Buffalo

[partner]

How is the hunt for buffalo going, now that the weather has turned?

[Whisky Creek]

We got our two bulls and seen a few others come out. Trail is S*#T... Almost no snow from about 15 miles in with A LOT of rocks. Hard on the snowmachines. Stop and have a meal at Jaimie's Pink Mtn Motor Inn. He's very knowledgeable about the trail and will be able to provide some valuable hints to you. Plus, great burgers and coffee to boot!
Clint

[shawnwells]

the forecast is calling for snow tho...fingers crossed for more by the 5th...

[partner]

Whiskey u must a been in zone A. U meet Barney and his son Peter?

[snareman1234]

I am hesding into zone A dec 17 for my first ever buffalo hunt, very excited, hope we can connect

[partner]

Leave one for me! Will be there in Jan.

[shawnwells]

I am hesding into zone A dec 17 for my first ever buffalo hunt, very excited, hope we can connect
i think youre going to have a chance at better sled snow than us on the 5th...its snowing right now tho...

[Buck]

We are hopeing for lots of snow this week we arrive at Jamie's on the 4th.WE have 2 sleds one we bought just for this trip.Looks like were bringing the ATV's as well.

[303Brit]

I see 4 almost everyday ;)
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/AIR_DHC-5_Buffalo_CC-115-SAR_BC_Shoreline_lg.jpg (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=21377)

This is one I have been keeping my eye on lately ;)

Sorry couldn't resist.....stuck at work.

303

[partner]

Rotflmao!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ufishifish2]

Rotflmao!!!!!!!!!!!!

I got the last bit, but what`s the Rot part??

[ufishifish2]

Right
On
Tool
???????

[ufishifish2]

Roger
On
That
........................

[partner]

Rolling on the floor laughing my @ss off!

[ufishifish2]

Oh. Thanks!
So it was:
Rolling
On
The
Floor
that I was missing. I'll get these yet!!!!!

[BiG Boar]

It's not literal though. He couldn't type and rotf.

[BiG Boar]

Back to the bison topic though.

[shawnwells]

Back to the bison topic though.
ya back to buffalo....

[Whisky Creek]

Partner,

Not sure if we seen Barney and Peter or not. We did run into a group of 3 from Vancouver Island. They were a father and son and a buddy. The buddy said it was his 3rd time in. They had a quad and snowmobile and a severely smashed up skimmer with a bison in it when we seen them....
They encountered a little bit of trouble with the rocks on the trail and the loaded skimmer! There weren't many guys up there when we were in and since we stayed in the bush in a wall tent, didn't run into guys at night at the ranch cabins or Pink Mountain motor inn. We're pretty well set up so decided to stay right back in the bush. Plenty of firewood available in there. We had sled troubles the first evening when we were going in, so ended up camping in there only about 5 miles in from the ranch and the trucks. -35 ish weather and because of the way it worked out, we ended up starting in just at dark. The one machine froze up and another one had a soldered wire break off on the coil (which we got fixed the next day). One machine never even left the truck and trailer as it was froze up with moisture or something. After we got out we tried it again and it ran fine..... Either the warmer weather agreed with it or more likely the gas-line antifreeze worked its way through after a couple days. The only machine left running at about the 5 mile mark was my brand new Tundra LT, so we decided to throw camp up nearby as it was a nice spot anyways. If anyone is looking for a nice spot to camp, you'll find ours on the right hand side of the trail, about 5 miles in. It is less than a mile east of the trapper's cabin and just 400 0r 500 meters east of where the Halfway River comes right alongside the trail, and just about 150 meters west of a fairly large trail intersection. Look for a couple of single wide snowmobile tracks heading north (right) off of the main trail. There is a stack of 4 foot firewood still there for you and a fair bit of split and dry pine for the inside stove. If you do stop and have room, please bring out the 2 small empty green propane canisters that I forgot in there. They are behind the 4 foot wood pile beside the fire pit. Other than that, it is a nice camp spot hidden about 50 meters off the trail right in the tall timber. Good spot big enough for a 14 by 16 wall tent and large outside fire area.
Originally I had planned on setting up camp about 20 miles in but because of snow conditions, or lack of snow, I'm glad we were only in about 5 miles. Not sure if the skimmers would have held up with another loaded trip to bring the camp back out when we left!
CLINT

[partner]

Barney said no snow out back. Tough on sliders, scratchers and skimmers!

