Nice to read that everybody is getting out and about so far. I just recently got back from a 8 day bull trout inventory on the Kakwa River southwest of Grand Prairie. Lots of fun and beautiful scenery, one of the few places left in this province that hasn't seen a lot of activity (that will be changing soon). The highlight of the trip was getting to hold and release a 74cm bull trout, not many fish get that big anymore.
As for hunting, I've been out for grouse a few times. There seems to be a pile of them around this year. I actually ran out of shells the other day (I guess two heaping handfuls wasn't enough).
I also made my first deer/elk trip of the year tonite. It wasn't much of a hunt. Infact, it was more of an armed scouting trip to see what has changed since my butt hardly left the truck seat. I did see a pile of WT does, some mulie does and a pair of impressive mulie bucks. To top the evening off, as I was heading home with a few minutes of light left I decided to check the oat field I shot my bear in. This particular field has been well used by elk in the past but all I have ever seen is a few WT does and bears. It is fairly close to a main road and gets road hunted fairly hard so I wasn't really expecting a lot as I drove the trail in. Well Sh
t! it was full of elk and yours truly was caught with his pants down. They saw me before I saw them and were gone. I hope they give me a second chance as i will now be glueing my ass to a ground blind somewhere in that field for the forseeable future in hopes of filling my cow tag.
The field itself borders a large river valley to the east which is where they ran to when I spooked them and a smaller ravine to the south. Road access is from the west. Unfortunately, there's no seismic lines or other cutlines to set up on. it's pretty much solid bush to the east and south. Any of you elk experts have any suggestions on how to get a crack at them? Should I try setting up further back in the bush or simply hope they show up in the field again?