Anyone heading to Suffield Tomorrow?

[CanadianEh]

Is it worth while to wear white snow cover to blend in or doent much matter?

anyone else have reports of how the snow was out there? specifically in the NWA?>

[GrayHunter]

Originally Posted by CanadianEh

Is it worth while to wear white snow cover to blend in or doent much matter?

anyone else have reports of how the snow was out there? specifically in the NWA?>

As of Wednesday, January 22, my dad and I wore dark camo pants and white camo jacket. There was snow initially across the base but it’s starting to melt on the south facing slopes. The North NWA is bushy in places so you could probably go either way. I would almost lean towards dark camo because of all the dark bushes.

[mindoutside]

You gotta wear blaze Orange anyways. Doesn't matter.

[Elkhunter12]

Originally Posted by Full Curl Earl

What is ****rd lol

Big place to just start a random walk in. What direction?

You have to locate sign or animals out there in your vehicle first or you will walk 3 days and not see an animal.

Problem is you can't just walk into the NWA, if you are not drawn the day of, just go home....


Sent from my SM-G965W using Tapatalk

[GrayHunter]

Originally Posted by Elkhunter12

Problem is you can't just walk into the NWA, if you are not drawn the day of, just go home....


Sent from my SM-G965W using Tapatalk

I wouldn’t. We had a few chances the last day and we weren’t drawn for the North. You never know.

[Elkhunter12]

Originally Posted by GrayHunter

I wouldn’t. We had a few chances the last day and we weren’t drawn for the North. You never know.

Fair enough but wait 8 years for a draw to rely on the 3rd day....not a smart tactic to get your Bull

Sent from my SM-G965W using Tapatalk

[lone wolf]

Originally Posted by stonehunter

Hmmmmm. 2000 head that stick together. Has anybody seen any decent bulls? I talked with a guy from the Hat earlier this fall who said there ain't a bull that'd make 300" left out there. Does anyone have any accurate info on the real state of the bull population? Just going by the forum here, it hardly seems worth heading out for the Feb hunt. Any info is appreciated. Thanks for the stuff you guys have posted.

I reached out to one of the local biologists that I know and trust a few weeks ago. Your information on the herd size and horn quality are (sadly) close to the mark.

[Lefty-Canuck]

Originally Posted by lone wolf

I reached out to one of the local biologists that I know and trust a few weeks ago. Your information on the herd size and horn quality are (sadly) close to the mark.

A buddy shot a 320” bull fall of 2018 outside the base with archery gear. I have heard of other decent bulls as well, I have also heard the prospect of 360+ is extremely difficult...to non-existent.

LC

[gman1978]

I was told some big bulls were shot this year during the last week of August, on the outside of the base. But not as many big bulls as in years past.

[DiabeticKripple]

You guys have to remember this hunt isn’t about trophies. It’s about reducing the amount of elk on the base, therefore reducing the amount of damage to adjacent landowners.

When they give out hundreds of bull tags every year, there will be no trophy quality bulls left. This hunt is about meat now, not antlers.

[astepanuk]

Originally Posted by DiabeticKripple

You guys have to remember this hunt isn’t about trophies. It’s about reducing the amount of elk on the base, therefore reducing the amount of damage to adjacent landowners.

When they give out hundreds of bull tags every year, there will be no trophy quality bulls left. This hunt is about meat now, not antlers.

The herd must have had a major reduction since they reduced the tags from the typical 125 down to 15 and 10. With only 4 hunt this year. I personally really enjoyed the challenge of the hunt when I did it a few years ago we had to work for my bull but managed to tag out.

[DiabeticKripple]

Originally Posted by astepanuk

The herd must have had a major reduction since they reduced the tags from the typical 125 down to 15 and 10. With only 4 hunt this year. I personally really enjoyed the challenge of the hunt when I did it a few years ago we had to work for my bull but managed to tag out.

The first year I went in 2017, there was still lots of elk to go around. We got lucky and found a lone cow on the backside of a hill just off a road. We got that one, then the next day we went into the NWA and found a herd of 80 and I put another one down out of that group. Had to work for that one.

I went last year again and couldn’t find any elk like we did a few years prior.. I did manage to find another lone cow, and shot it, but it got away. there was hunters on the other side of it after it bedded after the shot and I couldn’t get another shot in it. It got up while I was trying to flank it and ran 3km over a hill and we lost the track. Went back the next day and looked for 4 hours and not a drop of blood anywhere. But I saw blood coming out of its butt. Bad shot that I flinched on.

Word had it that almost all the elk were herded up into one big herd, around 3000 head and it’s amazingly hard to find them in that terrain.

