remember the panoramic pictures with many hundreds of elk out in the meadow. That said you get one of those tags there ought to be a good poke at a bull.

[reddeerhunter]

I would say get permission in 200 superzone. Good luck getting it but heck yeah. And the milk river place.
Peace river got some big ones.

Again, all permission.

[bowhunter9841]

New Mexico, LOL.

[RZR]

108 has some big bulls, I think there were some pics posted during the summer of Bulls from that area.

[slopeshunter]

^^ not like they used to since they started increasing the number of tags in that zone over the last two years (IMO).

[elkhunter1234]

Originally Posted by RZR

108 has some big bulls, I think there were some pics posted during the summer of Bulls from that area.

If you want a 260” - 280” bull 108 will work, if you are looking for a 340” plus bull you need to look a couple zones further east.

Jim..

[KBF]

Originally Posted by elkhunter1234

If you want a 260” - 280” bull 108 will work, if you are looking for a 340” plus bull you need to look a couple zones further east.

Jim..

Correct. Even meat bulls been a struggle to find lately. I guess thats the nature of the last season. Lots of tags given out for a relatively small population. 260-280 might very well even be top end even for first season guys next year.

[RZR]

Oh! I see you guys don't want anyone applying in that zone, so tell people there are no big bulls there lol.

[KBF]

Originally Posted by RZR

Oh! I see you guys don't want anyone applying in that zone, so tell people there are no big bulls there lol.

Just the reality of how it really is. I wouldn’t say that there won’t be any bulls that break the 300 mark because I’m sure there will be some. But they just won’t number like they use to when there was 8 bull tags given per year and now with 48 tags this year they sure won’t be as plentiful. It’s defintely a unique hunt down here.

[elkhunter1234]

Originally Posted by RZR

Oh! I see you guys don't want anyone applying in that zone, so tell people there are no big bulls there lol.

Nope.. infact just the opposite, I drew my tag a few years ago so it’s going to many years before I get a crack at hunting a prairie bull again. I live in 108 and spend a lot of time around these elk and know what kinda bulls are around. This year I helped 4 different guys with antlered tags fill them and the best bull of all 4 was a 300” bull. If you are willing to play the paid hunting game that one of the largest land owner in he WMU does you might have a chance at a better bull but even those bulls are few and far beteween. A large part of the heard have moved into a large ranch that has never allowed hunting nor ever will allow hunting, its only a matter of time until the rest of the herd joins them... so knock your socks off and apply for 108 but hope you’re not to disappointed when the best bull you can find is 280”

Jim...