Ontario Elk Hunting (2012)
- Thread starter hiredgun
- Start date
Biggunners
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- MOSTLY LOSTED
Hit these people tomorrow ..........@ Havelock Arena
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=802190
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=802190
Biggunners: Thanks for the lead on the Havelock show, I have previously contacted one of the sponsors about my post for help
Maybe something will come from the show or maybe not. If I would do this next year, I would get a table with a map and a notice that "Elk Hunter Needs Help" in the area Madoc to Brancroft then the Peterborough.
Maybe next year. I really need help from any GNer who has seen or has access to property in WMU 60 Harvest Area 4.
I would rather hunt in any location in this area (no matter how remote the chances of seeing an elk) rather than let this tag expire. Thanks for any leads or assistance.
Maybe something will come from the show or maybe not. If I would do this next year, I would get a table with a map and a notice that "Elk Hunter Needs Help" in the area Madoc to Brancroft then the Peterborough.
Maybe next year. I really need help from any GNer who has seen or has access to property in WMU 60 Harvest Area 4.
I would rather hunt in any location in this area (no matter how remote the chances of seeing an elk) rather than let this tag expire. Thanks for any leads or assistance.
Here is my Monday September 17 morning update on this virtual elk hunt. We are still looking for a location in WMU 60 harvest area 4 (roughly a triangle Peterborough, Bancroft, Madoc with Hwy 28, Hwy 62 and Hwy 7 as boundaries). Elk season opened today and all elk are currently safe from me. Perhaps we will find a location, perhaps not. Has anyone seen an elk along Hwy 7? According to the MNR one was killed by a truck about two weeks ago on Hwy 7 west of Madoc which would put it in our harvest area. I have been following up on a few suggestions but nothing yet. Hopefully we will find a location for the second week. The season ends September 29. Thanks for any help or leads.
I always see them along #7 when I travel it, but thats only 2-3 times/year. Usually between Wakefield conservation area and havelock, but the further east you can go the better.
There must be some crown land on the west side of 62. I'd walk into the Bancroft MNR office and ask for a detailed map.
There must be some crown land on the west side of 62. I'd walk into the Bancroft MNR office and ask for a detailed map.
Last edited:
Blargon: Thanks for the suggestion regarding the MNR and crown land maps. I was told a few weeks back by them that they no longer have such maps- privatization, etc. etc. I am now concentrating on the Madoc-Havelock area. Accuracy International in Peterborough suggested there is some crown land north of Havelock but no one seems to have an actual map. Another source suggested "Backroads Ontario" or something like that to identify crown land. Is anyone familiar with this publication? I will do an internet search and see what I can find. Help on this project continues to be needed. Thanks.
http://www.backroadmapbooks.com bancroft crown land map
This map should cover your whole area, but will take a week to ship, unless you can find it locally. Use this link to find a retailer near you.
http://retailers.backroadmapbooks.com/
This map should cover your whole area, but will take a week to ship, unless you can find it locally. Use this link to find a retailer near you.
http://retailers.backroadmapbooks.com/
Here is my Monday September 24 update on this virtual elk hunt. I am still looking for an active hunting location. The other hunter in my "group" seems to have family responsibilities for most of this week, which means, if I find a spot, I will likely be hunting alone (which poses its own challenges for larger animals).
However, thanks to all for the leads on the crown land maps. I tried my best without any results on the Ministries Crown Land Atlas web site- if there are useable maps on that site, I could not access them.
I did buy a copy of the Bancroft District Crown Land map at Bass Pro Shops. While there is some, there is actually not a lot of crown land south of Bancroft, west of Hwy 62. Other CGNers have given me potentially access to land within the area (WMU 60, Harvest area 4) but without any elk ever being sighted.
In the absence of any other leads (still looking), I will probably go to the Madoc area aday or so this week. It is a very low percentage deal, but better to be able to say I went elk hunting in 2012 rather than just letting the cow tag expire. Thanks for any help this week. The season ends September 29.
However, thanks to all for the leads on the crown land maps. I tried my best without any results on the Ministries Crown Land Atlas web site- if there are useable maps on that site, I could not access them.
I did buy a copy of the Bancroft District Crown Land map at Bass Pro Shops. While there is some, there is actually not a lot of crown land south of Bancroft, west of Hwy 62. Other CGNers have given me potentially access to land within the area (WMU 60, Harvest area 4) but without any elk ever being sighted.
In the absence of any other leads (still looking), I will probably go to the Madoc area aday or so this week. It is a very low percentage deal, but better to be able to say I went elk hunting in 2012 rather than just letting the cow tag expire. Thanks for any help this week. The season ends September 29.
It is my understanding that the very few herds of Elk in Ontario are basically clustered in a few areas, mostly private land and are not moving much.
Unless a person somehow has access to those properties, filling an Elk tag would be a long shot. That's why I have never bothered to apply. Maybe five years from now, when they spread a bit more.
You did well trying though...
Unless a person somehow has access to those properties, filling an Elk tag would be a long shot. That's why I have never bothered to apply. Maybe five years from now, when they spread a bit more.
You did well trying though...
Man I really feel for you Hiredgun. I'd give you access to our 200 acres but we're in the south-west edge of Harvest Area 4 and so far never spotted an elk there.....and I've been looking. I was there all weekend with no sign so you would probably just be wasting your time and better off near madoc were your already familiar with.
For what it's worth I was over at my taxidermist yesterday and saw a massvie 6x6 harvested out of WMU 57 - Area 2 that was brought in. However I've also heard of another guy who was in the same situation as you so your not alone.
Anyways all the best with the rest of the hunt, you just never know when/where it could happen......remember "the worst day hunting is still better than the best day working"
so enjoy the time out there. I would switch my office chair for your hunting boots in Madoc any day. Good luck!
For what it's worth I was over at my taxidermist yesterday and saw a massvie 6x6 harvested out of WMU 57 - Area 2 that was brought in. However I've also heard of another guy who was in the same situation as you so your not alone.
Anyways all the best with the rest of the hunt, you just never know when/where it could happen......remember "the worst day hunting is still better than the best day working"
so enjoy the time out there. I would switch my office chair for your hunting boots in Madoc any day. Good luck!
Last edited:
This could be your problem?
Thank you for providing the screen capture of your issue with CLUPA.
Technical staff have confirmed that performance issues like the one displayed in your screen capture may be exhibited if the resolution is greater than 1280x1024. If you are experiencing similar challenges in the future, please re-size your browser window and see if that rectifies the issue.
Jamie Fligg
Policy and Program Advisor
Crown Land Planning
Natural Heritage, Lands and Protected Spaces
Ministry of Natural Resources
Good luck with your elk hunt! I know it doesn't help you, but I saw elk tracks in 63A this Summer around Summit lake. At first I though they were moose tracks as they were too big to be deer. Then I realized that they were a little too small to be moose. Then the light went on in my head, ELK! Only 1 bull & 1 cow tag for that whole area. Lots of crown land in that area too. Maybe next year I will get a group together & apply.
maple_leaf_eh
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
This may have been answered already. The 1:50,000 scale maps are on the Natural Resources Canada site (I will edit to add the link here).
The Ontario 1:15,000 scale maps are on their Ontario Basemap server (I will edit with the link here). Not as easy to use but you can (could) order plotted map sheets that would arrive in the mail. I like the Ontario sheets better because too much important foot-traffic scale details are generalized out by the 1:50k's.
In the past I surfed the Ministry of Natural Resources website for an Ontario Crown Lands and found a great big *.pdf file on all the square lots according to who owned what, Indian reserve lands, private land, crown land etc (I will edit with the link here). You might get really lucky and find a patch of crown land right where you want to hunt. Camping is free on crown land.
Air photos may or may not be much use. The Natural Resources Canada National Air Photo Library may have reasonably recent coverage for your area. Forewarned is forearmed for seeing the land.
Personally, I avoid Google Maps. Too many compromises for quality over speed when off the beaten path. They have a finite, although growing amount of server space. Is downtown Chicago or vacation central Florida more important than acres of nondescript moose pasture in Northern Ontario?
Biggunners
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- MOSTLY LOSTED
I've got access to land with Elk, but no tag!
Oh, you rubbing salt
. Are you posting another picture with elk now. Go for a walk ( hiredgun) if you find one, shoot. People will come to help around - Biggs
Last edited:
This is my latest update on my virtual elk hunt and summarizes my experience. Comments are welcome and I hope others can benefit from recommendations.
