elk hunting

[skipper09]

Hi friends
Lots of time to do a little research on elk hunting. Can someone please tell me where to go to go elk hunting in fort mcmurray area? Also am i aloud to use a crossbow? Thank-you .

[IR_mike]

Get a copy of the Alberta hunting regs which should be out in june I believe and find out where it is legal to hunt them.

There is no season within a 2 hr drive from ft mac, figure out where you want to hunt them and start walking the area and talking to people that have hunted them or live in your chosen area.
Optimisim is also a factor concerning elk.
Good luck.

[Duk Dog]

Last years regs.

http://www.albertaregulations.ca/huntingregs/

[elkhunter11]

Can someone please tell me where to go to go elk hunting in fort mcmurray area?

There is no open season for elk in the Fort Mcmurray area.

[CNP]

Also am i aloud to use a crossbow?

No, unless you meet the conditions in the regs (permanently handicapped and issued a CB license).

Originally Posted by ehntr

No, unless you meet the conditions in the regs (permanently handicapped and issued a CB license).

Or Yes....during rifle season.

[jaylow?]

your not going to see an elk anywhere near fort mcmurray.
the closest herd around there would be the athabasca and boyle area.

[elkhunter11]

your not going to see an elk anywhere near fort mcmurray.
the closest herd around there would be the athabasca and boyle area.

Actually there are a few scattered elk around Fort Mcmurray,I have seen a couple myself.

[marlin1]

personally I think a crossbow is not enough for an elk . But then again I watched a guy drop a black bear with one on tv yesterday. Pretty close from a tree stand in northern Ontario.

[Duk Dog]

Originally Posted by marlin1

personally I think a crossbow is not enough for an elk . But then again I watched a guy drop a black bear with one on tv yesterday. Pretty close from a tree stand in northern Ontario.

A crossbow will work just as well as a compound bow IMO.

[whitetailhntr]

Originally Posted by marlin1

personally I think a crossbow is not enough for an elk . But then again I watched a guy drop a black bear with one on tv yesterday. Pretty close from a tree stand in northern Ontario.

Please explain to me, cause i'm not real smart, how a crossbow isn't enough for elk?There are scores of elk shot every year with traditional archery gear as well as crossbows all over north america.Arrows tipped with broadheads kill in the same fashion not matter what they are fired from! As long as the draw weight is adequate I see no difference. Just wonderin is all??

[jaylow?]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

Actually there are a few scattered elk around Fort Mcmurray,I have seen a couple myself.

really?
what area around fort mac would that have been?
i grew up in the area , hunted and fished everywhere around there. ive never seen or even heard from another hunter of ever seeing one. ive run into the rare woodland caribou a few times , but never an elk.

[elkhunter11]

really?
what area around fort mac would that have been?
i grew up in the area , hunted and fished everywhere around there. ive never seen or even heard from another hunter of ever seeing one. ive run into the rare woodland caribou a few times , but never an elk.

Obviously you didn't hunt and fish "everywhere" in the area,or you would have seen elk yourself.I have seen elk just south of the city,and a friend of mine also saw elk in the same area.And both of us are well aware of the differences between elk and caribou.

[marlin1]

Originally Posted by whitetailhntr

Please explain to me, cause i'm not real smart, how a crossbow isn't enough for elk?There are scores of elk shot every year with traditional archery gear as well as crossbows all over north america.Arrows tipped with broadheads kill in the same fashion not matter what they are fired from! As long as the draw weight is adequate I see no difference. Just wonderin is all??

I can't explain it to you because like I said "personally I think" its only my opinion. I have hunted elk though and seen how tough they are. How close would you have to be for a killing shot? just curious?

[whitetailhntr]

Originally Posted by marlin1

I can't explain it to you because like I said "personally I think" its only my opinion. I have hunted elk though and seen how tough they are. How close would you have to be for a killing shot? just curious?

I'm not a crossbow hunter or a bowhunter for that matter.I do however know that broadheads kill by causing lacerations to vital organs inducing hemoraging and ultimatly death.Whether it was fired from a bow or crossbow is irrelavent as long as the arrow goes where it's supposed to go....much like a bullet does.I to have hunted elk an agree they are big tough critters but place your shot and they die...guns, bows, and crossbows included.As far as effective range for a crossbow, I have no idea because I've never used one.