[shawnwells]

Partner,

Not sure if we seen Barney and Peter or not. We did run into a group of 3 from Vancouver Island. They were a father and son and a buddy. The buddy said it was his 3rd time in. They had a quad and snowmobile and a severely smashed up skimmer with a bison in it when we seen them....
They encountered a little bit of trouble with the rocks on the trail and the loaded skimmer! There weren't many guys up there when we were in and since we stayed in the bush in a wall tent, didn't run into guys at night at the ranch cabins or Pink Mountain motor inn. We're pretty well set up so decided to stay right back in the bush. Plenty of firewood available in there. We had sled troubles the first evening when we were going in, so ended up camping in there only about 5 miles in from the ranch and the trucks. -35 ish weather and because of the way it worked out, we ended up starting in just at dark. The one machine froze up and another one had a soldered wire break off on the coil (which we got fixed the next day). One machine never even left the truck and trailer as it was froze up with moisture or something. After we got out we tried it again and it ran fine..... Either the warmer weather agreed with it or more likely the gas-line antifreeze worked its way through after a couple days. The only machine left running at about the 5 mile mark was my brand new Tundra LT, so we decided to throw camp up nearby as it was a nice spot anyways. If anyone is looking for a nice spot to camp, you'll find ours on the right hand side of the trail, about 5 miles in. It is less than a mile east of the trapper's cabin and just 400 0r 500 meters east of where the Halfway River comes right alongside the trail, and just about 150 meters west of a fairly large trail intersection. Look for a couple of single wide snowmobile tracks heading north (right) off of the main trail. There is a stack of 4 foot firewood still there for you and a fair bit of split and dry pine for the inside stove. If you do stop and have room, please bring out the 2 small empty green propane canisters that I forgot in there. They are behind the 4 foot wood pile beside the fire pit. Other than that, it is a nice camp spot hidden about 50 meters off the trail right in the tall timber. Good spot big enough for a 14 by 16 wall tent and large outside fire area.
Originally I had planned on setting up camp about 20 miles in but because of snow conditions, or lack of snow, I'm glad we were only in about 5 miles. Not sure if the skimmers would have held up with another loaded trip to bring the camp back out when we left!
CLINT
gulp now im worried...

[shawnwells]

Barney said no snow out back. Tough on sliders, scratchers and skimmers!
mega worried....

[Whisky Creek]

Partner,

Does Barney have a french accent? Not real good with accent diagnosis, but the older of the 3 fellas we met had a detectible accent and one of the younger guys was his son. They were staying in a cabin at the indian ranch. They had a polaris 800 snowmachine and a quad. (And a completely destroyed skimmer......)
If so, I must have met them on the trail when they were bringing out a bull. If that is them, tell them that the 2 guys on the Tundra LT got their two bulls a few miles past where they got their's the same day, and thanks for the info.

