Suffield

[atka]

How’s the hunt? How are the safety measures they have put in place?

[ADHAM]

Originally Posted by atka

How’s the hunt? How are the safety measures they have put in place?

Sucks the roads are so ugly lots of people stuck all over!! spent my whole day helping an old fellow out other then that its ok no one shooting no one


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[Evan83]

With the snow we got there won’t be many roads open on the base.

[Golly]

It took us till 10:50am to actually get through the W12 gate. Super slow getting through the briefing and vehicle inspections compared to last year. However we were able to harvest a nice (not huge) 6x6 bull. It took my helper and I 6 hours to get him to the truck using both a sleigh and a game cart. I’m not sure the exact distance we had to pull but the snow sure made it difficult.

[Drewski Canuck]

Golly,

How much snow are you talking about?

Has it warmed up enough in the daytime to melt the snow?

I'm on the next session for cow elk.

I'm hoping that the snow will melt down and the water will keep the elk spread out over the base instead of all in the NWA.

There should have been lots of grass all over the base this year.

Drewski

[Gabriel S.]

It was -12 yesterday at noon, I doubt it will melt until next week. Snow depth varies from a few inches to a few feet in some places. It will not be an easy hunt. As other people said orientation was brutally slow and poorly organized.
Some roads are ok but most of them are inaccessible, haven’t been cleaned or the wind blow the snow back in the road. Very little maintenance was done to the roads. Be prepared.

[Hunter4ever12]

Originally Posted by Drewski Canuck

Golly,

How much snow are you talking about?

Has it warmed up enough in the daytime to melt the snow?

I'm on the next session for cow elk.

I'm hoping that the snow will melt down and the water will keep the elk spread out over the base instead of all in the NWA.

There should have been lots of grass all over the base this year.

Drewski

Suppose to be plus 8 today and plus 4 tomorrow with high winds. Some snow will melt but we literally got 3’ of snow in a day plus everything else that accumulated. Half the spots my buddies hunt around here are all no goes unless you’re going on with a sled. Good luck though,things might still work out for you.

[Faststeel]

Iwas down south of medicine hat wed through sat last week, the temp was only -3, but with 29 km wind that turns into -21 in a hurry, massive snow drifts every place in the middle of a nice wide piece of gravel, buddy tried going through 2 times and got massively high centered both times. There is some thing to be said for being second in line. I stopped and got out and hadalook, as I only had an extra 100 yards to wakl to the famers gate....

[HuntWithABrittany]

Originally Posted by atka

How’s the hunt? How are the safety measures they have put in place?

I was 2nd onto the base at the North Gate. I'm alone so can't do NWA. Really late start. Headed east, the guy in front of me spooked 2 bulls and they ran away, i tried to follow but trails were impassible. I walked but crusty/deep snow was very hard to walk in up the hills. I didn't see the bulls again. Drove around all day and didn't see any elk. Tried to get out in the late afternoon and so many roads blocked from drifts i had to turn around 5 times. I helped pull out a couple stuck trucks with my tow strap. Trucks everywhere, nobody seeing anything. Maybe nwa but i heard that double wide was impassible too so don't see how anyone could get to mounted rifles road. All in all pretty crappy and i didn't go back today. If they wanted the elk harvested i think they should have plowed a few roads. Oh and the highway was glaze ice heading up to the north gate. It's melting now so actually the base will probably be way worse today and tomorrow... Heavy wet snow and mud mixed in, lovely. Wasted a 14 year bull elk priority, my mistake, but i didn't know the conditions would be like this and also i thought I'd have a helper and could do nwa but that didn't work out. I won't be back.