[ABDUKNUT]

Of course any half-decent modern hunting crossbow would have no trouble shooting down an elk. No different than a compound, recurve or stick bow. The Indians killed more elk than all of us put together with very primitive weapons, compared to what we have access to today. Even the biggest game animals on the planet have been taken easily with a crossbow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJokpxvMmvA

Originally Posted by ABDUKNUT

Of course any half-decent modern hunting crossbow would have no trouble shooting down an elk. No different than a compound, recurve or stick bow. The Indians killed more elk than all of us put together with very primitive weapons, compared to what we have access to today. Even the biggest game animals on the planet have been taken easily with a crossbow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJokpxvMmvA

Thats bang on the money. A xbow will put a bolt right through an elk or moose. As for distance, that depends on how far you can accurately shoot one. With a season of consistant shooting, I would venture a guess that 80-90 yards would be fairly comfortable. This would be in ideal weather conditions, a scope, broadside shot at an animal with a large kill zone.

IMHO

[elkhunter11]

I would venture a guess that 80-90 yards would be fairly comfortable.

The people trying to convince everyone that crossbows should be allowed in the regular bow season might disagree.They contend that a crossbow has the same effective range as a compound bow,which is much less than 80-90 yards.

[marlin1]

I was under the impression a cross bow has less range than a compound

[jaylow?]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

Obviously you didn't hunt and fish "everywhere" in the area,or you would have seen elk yourself.I have seen elk just south of the city,and a friend of mine also saw elk in the same area.And both of us are well aware of the differences between elk and caribou.

well its not impossible. someone told me about a grizzly sow they seen west of the city. but if you could hunt elk in the area , id say you'd be having a pretty disappointing season... or decade.

[elkhunter11]

I was under the impression a cross bow has less range than a compound

How did you come by this impression?Have you hunted with either a bow or a crossbow?Have you even fired both at targets?

Have a look at the crossbow at the link below.
http://www.huntingpa.com/forums/ubbt...&Number=954100

[jaylow?]

crossbows can drop an elephant.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJokp...eature=related

[marlin1]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

How did you come by this impression?Have you hunted with either a bow or a crossbow?Have you even fired both at targets?

Have a look at the crossbow at the link below.
http://www.huntingpa.com/forums/ubbt...&Number=954100

thanks for the info but I think I'll stick to my 7mm. looks like crossbows have come a long ways

[Mistagin]

It's pretty easy to find out the maximum effective hunting range for a crossbow - shoot one for yourself!

80-90 yards!!!!! No way!!!!! You'd have to lob in the bolts like a mortar! That's like saying my .270 is a 1500 yard "drop 'em down dead" shooter (I suppose it's possible, but not in my hands, or anyone else I know!). I had quite a heated "discussion" with a feller at the Edmonton Sportsman Show who was rabidly opposed to crossbows, and I had to yank his chain a bit ; he was trying to make the case that crossbows would ruin hunting in Alberta because "they can shoot out to 100 yards". Bullpoop propaganda by the anti-crossbow crowd! Most modern compounds can shoot just as far, if not further, than a hunting crossbow, and just as accurately in the hands of practiced user.

I have an Excalibur Phoenix, 175 pound draw. It is very accurate, but 40 yards is about as far as it goes for making an ethical shot on a deer size critter in the best conditions; smaller critters, shorter ranges - and that's just common sense. Can it shoot further? Yes, it can. I've shot considerably farther on a range, with good accuracy, but trajectory, gravity and wind and just the fact that the bolt slows down makes long shooting unethical (just like with compounds, recurves, and longbows).

By the way, lest someone flame me for having a crossbow and intending to use it for hunting (during firearm season ), I also shoot traditional with a recurve - 55 pound at 29 inch draw; It'll shoot 40 yards + too, but I limit myself to 20 yards in hunting situations. It's not always what the equipment can do, it's what you can do with the equipment.

[elkhunter11]

Most modern compounds can shoot just as far, if not further, than a hunting crossbow, and just as accurately in the hands of practiced user.

Most but no all crossbows.Look at the link below.

http://www.huntingpa.com/forums/ubbt...&Number=954100

[marlin1]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

How did you come by this impression?Have you hunted with either a bow or a crossbow?Have you even fired both at targets?

Have a look at the crossbow at the link below.
http://www.huntingpa.com/forums/ubbt...&Number=954100

probally read some info about bow hunting years ago . Sorry if I ruffled your feathers but I was led to believe a crossbow is only good out to about 40 yards . No I never shot a cross bow only a compound. I guess you could drop an elk with one with proper placement . I guess you could also drop a caribou with a .22 with proper placement.

[Stinky Buffalo]

I have an Excalibur Phoenix, 175 pound draw. It is very accurate

That's a really nice crossbow. Had a chance to take one on a 3D course last year and had a blast with it!

For those that haven't had a chance to shoot one, I'd encourage you to give it a whirl, even if you're not really planning on getting one. Personally, I ended up buying a compound instead (from a member on this site) but I guess you could say that it helped fuel my interest in archery. Some day I hope to buy a crossbow too, but right now I have a "minimalist" arsenal... Bugetary constraints and all...

Stinky