[cas-has-cars]

We still have 5 days to get more snow. Things change pretty quick up there. I'll have 1 Quad just in case the snow is not right. Should still be a great hunt. Looking forward to getting some meat in the freezer.
Goodluck Shawnwells I'll see there.
Brian
cas-has-cars

[Whisky Creek]

Watch the forecast, hope that it is wrong as usual, hope for the best, but be realistic... I bought the new Tundra LT for the hunt. Was wishing I had the horses up there after I got there... Bring a quad if you have room just in case. Wonowon weather is the closest.
www.theweathernetwork.com/weather/cabc0331?ref=topnav_weather_savedcity (http://www.theweathernetwork.com/weather/cabc0331?ref=topnav_weather_savedcity)
CLINT

[shawnwells]

We still have 5 days to get more snow. Things change pretty quick up there. I'll have 1 Quad just in case the snow is not right. Should still be a great hunt. Looking forward to getting some meat in the freezer.
Goodluck Shawnwells I'll see there.
Brian
cas-has-cars
ha ha thanks man....dude were sweatin bullets starin at the forecast....we wanna use sleds bad because of the restriction on atv....its frickin clear and sunny at 4:25 pm nov 30th in fort st john as i stare out the window....we only got enough trailer space in our trailers to bring so much...so this is like playing poker right now....but we ain't folding...thats for sure...

[Buck]

Yep sure hope for snow.I hear the buff are more in the snowmobile area.We are bringing at least one quad to be safe.I wonder what the conditions are for sleds on the other side of the ranch?Is it just the trail thats around the ranch thats beat up.

[shawnwells]

Yep sure hope for snow.I hear the buff are more in the snowmobile area.We are bringing at least one quad to be safe.I wonder what the conditions are for sleds on the other side of the ranch?Is it just the trail thats around the ranch thats beat up.
i havent heard man...i pm-d whiskey to ask him but i think i read he didnt go that way...i dont know if anyone knows how the trail around is right now that ive heard...if I hear anything i'll let ya know..

[sheep.elk.moose fanatic]

2 guys staying at the motel went out and seen 20 bison today with 3 nice bulls... trails are in ruff shape:neutral: needs some snow

[shawnwells]

2 guys staying at the motel went out and seen 20 bison today with 3 nice bulls... trails are in ruff shape:neutral: needs some snow
do you know if they were quadding or sledding J ?

[sheep.elk.moose fanatic]

there were sledding but they say its ruff...shawn

[shawnwells]

there were sledding but they say its ruff...shawn
ya...ok thanks brother..

[partner]

Jamie U talking about Dave C from Kelowna my neighbor and his friend? I know he wasn't going to pay the trespass fee, so he would be going around!

[Whisky Creek]

Hey guys, we didn't take the trail around the ranch, we paid the exhorborently high extortion fee. All of my comments about the trail are from the ranch inwards.
CLINT

[Whisky Creek]

Hey guys,

I've had some more trail questions so I figured I'd paste excerpts of some of the PM's here for all to use. If I knew how to post pictures, I'd post a couple for you to see the snow because of the ol' "picture is worth the 1000 words" thing. Sorry for the redundancy in the pasting below, as they are from two different PM's.
CLINT

Quads are certainly better right now BUT you are only allowed to go back as far as the indian cabins with them. Most of the bison sign was further. Although there was a ton of quad tracks beyond the legal point........ Also, there are a couple of hills that the quads will not be able to get up if they are pulling a skimmer because of the hard pack ice / snow on the hill unless you have a winch. The trail is doable on snowmobiles, but unless you want a lot of damage, it is a very slow-go. One guy we met up with in there had wrecked a-arms on his sled from hitting rocks. We had no damage to ours, but went very easy. A few short sections of loose rocks with no snow at all. I spent a lot of time swerving on and off the trail to find loose snow for the sliders. It took us about 2 hours to cover 19 miles of trail, without the skimmers, and about 4 hours coming out with the meat. We had 3 skimmers and machines to transport the 2 bison. The skimmers took a pile of wear from running across the rocks and etc with the heavy weight in them. The bison quarters themselves are suprisingly not that heavy compared to the size of the critter standing there looking at you. I think our bulls were about 5-8 years old and huge when on the ground, but, when I dropped 1/2 of one bull off at a butcher on saturday the "short cut" hind quarter weighed 110 lbs, and the "long cut, full ribs" front quarter weighed in at only 242 lbs. This was slightly lighter than the half bull moose I dropped off last month, which was about a 4 or 5 year old bull.
Head weighed and estimated 110 - 120 lbs and the hide about another 130 - 140 lbs. HUGE rumen and guts in them! I had to cut that rear flank portion behind the ribs right off in order to rreach deep enough to get the guts out. Also funny, you'll notice the windpipe in the buggers are about the same size as a dryer vent pipe!

