hunting with or without a Quad, around Calgary.

[jayquiver]

Might be moving from Ft Mac to Calgary this year. I own a quad but I'm thinking of selling it as I only use it for hunting. They places I am looking at renting don’t have garages or yards, so storage is becoming a problem.

I plan on hunting in the foothills/mountains on crown land (300 and 400 WMU’s). I have never hunted this area before. My extent of hiking experience has been in the Provincial and National Parks while camping, not hunting.

For those of you who hunt within 2 hrs of Calgary 300 and 400 WMU’s. Are you mainly walking in and packing meat out ? Are quads a good tool or are there too many restrictions for them? Are there many trails for quads?

Typically I have used my quad to get into my hunting spots via pipelines, logging roads in Fort Mcmurray and Slave Lake area. I don’t usually “road hunt” on my quad but use to get into spots, then walk or sit. I use it to retrieve the animal.

I’m just not sure if a quad will be needed or useful for hunting in Calgary area in the foothill and mountains.

Keep it or sell it ?

[W921]

In the south I won't go anywhere that allows quads. There are just to many people. If you can get there easily then so can everybody else.

[wwbirds]

think Bob creek still has a quad trail but anywhere we have hunted was foot access only. As the poster above says if quads were allowed there would be far too many people in there buzzing around and no game animals.

[realist]

WMU's 414-420 has lots of pipeline trails, old logging roads, and cutlines. Trail maps available, few restrictions, and almost no enforcement, except on summer long weekends.
316 and 318 over-used, messy, lots of weekend warriors, thus more enforcement. Lots of pipelines, but too many users, making the game sightings scarce. I'll quad to a spot and hike in about 1-2 km into logged areas, away from the trails. Been hunting these areas for over 35 yrs.

[Dubious]

Make sure you read the regs fish and game put trail cams out on some of those trails and check for compliance.

•carry a weapon (see definition) on an OHV between 1 hour before sunrise and the following noon during an open season for big game* on public land in the following WMUs: 102-166, 200-260, 300-351, 354-360, 400-446, 507, 508, 514, 521, 522, 526 and 841. This does not apply to a person who is traveling on a direct route to or from a location accessible by vehicles designed for highway travel and his or her isolated campsite, and the weapons and ammunition are carried out of view in separate locked containers (and remain locked during the trip). Also, the restriction does not apply in a WMU when the only big game season open is a spring black bear season.
* this restriction applies to all hunters (including bird game hunters).

To report suspected poaching, or serious public land abuse, call the toll-free Report A Poacher line at 1-800-642-3800 or visit alberta.ca/report-a-poacher. Both the line and webpage can also be used for emergencies involving wildlife.

Tired of the quad squad blowing by on closed trails not caring, looking forward to collecting some of that reward money.

[alpineguy]

If you are willing to pack out your harvest my choice would be to go where quads aren't allowed.
As more areas get shut down for ATV's the concentration of users is higher and as stated earlier in this thread, it will be busy.
Lots of great areas to hunt within a couple hours of Calgary for deer, elk and moose IMO
Good Luck!!

[Masterchief]

You would be fine without one, a sled works great for pulling deer out of the bush. There's lots of road hunters, but it's pretty easy to park and sneak into the bush 1-2 km. Be aware that there are restrictions down here so lots of areas can't use quads while hunting until noon.

[jayquiver]

Well I sold my quad yesterday and I am moving to Calgary in November after 20 Years in Fort McMurray. Thanks for the replies earlier this year.

Looking forward to hunting some new terrain, new areas and maybe some new game.

Going to invest in a spotting scope, new boots and maybe a new pack.

[ZJHoban]

To build on OP's thread. How would one go about finding areas where quads aren't allowed? Everywhere I go seems to have a large staging area filled with ohvs or is a draw only zone.

Thanks guys

[KazIce]

I don’t have a quad and don’t see the need for one around Calgary. It’s nice, if you can use it. More and more places you can’t use it. I know some guys who hunt on crown and use their quads to go deep and they do alright.

When it comes to finding places that don’t allow quads, don’t worry. Even where quads aren’t allowed lots of enthusiast riders still use them there. I recommend looking at the map of where you are hunting and make a plan. I use the satellite view on google or apple maps to identify locations that quads can’t get to. That’s where the game will often be imo.

[Big Grey Wolf]

When I reviewed this years regs, it seems almost every WMU is now Quad use All day now, starting this year. However I have never had a elk or moose jump into my quad trailer. Use it to get back, then start hunting with your boots and use to haul game out.

[Positrac]

Originally Posted by jayquiver

Well I sold my quad yesterday and I am moving to Calgary in November after 20 Years in Fort McMurray. Thanks for the replies earlier this year.

Looking forward to hunting some new terrain, new areas and maybe some new game.

Going to invest in a spotting scope, new boots and maybe a new pack.

Congrats on the move. Nothing wrong with Fort McMurray and it’s been good to us but a new adventure in a new area is always exciting.

I moved positions within the same company almost 4 years ago and it’s been bus in/out for 7 days at a time since. Our plan was to move to Calgary when I applied for the position not because we wanted out of Fort Mac but because we wanted both kids to be able to stay home and be able to go to university. With the oldest in grade 12 now we may be following you down there if my wife gets her way....

[Red Bullets]

Hope the move goes smooth. Should be an interesting change. Start putting in your antelope and turkey draws. More variety of game and terrain. For walk in hunting have a 2 wheeled game cart if you need.

[jayquiver]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

Hope the move goes smooth. Should be an interesting change. Start putting in your antelope and turkey draws. More variety of game and terrain. For walk in hunting have a 2 wheeled game cart if you need.

Those carts and e-bikes look like interesting options.

Started building priorities that a while ago.

Turkey - 9
Antelope - 5
Mule Deer 5 and 6

Should only be a few more years for Turkey.