[slopeshunter]

Originally Posted by HuntWithABrittany

I was 2nd onto the base at the North Gate. I'm alone so can't do NWA. Really late start. Headed east, the guy in front of me spooked 2 bulls and they ran away, i tried to follow but trails were impassible. I walked but crusty/deep snow was very hard to walk in up the hills. I didn't see the bulls again. Drove around all day and didn't see any elk. Tried to get out in the late afternoon and so many roads blocked from drifts i had to turn around 5 times. I helped pull out a couple stuck trucks with my tow strap. Trucks everywhere, nobody seeing anything. Maybe nwa but i heard that double wide was impassible too so don't see how anyone could get to mounted rifles road. All in all pretty crappy and i didn't go back today. If they wanted the elk harvested i think they should have plowed a few roads. Oh and the highway was glaze ice heading up to the north gate. It's melting now so actually the base will probably be way worse today and tomorrow... Heavy wet snow and mud mixed in, lovely. Wasted a 14 year bull elk priority, my mistake, but i didn't know the conditions would be like this and also i thought I'd have a helper and could do nwa but that didn't work out. I won't be back.

14 years. That stings. Sorry to hear that.

[HuntWithABrittany]

At least I've had freezers full of moose and deer during those 14 years of waiting, and I'm a bowhunter so maybe i can go for archery elk somewhere in southern Alberta next year. Dammit i really thought it would be different but hey, hunting is never a guarantee right?

[atka]

Almost sounds like they should have canceled it. Since they probably don’t have the people on base to maintain the roads. I’ll have to see how it goes.

[Faststeel]

Originally Posted by atka

Almost sounds like they should have canceled it. Since they probably don’t have the people on base to maintain the roads. I’ll have to see how it goes.

They must have road maintence people and equipment, just not using it for the general public's welfare

[Golly]

Originally Posted by Drewski Canuck

Golly,

How much snow are you talking about?

Has it warmed up enough in the daytime to melt the snow?

I'm on the next session for cow elk.

I'm hoping that the snow will melt down and the water will keep the elk spread out over the base instead of all in the NWA.

There should have been lots of grass all over the base this year.

Drewski

Like others have said, the snow depth varies from a few inches on the very top of hills with short grass to a few feet.
It’s hard to tell if there is lots of grass because the snow has it either packed down it hiding it all together.
I was only out yesterday so I’m not sure about the conditions now but it sure wasn’t melting yesterday. It was actually kind of cold in the late afternoon getting our elk out. My truck doesn’t have an ambient temperature readout so I’m not sure of the actual temperature. It’s amazing how different it can be from year to year. Last year we hunted the second season in January and there was absolutely no snow at all.

[atka]

Yes but if the base was being used the roads would be clear. I’ve done some work at other bases and they are basically running a skeleton crew on base. I’d assume suffield is the same. Also are the British still there?

[Golly]

Originally Posted by atka

Yes but if the base was being used the roads would be clear. I’ve done some work at other bases and they are basically running a skeleton crew on base. I’d assume suffield is the same. Also are the British still there?

The one military guy I spoke to during the vehicle inspection told us there was basically no one on the base all year (except a special forces team did some training) because of COVID.

[58thecat]

Flat, windy, cold, miserable place......

[Simplefarmer]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

Flat, windy, cold, miserable place......

The biodiversity of this area is simply amazing, the landscape rolls from bad lands through to river coulees providing breath taking views actually... If you find this area miserable, well you are missing out on a gem that most will never witness other than on the internet.

The area got 12 - 16 inch of snow closer to the South end, northern area was 24 plus and the drifting is solid and near impassible in many areas.

Good luck and there is a few good bulls left... One taken outside that made it over 350 earlier in October.

Jim

[Drewski Canuck]

Any final numbers from the first hunt? Did the roads improve as trucks started breaking trails through the drifts?

I'm on the second hunt and have been battling truck demons that have been kind enough to surface before I am in the middle of nowhere on the base next week.

It is supposed to get above zero this weekend, and with the winds at Suffield, the snow will be stripped off pretty quickly if all goes well.

Drewski

[Faststeel]

Originally Posted by Drewski Canuck

Any final numbers from the first hunt? Did the roads improve as trucks started breaking trails through the drifts?