[walking buffalo]

Originally Posted by DiabeticKripple

You guys have to remember this hunt isn’t about trophies. It’s about reducing the amount of elk on the base, therefore reducing the amount of damage to adjacent landowners.

When they give out hundreds of bull tags every year, there will be no trophy quality bulls left. This hunt is about meat now, not antlers.

Yes, and then there is the obligation of Biologists for managing ungulates to maintain a healthy herd structure, which must include Mature bulls.

This aspect seems to have been ignored by the Feds and Province.

The whole Suffield Elk management history to date has been disgraceful.
It would make an interesting documentary.

[Full Curl Earl]

Originally Posted by walking buffalo

Yes, and then there is the obligation of Biologists for managing ungulates to maintain a healthy herd structure, which must include Mature bulls.

This aspect seems to have been ignored by the Feds and Province.

The whole Suffield Elk management history to date has been disgraceful.
It would make an interesting documentary.

I agree with Walking Buffalo.
Not sure why the province needs to either disregard or destroy these could be legacies of wildlife management. There is a position that could be sustained for generations of hunting prairie elk in a truly remarkable area. Instead, the province and landowners allowed indiscriminate unlicensed hunting outside the base, and on. The outside base hunt used to be incredible until all the press hype started with Jeff and a few others, and bands from local areas cleaned out all the good eating bulls. And now these base Culls have guys shooting at animals they otherwise would never attempt Or have any business attempting because it may be the only opportunity they get in 3 days. There were many options, but the ugliest was chosen.
You know, i have read about more wounded animals on Suffield than any other single location. Is it because some folks are treating them like rats with the plague? And not a single transplant... good grief.

[DiabeticKripple]

Originally Posted by Full Curl Earl

I agree with Walking Buffalo.
Not sure why the province needs to either disregard or destroy these could be legacies of wildlife management. There is a position that could be sustained for generations of hunting prairie elk in a truly remarkable area. Instead, the province and landowners allowed indiscriminate unlicensed hunting outside the base, and on. The outside base hunt used to be incredible until all the press hype started with Jeff and a few others, and bands from local areas cleaned out all the good eating bulls. And now these base Culls have guys shooting at animals they otherwise would never attempt Or have any business attempting because it may be the only opportunity they get in 3 days. There were many options, but the ugliest was chosen.
You know, i have read about more wounded animals on Suffield than any other single location. Is it because some folks are treating them like rats with the plague? And not a single transplant... good grief.

With CWD in the herd, a transplant isn’t possible.

[stonehunter]

I'm no expert on game management. Not much of an expert on anything, except, I hope, common sense. As i read the comments on the herd being "culled" and the opportunities lost because no one seems to care about managing for HUNTING, just "range capability", well, I have a few thoughts. I am a life-member of several hunting/conservation organizations, because we have to at some point put some of our money where our mouth is. The Boone & Crocket Club is one of em. Some time ago they initiated a program that invited college/university students who were aiming to become wildlife biologists, to come spend a week at the Teddy Roosevelt Memorial Ranch, where they gently but firmly showed these kids, many of whom had no clue about hunting, the REAL value of game animals, and the REAL reasons most people hunt,and who actually funds most game management. The whole point was, and is, that unless SOMEONE (Us Hunters??) takes the initiative to intervene at the U of A or Lethbridge or wherever the biology courses are being taught these days, to insist on some common-values based "weeding out" of biologists, we are going to end up with animal-rights/vegan/non-hunting minded people telling us what we can and can't do regarding hunting opportunities. A perfect case-in-point happened this past fall. Some intelligent person(s) decided that bighorn heads will no longer be measured by the Wardens, but by a biologist. Why? Anyway, there's a certain Sustainable Resource office that I won't name, with a female biologist whom I also won't name, and that female biologist is not only NOT a hunter, but she's basically an animal rightist. She says things to hunters to embarrass them and ridicule them, and implies that they are somewhat less than decent for shooting a legal ram. I know of another game official who I doubt has hunted a day in their life, and has no business making decisions over the game situations and yet does. This is a failure by us as outdoorsmen/women. The Suffield base is huge. If it's going to have game animals, there is NO reason they can't be managed to have a large number of mature males. There is NO reason. It's just laziness and a lack of effort. There's a reason we have three-and six-point restrictions on deer and elk all over the Province. In my opinion, what we need is for a good number of us to form some kind of body that will insist on a place at the table, in shaping these decisions. We do not need or want, and cannot afford to have, non-hunting or worse, anti-hunting minds involved in our game management.

[DiabeticKripple]

Maybe once they get the herd reduced to a manageable population, they will change it to 3 point or 6 point only.

