gonna be a tough hunt this year

The problem as of late is that due to low moose populations in many northern parts, wolves have moved into the more southern areas to dine on deer. Now that the deer population is at a very low point, they've started killing quite a bit of livestock which is found in the same areas as deer. Once they figure out how easy of a meal it is, they concentrate solely on beef. Add to that the fact very few are actively trapping due to high fuel prices and low fur prices and the ones left "hunting" are the odd deer hunters and ranchers that shoot one opportunistically, as actually being successful in targeting wolves is a very involved process.

And in exceptional circumstances, a wolf cull is the correct answer, particularly when wolf predation of livestock occurs outside their (the wolf's) normal range.
 
Same here; ironically there are about 8000 too many elk in the Block ( real number too) but Fish and Wildlife are sitting on the fence with their thumb stuck up their arse.
It's going to be an ecological disaster of legendary scale if they don't do something. The Engineering Corp will be bulldozing some big pits to make that go away...

YA what's up with Alberta... Heaven forbid they give hunters a general season to help manage the elk herds... In places there were no elk 5-10 years ago but no, let's screw it up make it a draw only zone. Would be nice if they said here's a bull tag, here's a supplemental cow tag for like 2 seasons. At least!! gotta wonder. Meanwhile farmers had enough of them screwing up their crops. I'd be more in favour of this than having govt do a cull. Let the hunters cull a few
 
YA what's up with Alberta... Heaven forbid they give hunters a general season to help manage the elk herds... In places there were no elk 5-10 years ago but no, let's screw it up make it a draw only zone. Would be nice if they said here's a bull tag, here's a supplemental cow tag for like 2 seasons. At least!! gotta wonder. Meanwhile farmers had enough of them screwing up their crops. I'd be more in favour of this than having govt do a cull. Let the hunters cull a few


My elk count is 100+ on the west 1/4 of WMU 360 and that's just what I have stumbled across while looking for deer, I had applied for a cow elk draw but I guess they don't like giving out tags that are easy to fill? And out of that 100+ elk there were only 3 maybe 4 legal bulls.... It's been typical to spot 2 distinct herds of 25-30 cow's with a couple spikers for the last month and a few smaller herds roaming back yards and green strips.... If we get lots of snow this winter the farmers are going to have there hands full.
 
I am not familiar with Grey wolf/Timber wolf behaviour. Around here, we only have smaller eastern wolf (AKA Algonquin wolf). Unlike pesky coyotes who thrive around humans, these wolves are completely dependent on wild game for their survival. They avoid humans at all cost. Any drop in deer/moose population is almost immediately followed by a similar drop in their population. So in a sense, nature keeps the balance perfectly. No need for us humans to tell the nature how to do its job.

It is the invasive coyotes that have learned how to cheat by looking into human activity to make up for any wild game shortage. Hence, their population is exploding everywhere. That makes them a serious threat to deer/moose population. Specially when they are down. I don't mind giving nature a helping hand with coyotes.
 
I am not familiar with Grey wolf/Timber wolf behaviour. Around here, we only have smaller eastern wolf (AKA Algonquin wolf). Unlike pesky coyotes who thrive around humans, these wolves are completely dependent on wild game for their survival. They avoid humans at all cost. Any drop in deer/moose population is almost immediately followed by a similar drop in their population. So in a sense, nature keeps the balance perfectly. No need for us humans to tell the nature how to do its job.

It is the invasive coyotes that have learned how to cheat by looking into human activity to make up for any wild game shortage. Hence, their population is exploding everywhere. I don't mind giving nature a helping hand with coyotes.

We have a healthy grey wolf population here. We also have sufficient game to support their numbers. All the same, they will kill and eat sled dogs, local mushers lost quite a few last winter, and I recall the cold winter morning some years ago that a lady put Fluffy out on the step, and the next thing she knew, half or Fluffy went one way and the other half the other. A community wolf hunt followed later that day.
 
We have a healthy grey wolf population here. We also have sufficient game to support their numbers. All the same, they will kill and eat sled dogs, local mushers lost quite a few last winter, and I recall the cold winter morning some years ago that a lady put Fluffy out on the step, and the next thing she knew, half or Fluffy went one way and the other half the other. A community wolf hunt followed later that day.

son-of-a-B, hate to hear chite like that!
 
The Timber wolves around the NE corner of the "under the tree line" area of sask is suffering massive wolf issues. They are killing everything. I will try to get permission of the trapper I mention earlier, he's a friend, of the photo I have that his wife took of him holding one up by the neck as high as he can. He's 6'1" and the wolf easily reaches the ground with its head just above his. It comes in at around 150 pds. It's a monster.
 
The area where we hunt had the antlerless deer tags cut drastically. Last year 2,000 tags were issued. This year only 400 were issued. Last winter was brutal.
 