I too was stressing out about the snow before I went up and it ended up being the "watched pot never boils syndrome" as it never came.
Feel free to give me a call if I can help you out with any questions or info for your hunt. (250) 847-2284.
I'd never been up there until this hunt either so it was all new to me. Most of the bison tracks we saw were started about 24 miles in from the trucks at the indian ranch. Someone had put two salt blocks in the buck brush meadow right near the indian cabins (3 unfinished cabins about 24 miles in on the trail) and you can see that bison are going to it daily. Certainly cows and calves anyways, not sure about bulls. Likely a few young bulls in with the cows as well. BEWARE the horses at the indian ranch! They licked the salt off of our 3 trucks and destroyed my buddies 3 month old truck. On mine and my other buddy, they just licked the trucks but on the on fellas new truck the horses chewed the paint leaving about 30 gouges all over the truck through the paint and right down to the steel!

No worries about bugging me at all! I got lots of info from lots of folks and am happy to do the same. I went in on the 21st of November and pulled out at dark on the evening of the 25th of November and stayed at a buddy's ranch near Pink Mtn. We hit fresh snow on the Hudson's Hope highway the next morning (Nov 26) on the drive home and in the Pine pass but didn't see any of that in pink mtn. The trail had a layer of hard packed snow a couple inches thick and was pretty intact until about 20 miles in or so. Then there was less snow and lots of loose rocks (1 inch to 6 inches in size) on the trail. Most of the places where there was a hill on the trail had the snow all chewed off and mostly exposed rock and dirt. It was melting earlier on the day we left and it seemed that things were getting less white quite rapidly on the hillsides. There was almost no snow anywhere except on the trail, certainly not enough for snowmobiling anyways. The sides of the trail had anywhere from 1 to 6 inches of loose snow that I used to cool the sliders whenever I could swerve off onto it. Quads would have been much better for us when we were there, however two problems associated with that. The ATV closure about 15 miles in on the trail, and if you went further than that as some folks did (indicated by the tracks) then you wouldn't be able to pull a skimmer up some of the hills without a winch. You could bust it up and put quarters on the quad racks to get up those hills though I guess. The sleds pulled the loaded skimmers up without too much trouble but you run the risk of slicing a track on the exposed rocks..... We took it really easy and managed to make it out with no damage to the sleds but pretty heavy wear on the skimmers.
You can get about 25 miles in on the trail to the first crossing of the Halfway river. The river was open at that point but only a foot or so deep.
Two of my guys walked across it. Without snow, I didn't see an easy spot to get up on the far bank (steep 4 foot bank) with a machine but didn't try too hard as we ended up getting our bulls right near there, on the pink mtn side of the river. We were pretty lucky that one of the guys seen a hump above the buck brush about 100 meters before the river crossing and we found a group of 3 bulls. What I will say after this hunt is to stay standing on the foot pegs of your snow machine as I think that the buggers will stay just off the trail and let you drive right by if you don't spot them. We climbed up one hillside to be able to look down into the buck brush and didn't get the chance to do it again before we connected on the bulls. Now, if you look on your little shitty map entitled "muskwa-ketchika and klingzut mountain access management areas" that the MOE sent you in your "Plains Bison Hunter Information Package" this will make the most sense. We paid the fee and went through the ranch because we knew the bypass trail without snow would be terrible.... From the ranch cabin area, we loaded the skimmers and rode in about 5 miles and camped in a wall tent. From the ranch, it is about 15 miles or so to the end of the ATV area which is the spot on the map where the trail ends in a grren triangle. It is basically a triangular loop trail shown on the map. If you went to the left at the split, it goes down to the 3 partially finished indian cabins and the salt blocks in the buck brush meadow. If you go to the right is goes along the top side of the meadow and is a much better trail with the low snow conditions. Almost all of the bison sign was in abundance from that green triangle on your map and deeper into the Halfway valley. Even though the trail is not shown on your map it continues for a LONG way further. It apparently goes all the way to Robb Lake, which must be at least 80 miles in or so. We shot our bulls just off the trail in the McQue Flats area shown on the map which is about 25 miles in on the trail.

[partner]

Whiskey They stayed at cabin at the ranch. Don't know if he really has a accent. He did say not many people out hunting when they got their buffalo. Most hunters had left by the second week of the hunt, that's when they started to see them. He did mention somebody staying in a wall tent.

[shawnwells]

truly appreciate the help whiskey and jamie...super of you guys...

[Whisky Creek]

Jaimie, (Sheep.moose.elk fanatic)

I owe you a big thanks for all the info you provided to us before our hunt also!
For the rest of you guys going up, you gotta try the Mile 143 burger at Jaimie's Pink Mtn Motor Inn! It CERTAINLY fills a BIG hole in an empty guys stomach!!!
Plus, his personal map on the wall of his restaurant is of GREAT help in trying to define trails and boundaries etc!!!!
CLINT

[snareman1234]

Thanks for the posts whiskey! helps a lot, we have never been up there either, going up on the 17th when im done exams

[sheep.elk.moose fanatic]

Jamie U talking about Dave C from Kelowna my neighbor and his friend? I know he wasn't going to pay the trespass fee, so he would be going around!

ya that's right bill Dave and his buddy are staying here, these guys will fill there tag no problem:-D

[bowhunterbruce]

would someone please help them get thier pictures up already,we are dieing to see them.:wink:

[shawnwells]

its spitting snow in fort st john this morning (Dec 1st)

[Steelie73]

Here are a few photos of the buffalo hunt posted for Whisky Creek. It was great adventure.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a29/Steelie73/DSC_0519.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a29/Steelie73/IMG00077-20101124-1546.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a29/Steelie73/IMG00078-20101124-1547-1.jpg

[partner]

Yup Yup Yup Nice Nice Nice! :)

[snareman1234]

Awesome!!!

[Whisky Creek]

Thanks for posting the pictures Steelie. You probably should have left out that one picture with the four of us though. Sure as SH*#T when people see TJ's fine sweater in that one picture, there is going to be a huge run on "multi-colored Grandma-made sweaters" across the country!!!! You are going to have little old ladies all over the country working overtime trying to make these sweaters for their sons and grandsons in time for the next hunting season! The wonder of the internet will surely make this the new fad for 2011!!!

Might as well provide a materials list here:

1- At least (10) partial rolls of multi-colored wool.
2- (1) little old lady that knows how to knit
3- (1) hunter secure enough in their manhood to wear it.

CLINT

[paw325]

Is the dude with the sweater ummm... OK... to be hunting, like with a gun and everything?

[308Lover]

What sweater?

[Steelie73]

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a29/Steelie73/IMG_1468.jpg

[Whisky Creek]

Yeah PAW, he's OK as long as we don't give him bullets. We keep him around for the camp entertainment and for the heavy lifting and grunt work!

[paw325]

Good on you to take interest and make the effort to bring him along.

Congrats on the buffalo, dandy animals.

[ufishifish2]

Great pics. Looking forward to hearing your stories Shawn and Brian. I plan to learn from the two of you seeing as I will be up there next month doing the exact same thing. Well, not quite exact because I will have snow!

[BiG Boar]

Sweet buffalo, cant wait! Heading that way soon!