I'm on the second hunt and have been battling truck demons that have been kind enough to surface before I am in the middle of nowhere on the base next week.

It is supposed to get above zero this weekend, and with the winds at Suffield, the snow will be stripped off pretty quickly if all goes well.

Drewski

D
The amount of snow fallen in the region is not stripping off any time soon, I an 6ft 5 in tall and I found lots of places with snow over my waist, most folks gave me the impression very few roads were plowed this week. If there is no one on the base, the need to plow the roads just for hunting, is not happening. You maybe in for a very tough hunt if only a few roads are passable....FS

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Simplefarmer

The biodiversity of this area is simply amazing, the landscape rolls from bad lands through to river coulees providing breath taking views actually... If you find this area miserable, well you are missing out on a gem that most will never witness other than on the internet.

The area got 12 - 16 inch of snow closer to the South end, northern area was 24 plus and the drifting is solid and near impassible in many areas.

Good luck and there is a few good bulls left... One taken outside that made it over 350 earlier in October.

Jim

ohhh and -30 or +30...nothing in between....just poking about the area spent many days, weeks, months....in Suffield...ex army....like every area in Canada it has spots that are just breathtaking and worth just sitting back and soaking it in....

[Rocky14]

Originally Posted by Drewski Canuck

Any final numbers from the first hunt? Did the roads improve as trucks started breaking trails through the drifts?

I'm on the second hunt and have been battling truck demons that have been kind enough to surface before I am in the middle of nowhere on the base next week.

It is supposed to get above zero this weekend, and with the winds at Suffield, the snow will be stripped off pretty quickly if all goes well.

Drewski

67 elk taken in week 1 (15 antlered, 52 antlerless).

[thumper]

67 elk taken - Thanks!
Do you know how many hunters showed up?

[Drewski Canuck]

Can you tell us if the trails improved at all towards the end?

Am on the next hunt, and am packing tire chains, and tow slings, but sure do not want to have to use them!

Drewski

[lone wolf]

I cannot speak for the base however I can say that conditions in the local area are brutal for trying to access anywhere on regular trails. Lots of snow which has now packed really hard on top - can support weight to walk but not a vehicle. Anyone heading down this way bring shovels and recovery equipment. I have been out the last few days and it is really tough to get around in most spots. Good luck and be safe. I am familiar with Suffield and I am glad I am not out there this week.

[lone wolf]

Originally Posted by atka

Also are the British still there?

Not this year, and they may not return. Huge blow to an already battered local economy.

[Dean2]

You guys may want to put a Skidoo in the box, if nothing else to help recover game, off the base, and for emergency egress.

[lone wolf]

Originally Posted by Dean2

You guys may want to put a Skidoo in the box, if nothing else to help recover game, off the base, and for emergency egress.

Yes, it`s that bad down South. IIRC you will not be allowed to use one on the base.

[Leaf]

I wouldn't say the roads improved, the snow slightly melted which did improve the likelihood of not bottoming out your vehicle. The mud was starting to really show by day 3, especially on the unimproved roads. I suspect with melt it will only get worse. Drive smart and know your vehicles limits.

Speaking to Fish and Wildlife, they've have had issues with equipment therefore most roads were not plowed prior to the first hunt. They said they were planning to plow but I wouldn't count on it. Plan to walk into whichever point you were planning to start your hike.

[krefrig]

We were one of the first people on the base every day. We saw elk in every part of the base. Just had to decide which herd to make a play on.
Be prepared to walk in and retrieve your game.
Saw lots of decent bulls and don't get stuck on the NWA cause honestly we saw herds everywhere we went.
Harvested our cows on the third day. Had to drag about a mile with a sleigh. Roads were terrible however we were prepared.
Not the easiest hunt I have been on there but with some effort you will be rewarded. Don't expect to drive up on a herd and shoot by the truck cause those opportunities where few and far between.
Good luck to those going forward