[Faststeel]

Originally Posted by Spruceygoosey

Thanks for the info.
I’m also heading down Feb 3,4,5 and hearing mixed reviews at this point.
All info is much appreciated.
It’s definitely unusual to be going into an unfamiliar area for a hunt and only having 3 days to get it figured out.

Nothing to figure out, get drawn in the North NWA, or forget it.... its just that simple.....FS

[Lefty-Canuck]

Originally Posted by Full Curl Earl

You know, i have read about more wounded animals on Suffield than any other single location. Is it because some folks are treating them like rats with the plague? And not a single transplant... good grief.

Speaking of wounded animals, one day a few years back F&W put down more wounded elk than hunters took the same day.... that’s completely disgusting.

LC

[Elkhunter12]

The hunt I believe is to appease the landowners in the area, they are ****ed that the Elk damage their fences and eat their crops, makes sense to me that they cost the ranchers $$$

The hunt the way it is managed now is not a hunt, it's a cull, if it is a true cull then manage it as such. Send in hunters 6 times a year, limit the stupidity of the draw for the NWA and just let the hunters allowed per day, say 10 or whatever number and have at it, send the hunters to directly where the heard is and let the bullets fly!

As of Tuesday at 5:00 a total of 4 Elk were taken, that tells your right there this system doesn't work when there is a heard of over 2000 balled up in the North NWA

25 trucks per day being drawn and allowed in the NWA is not the right way. I met and spoke with 6 different trucks that were drawn spent the day road hunting is a fing waste of a good opportunity for those who want to put in the physical effort to fill their tags. 1 truck was an elderly couple in there late 60's and they had no intention of getting out of their truck NOR do they have the physical capacity to walk in 6 -8 km and haul an Elk out!

I personally wasted a good draw opportunity on Suffield this year, not being 'a lucky winner's of the draw is life BUT, I won't ever hunt on Suffield again.

Sent from my SM-G965W using Tapatalk

[Elkhunter12]

Originally Posted by wildwoods

Sounds like a gong show not worthy of draw priority...
Too bad

Agreed

Sent from my SM-G965W using Tapatalk

[buckman]

Originally Posted by DiabeticKripple

You guys have to remember this hunt isn’t about trophies. It’s about reducing the amount of elk on the base, therefore reducing the amount of damage to adjacent landowners.

When they give out hundreds of bull tags every year, there will be no trophy quality bulls left. This hunt is about meat now, not antlers.

Exactly, it was set up as a cull. Seems like the Elk have wised up so now its more of a hunt.
The way it was in the beginning was a slaughter of a majestic animal.

Hopefully it will evolve into something better in the future.

[Faststeel]

Originally Posted by Elkhunter12

The hunt I believe is to appease the landowners in the area, they are ****ed that the Elk damage their fences and eat their crops, makes sense to me that they cost the ranchers $$$

The hunt the way it is managed now is not a hunt, it's a cull, if it is a true cull then manage it as such. Send in hunters 6 times a year, limit the stupidity of the draw for the NWA and just let the hunters allowed per day, say 10 or whatever number and have at it, send the hunters to directly where the heard is and let the bullets fly!

As of Tuesday at 5:00 a total of 4 Elk were taken, that tells your right there this system doesn't work when there is a heard of over 2000 balled up in the North NWA

25 trucks per day being drawn and allowed in the NWA is not the right way. I met and spoke with 6 different trucks that were drawn spent the day road hunting is a fing waste of a good opportunity for those who want to put in the physical effort to fill their tags. 1 truck was an elderly couple in there late 60's and they had no intention of getting out of their truck NOR do they have the physical capacity to walk in 6 -8 km and haul an Elk out!

I personally wasted a good draw opportunity on Suffield this year, not being 'a lucky winner's of the draw is life BUT, I won't ever hunt on Suffield again.

Sent from my SM-G965W using Tapatalk

Although I agree with some of the things you are thinking, Elk any place else in the province are just not happening for some of us older folk who cannot go 6 km in and 6 km out dragging a sled, I am able to do some walking and did so as a helper last week as my partner had the tags. Late wednesday afternoon a very large number of elk were very close to the main N/S road in the NWA, like a 1000 meters of you call this close. My partner walked to the direction they were heading, got in front of them and harvested 2 animals, great eating ahead for us.
in the dark we could not get the animals out so had to go back on thursday to get them. Did get to Canadian tire before closing on wed. night and picked up a beauty Pelican sled about 6 ft long with mice high sides. Best $90 I have spent this year, worked fantastic at taking a big cow and dragging back to the truck.
I will go back again to Suffield, its the only place I have a realistic chance to shoot an elk.....FS

[thumper]

[QUOTE
I will go back again to Suffield, its the only place I have a realistic chance to shoot an elk.....FS[/QUOTE]

Well done FS. Nothing wrong with recognizing your limitations and adjusting your strategy accordingly. I like that the Suffield hunt gives people with limitations on their mobility or experience an opportunity to harvest a delicious elk. You shouldn't have to be uber-fit or a crack shot able to the knock the centre out of toowny at 500 yards at Suffield. Good on that couple in their 60's still hunting together on a cold January day. There's lots of elk country out there for those able and willing to climb mountains all day and hump 50 lb packs out on their backs. I'm glad there's a Suffield hunt for some of the rest of us.

