BC hunting Elk, Moose and Mule deer.

P

pipeliner

CGN Regular
Rating - 100%
101   0   0
Location
Prairies
This prairie boy just visited BC for the first time. It didn't take long for me to decide that this is where I'd like to spend the rest of my life. But, before I list my house I need to figure a few things out. (Work isn't an issue.)

I really just want to live in the best hunting area possible. No, I am not asking for hunting spots! Just areas, I prefer to live rural and have no problem traveling 20-30 minutes to the nearest town. (2 hours to nearest city is fine.) If you know of any areas that have healthy Moose, Elk and Mule deer populations I'd love to know. I don't want to spend the rest of my days waiting on draw results!

So please take a minute and let me know if you have some suggestions. I'd appreciate it.

:cheers:
 
I'd suggest downloading a set of the BC hunting regs and explore the general open seasons for the species you like to go after. That should help since many regions in BC are Limited Entry for moose. Off the top I'd say get to know the Peace region, north-east corner of the province. That's where we head to if the Limited Entry gods don't smile on our group.
 
Last edited:
Norwestalta said:
Dawson creek, chetwynd or tumbler ridge.
Click to expand...

I can't say this is bad advice, though moose numbers are down a bit in this area it is still better than almost anywhere else in the province. Hopefully they'll close the any bull moose opener in August and start the season Sept.1 for tri-palm or 10-points only, that would likely help bolster the numbers a bit.
 
I've never seen moose like I've seen north of FSJ, better deer hunting to the south. Saw 17 different moose in a quick 1.5 hour cruise once down some back roads, in season. For someone from Ontario that's pretty impressive.
 
Best Moose hunting is in the North, the best deer hunting is in the south, the best elk hunting is in the east.
 
Almost anywhere eastern BC for all four.

Moose are on a draw here in the south, but we can shoot a spike/fork for 10 days without a draw (if you're lucky or persistent enough to find one)
Drive to northern BC and you can just buy a Moose tag for any bull.

I'm southeastern (Cranbrook),
no real trophies here but I don't have to put in for draws.

The Mule deer were in decline but making a comeback ( I shot a 150 pound mule deer last year)

Mule deer must have 4 points on one side, any white tail buck is legal.

Lots of white tail but as I said no trophy racks here in the east Kootenays (we can shoot two each year though)

If you're a meat hunter like me, then you will love it.

My wife and I went for a drive one evening recently and in a two hour period we counted over 100 White Tail and over 100 Elk, all within 30 minutes of town!

The Elk in the west Kootenays are bigger though, the Mulies are bigger on the prairies, and White tail are bigger east of the Rockies.

But, all of the public land you can imagine, with world class scenery, and short mild winters.

I can hunt big game with a rifle from September 10 to November 30 (even longer if you hunt with a bow)

I thank God I live in British Columbia!

Damn, I can't wait for hunting season!
 
Last edited:
MiG25 just said it without having to say it, there is no single spot, choose where you want to live then roam.

You can do a lifetime's worth of world class hunting in BC without finishing everything that can be done here. 19 of the North America 29 big game species are available to BC hunters, arguably 20 really. That's more than any other place in North America.

My advice, having lived extreme rural and North in BC is move near your job and where your wife / girlfriend / partner / kids are happy or there is the potential for future as yet unrealised versions of those to be happy. No province in Canada is too big to take the trip to the hunting in the seasons. You can be anywhere in BC from anywhere else in two days or less really, no point in basing beside one hunting area. But if you had to pick one, somewhere between Atlin and Fort Nelson. That's the best BC has to offer, unless you want big bears or mountain goats then you're headed to the coast.
 
Some BC born people probably take it for granted but coming from one of the more densely, settled regions of Canada (St Lawrence valley) where everything was private property, BC is a paradise. I absolutely revel in the idea I can pull over most places north of Hope and be wandering around on crown land. It is hard to beat. Ardent gives very good advice on locating your home ground.
 
at one time icbc used to release statistics on animal strikes with vehicles , and where they happened and types of animals , time of day and time of year .

this sort of thing could prove useful if something recently done could be found .

I have no idea where to find anything like this now , or even if it still exists or is still being compiled .
 
burnt_servo said:
at one time icbc used to release statistics on animal strikes with vehicles , and where they happened and types of animals , time of day and time of year .

this sort of thing could prove useful if something recently done could be found .

I have no idea where to find anything like this now , or even if it still exists or is still being compiled .
Click to expand...

I'll look into it when I get a chance. My wife is very good at this kind of stuff. I'll share it here if i get anything
 
You want to hunt in this? :p me too and its 20 yards from my house and about 300 yards from my nearest neighbour :)
ictttu.jpg
lots of critters around PG, unfortunately many two legged ones. BC is where its at my friend. Anyone see the dog?
 
Bland said:
Some BC born people probably take it for granted but coming from one of the more densely, settled regions of Canada (St Lawrence valley) where everything was private property, BC is a paradise. I absolutely revel in the idea I can pull over most places north of Hope and be wandering around on crown land. It is hard to beat. Ardent gives very good advice on locating your home ground.
Click to expand...
This, a little time on goole maps and pone can see how good we have compared to many other places, and in my experience yes many here do take it for granted. I cant recall how many times I've stated that thousands of people pay untold thousand's of dollars to come to "our" back yard and yet half the people I know wanna sit around with their thumbs up their butts.
 
AbdullahD said:
I'll look into it when I get a chance. My wife is very good at this kind of stuff. I'll share it here if i get anything
Click to expand...

First link is informative for Northern bc... but not south..

A pdf file break down 2010 I think though....
https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&sour...cr8psFARlMblWphiw&sig2=9a9oA3pHApBE8HKBLO6VWA

A website that seems fairly informative
http://www.wildlifecollisions.ca/when.htm

A government website that has game cams for us and breaks down animal collision by hwy and species called wars I think (2012 this time)
https://www.th.gov.bc.ca/mot_org/hwyeng/wars.html

Well the wars report gave the best view from the last link... loads of info though. Kinda cool, gives people a good starting Idea...
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom