Manning and High Level Alberta Hunting

Jerengineer

Jerengineer

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Okanagan, BC
Hi Folks, I'm from the NWT, our fishing is world class and we like our Caribou. But, I'm convinced that Moose are a mythical creature that doesn't exist here. However, when I drive down south they are laying in heaps all over the ditches near Manning and High Level. I am told its a Moose haven.

My brother lives in Calgary and we are planning on a hunting trip next fall around Manning or High Level. We'll do the ol hunter host thing.

Can someone give us an idea of where to go? We'll be either in a camper or tent with quads. I know you dont want to give away your special spot so just give me a general idea. I dont know the local place names so I might need a google map link or something.

Thanks Guys!

Jer
 
I live in Hay River but I don't even hunt in the NWT. I have land down by Peace River and just hunt Deer there. Generally done hunting within the first hour. Took 20 minutes last year. I never hunt them but you should consider Elk. Lots around and better eating then moose. No draw, either. Just hunt early as the dumb ones get shot first.
 
Depends on how far your bro wants to drive up from Calgary. Chinchaga area = lots of road jockeys IMO. But get of the roads and it may be good. Up by High Level either go west towards Rainbow Lake or southeast of laCrete into the Buffalo Head hills. Maybe west of Keg River. Even directly west of Manning into the timbered areas would be good.

As mnetioned, bull mooose is on draw and when applying with your bro, lets say for example-he is a priority 4 and you are 0, your group application would be at 0 this year-draw goes by lowest priority person when HunterHosting.
 
crazydave said:
Way more elk around than moose, pretty much any river valley in northern alberta you will find elk.
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Not really....it may seem like that when there are large herds moving around...but there is alot of country side between "hot spots" for elk...Some of those Northern zones are easy to draw a calling season tag for moose...moose densities are typically a bit lower than the areas that are hard to draw for but if you know what moose habitat looks like and are willing to get away from the roads...the many, many, miles of roads you'll find moose.
 
Big Jon said:
Not really....it may seem like that when there are large herds moving around...but there is alot of country side between "hot spots" for elk...Some of those Northern zones are easy to draw a calling season tag for moose...moose densities are typically a bit lower than the areas that are hard to draw for but if you know what moose habitat looks like and are willing to get away from the roads...the many, many, miles of roads you'll find moose.
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There are good things and not so good about hunting the "calling season". Much of the good moose habitat in the north is intersperced with wet muskeg. In calling season getting around and getting stuck are serious problems. In the late season in Nov. usually much of the muskeg is frozen and you can at least drive an OHV over most of it.

Late season tags are easier to draw and there are often Undersubscribed licences avalible.

I am not sure I would walk past a steak from a young bull moose to get to an elk steak.
 
Duffy said:
There are good things and not so good about hunting the "calling season". Much of the good moose habitat in the north is intersperced with wet muskeg. In calling season getting around and getting stuck are serious problems. In the late season in Nov. usually much of the muskeg is frozen and you can at least drive an OHV over most of it.

Late season tags are easier to draw and there are often Undersubscribed licences avalible.

I am not sure I would walk past a steak from a young bull moose to get to an elk steak.
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Duffy is spot on regarding access. I lived in High level for a few years and there is pretty good moose hunting in the area but my biggest frustration was access. A lot of the access for forestry or oil+gas was seasonal. Roads were frozen in across a lot of muskeg starting November and they were impassable by early to mid april.

What long term access there was, was often made by clearing the trees out of the right of way and scraping a mound of peace river gumbo into a running surface. Not bad when dry but a miserable expereince to travel on these roads when wet.
At the time I lived there,2003, the limited entry for moose was broken into 2 seasons. The late season hunt, month of November, was often under subscribed and one could go to the local sporting goods store and buy a license/tag. If you are willing to brave the cold, a snowmobile, atv or utv can get you into a lot more mose country. You will also have less difficulty getting the animal out of the bush in frozen conditions and keeping the meat chilled and clean is way easier.

And whatever you do, be sure to ALWAYS have a deer tag in your pocket. Like most of Alberta, the whitetail deer hunting in the High Level/Manning area is fantastic.
 
Some good points on the wet, mucky country in the early season...It's very true. There is still lots of country side that you can access.

The toss up between elk or moose steaks is a tough one for me. I like 'em both alot but I give the nod to elk...by a very narrow margin.
 
Big Jon said:
Not really....it may seem like that when there are large herds moving around...but there is alot of country side between "hot spots" for elk...Some of those Northern zones are easy to draw a calling season tag for moose...moose densities are typically a bit lower than the areas that are hard to draw for but if you know what moose habitat looks like and are willing to get away from the roads...the many, many, miles of roads you'll find moose.
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I don't know about there being a lot of distance between hot spots, saw elk just about every time i went hunting last year, quite a few different spots, i would still have to say there would be a much better chance of finding elk any day than there would be of finding moose.
 
IMG_0869.jpg


from a couple years ago...this one isn't "big" but he's not too bad...
 
Mighty Peace said:
Depends on how far your bro wants to drive up from Calgary. Chinchaga area = lots of road jockeys IMO. But get of the roads and it may be good. Up by High Level either go west towards Rainbow Lake or southeast of laCrete into the Buffalo Head hills. Maybe west of Keg River. Even directly west of Manning into the timbered areas would be good.

As mnetioned, bull mooose is on draw and when applying with your bro, lets say for example-he is a priority 4 and you are 0, your group application would be at 0 this year-draw goes by lowest priority person when HunterHosting.
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As for Buffalo Head Hill, you need priority 3 for any guarantee. But, I would cross this place off the list. Way, way too many hunters in that area. I have hunted the hills for years, and I am moving north. I am just fed up with the number of people hunting the area and it is just too frustrating.
 
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