Elk in WMU 410 and 412

[Johnny]

Hello All,

I am already trying to get ready for the 2010 Bow season. I would like to try out 410 and 412 and was wondering if anyone on here has any experience bow hunting in these regions.

This is also Griz country and I don't know how comfortable I feel venturing in their by myself this fall. It might be fun to get a group of bow hunters together and head out for a couple of days. Let me know if you might be interested. Of course, suggestions for other good areas are always welcome.

Cheers,

John

[khilscher]

Sent you a PM.

--Kevin

[HerdBull]

There's some decent Elk in the west side of 412 but yer right, there's Grizz there too. We've seen quite a few down at the end of the Trans alta road (bears that is). There's a pretty good moose population in there too if you know where to look.

[Grizzlyman1980]

Just carry some Bear mase or stick em with an arrow if he comes to close!!

[HerdBull]

Please....for the love of god....edit that before anybody else reads it and this poor fellas thread turns into another sh1tshow. For everybodys sake...please? Lol

[st99]

hi,

I don't want to highjack this thread, but I don't hunt with a bow, and I always wandered how's the hunt for elk and mule deer in wmy 410. Is it good or they live only on the road ?

thanks for the info in advance..

[Johnny]

Originally Posted by HerdBull

There's some decent Elk in the west side of 412 but yer right, there's Grizz there too. We've seen quite a few down at the end of the Trans alta road (bears that is). There's a pretty good moose population in there too if you know where to look.

Thanks for the info Herdbull. I am trying to figure out where the transalta road is. I have only been up that way once.....is it north of Waiprous?

Moose are good too...I will more than likely carry a couple of tags in my pocket this fall.

[Frans]

Take the Forestry Trunk Rd exit on HW 1A, follow that all the way to where it turns to gravel. Turn right at the fork, and then an immediate left. The gate might be closed (not locked). Give'r West from there. At the very end you dip down into the river valley. You've just driven the Transalta Road! :-)

Unless my memory fails me (could happen easily) moose are on a draw in 412, but they are definitely there. To be honest, I've never seen an elk. Grizzly tracks, yes.

Frans

[HerdBull]

Rifle season they're on a draw. Archery season is a general tag, at least it was last time I hunted there (2 years ago). Be careful of that river valley, its a no-hunting zone eh. Its hard to see on the wmu map but its there. The elk we've seen in there are on the top of the valley on the east side, south of the transalta road. There was one massive bull in there 4 or 5 years ago. The moose we always found south of the trans alta road and about 2 miles east of the valley.

[TreeGuy]

Frans is right.

I've spent up to 30 trips in a season down into the Ghost (412) and have yet to see an elk. They just don't like the area for some reason, and generally, any seen in there are just passing through on their way east.

More bears and wolves than ever, despite the human 'incursion'. Moose and deer are getting a bit tougher to find.

As for 410........ get a map. It is a broken up zone with very specific boundries. I haven't hunted it, but have spent a ton of time in there in my scrambling days.

[BigRackLover]

Originally Posted by TreeGuy

I've spent up to 30 trips in a season down into the Ghost (412) and have yet to see an elk. They just don't like the area for some reason, and generally, any seen in there are just passing through on their way east.

That's because you stink!

Get some scent lok will yah!

The elk are there.

[Bulletproof]

I'm with tree and frans the ghost area is definatly no elk mecca. I don't know about 410 though. Even some of the long time hunters who have hunted the ghost area say that there never was much for elk. I have heard a few reports of the odd one sighted there in the last dew years though. If you can pull one out of there more power too ya!

[TreeGuy]

Originally Posted by BigRackLover

That's because you stink!

Get some scent lok will yah!

The elk are there.

I really have no come-back to that one. Proper scent lok for me would have to be sponsored by Ziplok!

I'm not saying there ain't elk in 412 though. I'm just saying that having hunted the Ghost extensively since 1995, I've just never seen one. I'd look at 316 long before targeting them in there. Probably more bears though.

[tkhiebs]

Would love to go bow hunting with someone this year I have been bow hunting since I was twelve.But that was in Saskatchewan. Learned How to elk call in the last 3-4 years. I went hunting by myself last year in bear/wolf country for 3 days and was not really comfortable the whole time.

[Johnny]

Thanks for the feedback everybody....I really appreciate it.

I did some bowhunting/scouting in 312 last year...There were some elk there although it is really hard to get permission in there. I was primarily interested in trying 410 and 412 this fall as this is Forestry Land Use zone and which I assume you can just walk on?? In 312, I got permission on a grazing lease although it was like pulling teeth to just get a couple of days and I'm not sure if I want to put up with the agony again this year.

Tkhiebs...send me a pm and maybe we can get together this fall. We could maybe go shoot at CAC some time. There is someone else who is interested in going out as well.

Tree - when you were hunting in 412..what were you primarily going after?? From what I recall ,,,you are a hardcore mule deer hunter and you got a nice one in the bow zone last fall. How do you get access in the zone

BigRack Lover - do you get down this way to hunt as well??

Thanks everyone

[TreeGuy]

Originally Posted by Johnny

Tree - when you were hunting in 412..what were you primarily going after?? From what I recall ,,,you are a hardcore mule deer hunter and you got a nice one in the bow zone last fall. How do you get access in the zone

If you think yer gonna git any 212 access info outta me you gots 'nother thing commin' bub! ...................

Yeah, the mulies are what drive me. I grew up on the East Coast with tiny whitetails, and always dreamed about chasing them up high.

With life, job and young children, I was lucky enough to be introduced to bowhunting with a permission very close to home. That's the game I've been playing for the past few seasons. Although, the boy is four years away from being 12, so the rifle thing will soon be reintroduced into my life and his.

The Ghost was teeming with deer back in the mid-late 90's when I first started hunting in there. Not so much any longer (unless ya really know where to look). The wolves moved in bigtime, and the grizz/cat populations really seemed to increase as well. Not to mention the logging and other human activity that comes with being so close to a city of 1 million.

There's game in there for sure, but you're going to have to work a bit for them. My best advice would be to get as far away from any road/trail as possible. The animals are so habitutated to vehicle activity that it's unreal. Even 500 yards in the bush will reveal a whole different world.

As for the monster mountain mulies, you're going to have to learn that for yourself. They're in there for sure, but you'll have to work for 'em. Good luck, and look at 316 for elk though. There's some crown land in there for sure.

[Johnny]

[QUOTE=TreeGuy;552079]If you think yer gonna git any 212 access info outta me you gots 'nother thing commin' bub! ...................

Hahaha!!!!! can't blame me for trying Rather than the bow zone...they should call it the no zone.

Thanks for all of your advice....if you are heading out to 316 and want to show a novice the lay of the land...it would be greatly appreciated...I am good company

Cheers

John