Group Composition: The max group size is 4. It is important that group members are equally committed. There were only 2 in my group, including myself. The other member was never available for a single day of hunting over the two week period for a variety of reasons. A larger group size might have ensured that two persons would have been available for hunting. I did hunt alone but this is far from ideal, IMHO.
Harvest Area Selection: Some WMU's and Harvest areas have more tags than others. I assume that the odds of being drawn will vary with the WMU/HA but I have not examined the numbers. The ideal situation is to have access to an property with elk, like Captonion and then try for a tag in that WMU/HA.
In my case, I was successful in the draw but did not have a location to hunt.
I found the MNR, Min of Ag and OPP to be helpful. If you do not have a location, my recommendation is to get a crown land map and apply for a WMU/HA with a good amount of crown land. My experience with three days of door knocking, sign posting in grocery stores, co-ops, legions, lumber yards, firehalls, etc. did not produce results. This may have been a function of the WMU 60- most folks said the elk were elsewhere.
Maps: Several CGN'rs, Rick Teal, Blargon, Kingghost, Maple_leaf_ eh, made good suggestions about maps. I purchased the "Bancroft District Crown Land Map" which is available by post, Bass Pro Shops and Epps. This map shows crown land (of which there is not a lot in WMU 60).
I tried to access the Crown Land Atlas on line but could not make it work. Probably poor computer skills on my behalf. I intend to get familiar with the site as a winter project. I strongly suggest that knowledgeable persons create a tutorial or a thread on how to use the crown land atlas website. This could be very useful and very important for other CGN'rs across Ontario.
Conclusion: Due to the kindness of CGN'rs who ask to remain unknown, I was offered hunt locations and did hunt elk solo for two days. The locations did not have active elk, but as Blargon notes, no one hunts elk in front of a computer screen. The days were great and I did hear elk calling one evening about dusk. (I assume it was elk calling rather than persons calling elk due to only four tags being available Bancroft to Madoc to Peterborough). I will certainly apply again for the elk draw and look forward to any comments. Thanks for participating in my virtual elk hunt.
Group Composition: The max group size is 4. It is important that group members are equally committed. There were only 2 in my group, including myself. The other member was never available for a single day of hunting over the two week period for a variety of reasons. A larger group size might have ensured that two persons would have been available for hunting. I did hunt alone but this is far from ideal, IMHO.
Harvest Area Selection: Some WMU's and Harvest areas have more tags than others. I assume that the odds of being drawn will vary with the WMU/HA but I have not examined the numbers. The ideal situation is to have access to an property with elk, like Captonion and then try for a tag in that WMU/HA.
In my case, I was successful in the draw but did not have a location to hunt.
I found the MNR, Min of Ag and OPP to be helpful. If you do not have a location, my recommendation is to get a crown land map and apply for a WMU/HA with a good amount of crown land. My experience with three days of door knocking, sign posting in grocery stores, co-ops, legions, lumber yards, firehalls, etc. did not produce results. This may have been a function of the WMU 60- most folks said the elk were elsewhere.
Maps: Several CGN'rs, Rick Teal, Blargon, Kingghost, Maple_leaf_ eh, made good suggestions about maps. I purchased the "Bancroft District Crown Land Map" which is available by post, Bass Pro Shops and Epps. This map shows crown land (of which there is not a lot in WMU 60).
I tried to access the Crown Land Atlas on line but could not make it work. Probably poor computer skills on my behalf. I intend to get familiar with the site as a winter project. I strongly suggest that knowledgeable persons create a tutorial or a thread on how to use the crown land atlas website. This could be very useful and very important for other CGN'rs across Ontario.
Conclusion: Due to the kindness of CGN'rs who ask to remain unknown, I was offered hunt locations and did hunt elk solo for two days. The locations did not have active elk, but as Blargon notes, no one hunts elk in front of a computer screen. The days were great and I did hear elk calling one evening about dusk. (I assume it was elk calling rather than persons calling elk due to only four tags being available Bancroft to Madoc to Peterborough). I will certainly apply again for the elk draw and look forward to any comments. Thanks for participating in my virtual elk hunt.