In my case, I limit myself to shooting before noon at Suffield. That way, if I'm fortunate enough to kill something, I have lots of time to be as fussy 'gut-less cleaning' the animal as I want, before sledding it out to the truck in one, or multiple loads. The truck's packed and ready to go well before dark, and I've taken lots of breaks to enjoy the scenery without overwhelming my old ticker. Maybe some don't feel that I should be taking up an elk tag hunting that way, but successful or not, I appreciate the opportunity.

[leeelmer]

Well day1 of week two is done
We got thr north NWA draw. Seen nothing
There was a herd of 75 spotted in the south end lots of guys in that end before we got there.
A small band of bulls just west of the nwa. 4 got shot out of it
We seen a herd of 20 nice bulls in the main base. Great to see. Some nice bulls in that group nothing huge but a couple 6x6 bulls
Were done till tomorrow

[Chip]

Just a point of curiosity Leelmer. Is the morning draw for the entire NWA?
Last week it was for the South or North.

[Faststeel]

that great $90 buck pelican sled is on sale this week for $62, an even bigger bargain

[leeelmer]

Originally Posted by Chip

Just a point of curiosity Leelmer. Is the morning draw for the entire NWA?
Last week it was for the South or North.

North and south draws
The south I refured to was the south end of the north nwa.

[Andrzej]

Originally Posted by Faststeel

that great $90 buck pelican sled is on sale this week for $62, an even bigger bargain

I've got the same sled for this price before Christmas.
Amazon.ca has pelican 60 sled runners that I've got and installed
should extend the life of the sled.

[fred1]

Originally Posted by stonehunter

I'm no expert on game management. Not much of an expert on anything, except, I hope, common sense. As i read the comments on the herd being "culled" and the opportunities lost because no one seems to care about managing for HUNTING, just "range capability", well, I have a few thoughts. I am a life-member of several hunting/conservation organizations, because we have to at some point put some of our money where our mouth is. The Boone & Crocket Club is one of em. Some time ago they initiated a program that invited college/university students who were aiming to become wildlife biologists, to come spend a week at the Teddy Roosevelt Memorial Ranch, where they gently but firmly showed these kids, many of whom had no clue about hunting, the REAL value of game animals, and the REAL reasons most people hunt,and who actually funds most game management. The whole point was, and is, that unless SOMEONE (Us Hunters??) takes the initiative to intervene at the U of
A or Lethbridge or wherever the biology courses are being taught these days, to insist on some common-values based "weeding out" of biologists, we are going to end up with animal-rights/vegan/non-hunting minded people telling us what we can and can't do regarding hunting opportunities. A perfect case-in-point happened this past fall. Some intelligent person(s) decided that bighorn heads will no longer be measured by the Wardens, but by a biologist. Why? Anyway, there's a certain Sustainable Resource office that I won't name, with a female biologist whom I also won't name, and that female biologist is not only NOT a hunter, but she's basically an animal rightist. She says things to hunters to embarrass them and ridicule them, and implies that they are somewhat less than decent for shooting a legal ram. I know of another game official who I doubt has hunted a day in their life, and has no business making decisions over the game situations and yet does. This is a failure by us as outdoorsmen/women. The Suffield base is huge. If it's going to have game animals, there is NO reason they can't be managed to have a large number of mature males. There is NO reason. It's just laziness and a lack of effort. There's a reason we have three-and six-point restrictions on deer and elk all over the Province. In my opinion, what we need is for a good number of us to form some kind of body that will insist on a place at the table, in shaping these decisions. We do not need or want, and cannot afford to have, non-hunting or worse, anti-hunting minds involved in our game management.

There are some important points here. Hunters and outdoors men & women have been a very critical part of wildlife conservation and management and should keep advocating in those areas in a positive and informative way. If the wrong people take control of government admin and policy setting areas, it would not be good for the future of both hunting and sustainable wildlife policies.
What has happened on the base has also affected surrounding areas. I hear so many comments about Suffield being nothing more than a cull. Why could it not be managed to become something much better?

Fred