YA what's up with Alberta... Heaven forbid they give hunters a general season to help manage the elk herds... In places there were no elk 5-10 years ago but no, let's screw it up make it a draw only zone. Would be nice if they said here's a bull tag, here's a supplemental cow tag for like 2 seasons. At least!! gotta wonder. Meanwhile farmers had enough of them screwing up their crops. I'd be more in favour of this than having govt do a cull. Let the hunters cull a few

I've worked in 'The Block' and to see 200-300 at a time was easy 3-4 years ago. Now it's crazy. Word is there are World class bull's out there.
The sad part is when it all comes apart like a cheap suit ( disease most likely); Fish & Wildlife will likely say " Jeez, we didn't know..."
 
I've been out grouse hunting and scouting for the up and coming Deer hunting seasons. Haven't seen a Buck for ages. Didn't see any rubs anywhere. The usual beaten down deer paths show very little sign of traffic. Only saw a few does over time. The recent tough winters that we've had, I believe has take their toll on them. A friend told me that the huge Sandilands area where he lives has very few deer left there. The wolves are plentiful out there. I'd like some fresh meat, but I'm sort of thinking about sitting this season out. A tough call to make. I've hunted every year of my life since it was legal to do so. I'm old now and prolly don't have many hunts left in me. I do love being in the bush and have looked forward to it every year. What are you doing this year?

I just came back from spending the first week of muzzleloader season camped out in the Sandilands.
During that time there was very little deer movement during the daytime. Trail cams were virtually empty most days. I did get one nice buck on cam (see below), but that has been the only one and rutting signs are sparse at best.
Past well traveled deer trails show only occasional use now, and even walking the ATV trails and old fireguards looking for deer tracks only came up with random crossing points, but no shortage of coyote/wolf prints.
Personally, I will only be taking a mature buck and passing up on any others in hopes they survive the winter.
Like yourself, I'm getting a little long in the tooth when it comes to spending days on end walking the bush, but can't bring myself to call it quits just yet.
:cheers:

 
Last edited:
Thats the first MB I have seen all year. One button buck on camera and maybe 6 does. Probably a 70 percent reduction jn the last 3 years for my areas
 
Only does and fawns on my cams as well as a few bears and a couple wolves.....I will go perch myself up in the stand for a week starting on the 10th and enjoy what nature has to offer ....And it sure beats the hell out of being at work!
 
The latest final cold snap, what I guess could be called a snap since it has been so mild, has finally made the animals move, first snow fall has which has melted did give some bucks a needed kick in the arse to get out and moving around, still in bachelor groups but two more weeks and that will be history.

Overall numbers to seem to be average or slightly less , the animals I have seen and gotten on cam all seem to be healthy, some twins from spring some singles.My direct area seems like it will be good but the adjoining farm areas don't show the animals in the open that I am used to.Coyotes seem unaffected.

The bucks are not monsters but I imagine they are just in the shadows for now.







 
Last edited:
Most of these are from cams on my bear baiting sites but all of them are on the same 80 acres. Not looking too bad for the years to come.

buck4_zpsa9c9014f.jpg


buckPICT0139_zpsbc7a9fd5.jpg
buckPICT0137_zps190c0527.jpg


buckPICT0037_zpscf4411b2.jpg


buckPICT0011_zpsb1939618.jpg


buckPICT0004_zps0c2809d7.jpg


buckMFDC0482_zpsfa3acb62.jpg


buckPICT0106_zps91efd773.jpg
 
The area where we hunt had the antlerless deer tags cut drastically. Last year 2,000 tags were issued. This year only 400 were issued. Last winter was brutal.

Yup - central Ontario is done. Second year in a row without a doe tag. Almost worth considering a moritorium on deer hunting for a season just to give the population a chance to bounce back. Or import a couple dozen mature bucks from PA and let 'em loose right after rifle season ends. All I've seen so far in the bush is half a dozen does from this spring's crop...
 
Just came back from hunt camp. It is brutal. 3 days of hunting with 5 guys and only two glimpse of small does. Neighbouring hunt camps reported the same. My first hint came when my trail cameras started showing an unusual number of mature does with no fawns following them this summer, but I was kind of hoping for the best. Last winter did a number on everything here.
 
In southwest sask whitetail numbers seem way down still. But mule deer numbers seem as good as ever. I went out the other night and probably saw 50-60 mule deer and 5 or 6 were good size bucks in only a couple hours of looking on our land. Should be a good mule deer hunt for me but I might end up passing on the whitetail unless I find a very nice buck.
 
they just said on the radio this morning that the deer population is away down in most of the Province, except in Winnipeg. Apparently they are there in great numbers. Better protection from predators. I don't suppose the new Mayor will announce hunting is now open with in the city limits:p
 
they just said on the radio this morning that the deer population is away down in most of the Province, except in Winnipeg. Apparently they are there in great numbers. Better protection from predators. I don't suppose the new Mayor will announce hunting is now open with in the city limits:p

Well he has been touting his 'aboriginal heritage'. Maybe a traditional Métis/Aboriginal hunt with high powered rifles and spotlights could be arranged?

(Just ribbing to all the rights based hunters who actually have some respect for the process. I see a lot of system abuse....)
 
Back
Top Bottom