Suffield 732 Antlered Elk

Cornsy · #1 10-22-2020, 07:45 AM

Morning guys,

Just grabbed by tag for Nov 16-18 Antlered elk draw in 732. I've never been before and just looking if anyone has any insight, stories, pictures etc. of past hunts on the base. Pretty sure I have everything required as far as gear. We will be staying in Medicine Hat and in a perfect world I will have a free hotel room for someone for a couple of days if we tag out day 1. (knock on wood). Does anyone know if I should expect an email or some correspondence prior to the hunt. (example: meeting place, time, etc.)? Thanks

marky_mark · #2 10-22-2020, 08:25 AM

Get there real early
And a good parking spot that can’t be blocked in

Leaf · #3 10-22-2020, 12:18 PM

Antlerless, same dates here....

tbrown · #4 10-22-2020, 02:54 PM

Make sure you have a range finder and that you use it. They are big animals and in the prairie they appear to be much closer than they actually are.

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Faststeel · #5 10-22-2020, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cornsy

Morning guys,

Just grabbed by tag for Nov 16-18 Antlered elk draw in 732. I've never been before and just looking if anyone has any insight, stories, pictures etc. of past hunts on the base. Pretty sure I have everything required as far as gear. We will be staying in Medicine Hat and in a perfect world I will have a free hotel room for someone for a couple of days if we tag out day 1. (knock on wood). Does anyone know if I should expect an email or some correspondence prior to the hunt. (example: meeting place, time, etc.)? Thanks

Last time I was there the vast majority of the herd was in the area NE part of the base, its a restricted access place and I think only 25 hunters were drawn daily to enter the place. where all the elk were. The rest of us drove aimlessly around the base waiting to be drawn for a chance to visit the restricted area. Day three we were drawn, got our 2 cow elk late in the day and had to come back the next day to haul them out. Its not the super fantastic place it once was with lots of animals in a variety of locations through out the base. Don't get your hopes up for anything much bigger than a yearling spiker for your Bull tag.....FS

buckman · #6 10-22-2020, 04:20 PM

Very sad its been reduced to a meat hunt/cull.

When will the Bios who regulate hunting in Alberta start to wake up and manage for a quality hunt rather than there own misguided and stupid agenda.

The slaughter of Elk in the first season or two was a disgrace and an embarrassment to game management (or should I say mismanagement) for Alberta.

35 whelen · #7 10-22-2020, 05:10 PM

Unfortunately isn't that what these hunts are all about is culling the animals same as Camp Wainwright. One reason I've never taken advantage of them

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Faststeel · #8 10-22-2020, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buckman

Very sad its been reduced to a meat hunt/cull.

When will the Bios who regulate hunting in Alberta start to wake up and manage for a quality hunt rather than there own misguided and stupid agenda.

The slaughter of Elk in the first season or two was a disgrace and an embarrassment to game management (or should I say mismanagement) for Alberta.

well much of the slaughter was from a small group of indidvuals invited to the base, nothing to do with provincial employees

CanadianEh · #9 10-22-2020, 07:53 PM

My experience at suffield in January 2020 was much different.

I thoroughly enjoyed it. Not sure why people are saying a meat cull and its an awful hunt.. I belive there are alot of people that go and spend 3 days driving all the roads hoping for an easy shot from the road.. Didn't see any elk and assume there are none left.

We hiked in a long ways before finding a group of 4 bulls. 2 of which were decent. But not monsters. We followed them for a mile or so before they busted off. Luckily they essentially led us into a small group of 5 cows and 1 big bull. I was able to harvest 2 cow elk from that encounter. But had to leave them over night, come Back in the morning to pack them out.

On our way back in we crested a small rise and were about 500-700 yards from a huge herd of 1500 or more. We sat and watched for half hour or so with binos. There were a great many fantastic bulls in that group.

My best advice, if your drawn in the refuge, Drive in, park the truck and get some miles on the boots. You'll likely be cutting up and packing out meat that way.

Evan83 · #10 10-22-2020, 08:18 PM

Sounds like the briefings will be 6:45-7:30 ish. Nothing confirmed yet. Also looks like they will be using gates 12 and 24 for access. Lots of elk still. I’m sure there is the odd nice bull as well. Lots of places to hide away from the roads. If you get drawn for the NWA area prepare to walk a lot of miles and make sure you have something for packing out the meat.

Cornsy · #11 10-23-2020, 07:12 AM

Thanks guys. Keep the responses coming! I have a game cart on the way from Cabelas and am also bringing a sled just incase the snow is deep. Hunt should be interesting to say the least by the sounds of it!!

35 whelen · #12 10-23-2020, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Faststeel

well much of the slaughter was from a small group of indidvuals invited to the base, nothing to do with provincial employees

I'm guessing that's why they were invited there was to cull the animals

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buckman · #13 10-23-2020, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CanadianEh

My experience at suffield in January 2020 was much different.

I thoroughly enjoyed it. Not sure why people are saying a meat cull and its an awful hunt.. I belive there are alot of people that go and spend 3 days driving all the roads hoping for an easy shot from the road.. Didn't see any elk and assume there are none left.

We hiked in a long ways before finding a group of 4 bulls. 2 of which were decent. But not monsters. We followed them for a mile or so before they busted off. Luckily they essentially led us into a small group of 5 cows and 1 big bull. I was able to harvest 2 cow elk from that encounter. But had to leave them over night, come Back in the morning to pack them out.

On our way back in we crested a small rise and were about 500-700 yards from a huge herd of 1500 or more. We sat and watched for half hour or so with binos. There were a great many fantastic bulls in that group.

My best advice, if your drawn in the refuge, Drive in, park the truck and get some miles on the boots. You'll likely be cutting up and packing out meat that way.

If I ever applied for a tag I would follow your lead and make a proper hunt out of it. Good for you and well done on your ethics

mindoutside · #14 10-24-2020, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buckman

Very sad its been reduced to a meat hunt/cull.

When will the Bios who regulate hunting in Alberta start to wake up and manage for a quality hunt rather than there own misguided and stupid agenda.

The slaughter of Elk in the first season or two was a disgrace and an embarrassment to game management (or should I say mismanagement) for Alberta.

From some of the things I have heard, it's not the bios mismanaging, it's the government not taking their advise... Not sure about suffield.

To the OP, try and make sure you **** and poo before the briefing because the bathrooms get full and you end up having to wait in line for a while, making you late

kanny90 · #15 10-24-2020, 03:27 PM

Hey this hunt is good but could be frustrating at times, I've been there 3 times in the last 4 years and its not as easy as people think. Send me a PM and I can guide with some tips. So that your getting your elk on the first day. The first time I went we got our elk the 3rd day, the other 2 times in the first 6 hours.

CanadianEh · #16 10-25-2020, 10:12 PM

Don't be discouraged if you don't get drawn day 1 for the NWA

Each day they Increased the numbers. And heard the last day they pretty well Let everyone in the NWA

Jims83cj5 · #17 10-25-2020, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buckman

Very sad its been reduced to a meat hunt/cull.

When will the Bios who regulate hunting in Alberta start to wake up and manage for a quality hunt rather than there own misguided and stupid agenda.

The slaughter of Elk in the first season or two was a disgrace and an embarrassment to game management (or should I say mismanagement) for Alberta.

Lmao, go hunt there and see if it’s a cull, I have been there 3 times, got elk each time but had to pack it out 4 kms or more. You don’t work that hard anywhere. It’s not like it was back when everyone yapped about the slaughter, not even close, the last time I was there, 5 elk where shot in four days And I got two of those 5, it’s not easy bud,