[sheep.elk.moose fanatic]

Thanks for posting the pictures Steelie. You probably should have left out that one picture with the four of us though. Sure as SH*#T when people see TJ's fine sweater in that one picture, there is going to be a huge run on "multi-colored Grandma-made sweaters" across the country!!!! You are going to have little old ladies all over the country working overtime trying to make these sweaters for their sons and grandsons in time for the next hunting season! The wonder of the internet will surely make this the new fad for 2011!!!

Might as well provide a materials list here:

1- At least (10) partial rolls of multi-colored wool.
2- (1) little old lady that knows how to knit
3- (1) hunter secure enough in their manhood to wear
CLINT
IS YOUR PARTNER RELATED TO TOMAHAWK..LOL

[cas-has-cars]

Thanks guys, great information. Nice pictures, awsome sweater. Now all we need is snow.
Hey shawn are you unloading a Sled and putting a Quad on the trailer yet?
Leaving Kelowna 4am Friday and hope to be at Verns cabins by 10pm if all goes well.
Sighted in my 7mm today just to make sure all is well, Now bring on the Bison.
Can'nt wait its just like the first Christmas I can remember it could not come fast enough.
Jamie we will come and see you for one of the big bugers one evening.
Brian

[shawnwells]

Thanks guys, great information. Nice pictures, awsome sweater. Now all we need is snow.
Hey shawn are you unloading a Sled and putting a Quad on the trailer yet?
Leaving Kelowna 4am Friday and hope to be at Verns cabins by 10pm if all goes well.
Sighted in my 7mm today just to make sure all is well, Now bring on the Bison.
Can'nt wait its just like the first Christmas I can remember it could not come fast enough.
Jamie we will come and see you for one of the big bugers one evening.
Brian
ha ha im bringin the sled and crossing the fingers i guess...trail restriction shmail restriction...the snowmobile might be a dirtmobile....im picking up the sled at 8 am Saturday and grabbin the rest of the trailer gear when i swing back by my place(its on the way) and we should be on the road by 9am.quick fuel stop in Pink Mtn..its 2 to 3 hours to the cabin from my place...then unload and go for a scout i guess...so you'll be starting saturday...and we'll be startin Sunday...hopefully you can show us your Tatanka Saturday night ha ha. theyre calling for snow tonight so we'll see...

[Kalum]

Jesus that's got to be the ugliest sweater ever!
Grats on the buffalo's sounds like it was a great trip.

[Whisky Creek]

Steelie,

For info sake, I just quickly greened those two skulls. My older bull went with the broomed tips went 102 6/8 with a 16 4/8 inch length and JR's younger bull went 101 0/8 with a 15 0/8 length.

[shawnwells]

well cas-has-cars....the snow they were calling for last night in John never came....scurvy snow....

[partner]

I put new sliders on the skimmer last year, tore 2 off 2 trips with snow on the ground. Some guys left the skimmers in the bush to save on wear. If u go around the ranch on ATV there is a hill that may give u some problems when it starts to slick up with snow and ice. I am guessing that the river is frozen enough to get around the ranch now! Jamie could chime in about now and give us the scoop! Oh and he could tell us the latest Tatonka count!

[sheep.elk.moose fanatic]

still not much snow on the trails will know more to night with the bison count ... day one no bison:-| but i have a feeling something should die today -15 light snow :-D guys left early and are not going to be picky so lets hope they get theirs and make room for the next group of guys too come in and take some more out!!!

[partner]

Thanks Jamie!

[Whisky Creek]

Any more Bison pics and good stories from the latest hunt yet?

[BiG Boar]

T minus 7 hours.

[Whisky Creek]

I see the Wonowon forecast is promising tonight... 9 -13 cm in the next 24 hours. www.theweathernetwork.com/weather/cabc0331 (http://www.theweathernetwork.com/weather/cabc0331)
Good luck up there!
CLINT

[sheep.elk.moose fanatic]

well we have got some snow...and some members have got some bison down things are looking a little better now!!