Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Canada Nanika Guiding, Burns Lake BC?

I have been considering a fly-in moose and or goat hunt with this outfit for the last few months. Wondering if anyone has hunted with Nanika Guiding or has any knowledge of the operation?

Thanks,
Chet

Chetaf;
I had a quick look at their website to try to figure out where the area is.

As I've not hunted up there myself, I can't really comment if the moose population would be impacted by wolves, weather or other cyclic events.

Mountain goat hunting should be pretty decent in that part of the world, but again please note I've not hunted goats in their area.

Goats, in my experience and understanding, don't have a lot of predator pressure affecting population levels, mainly because of the stupidly steep places they call home. Food and space seem to be the limiting factors for them.

My standard advice for anyone coming up here to hunt with an outfitter is to try to talk to as many references as you are able to. I'd recommend talking to some who didn't kill anything as well if that's possible.

The other standard advice I have for goat hunters is to start to get in the best shape you can immediately. I'd also think that doing as much vertical stair work in your chosen hunting boots as possible can't hurt anything.

If you've hunted mountain goats before, then you know of what I speak when I say they traverse places where everything else besides eagles simply can't dream of.

Long years ago - decades now - we hunted goats on the Stikine and even though we were young and half tough then and may I say very used to packing mulies out of the local mountains, the Stikine country was a tough, tough challenge physically for us.

Hopefully that was some use to you sir. Please let me know if I can be of more assistance to you.

All the best to you in 2012.

Regards,
Dwayne

Chetaf, I own a summer property across the lake from Jim Tourond's (Nanika Guiding) home base. I have spent a little time over coffee at at his kitchen table. I have only known him for a couple of years, but I believe him to be a respectable outfitter and good guide and family man. His daughter and son in law guide for him, he still guides for moose but Jim is getting a little long in the tooth to do much goat guiding himself any more.
I was looking into a moose hunt with him, but it has not come together yet. His clients are more than half repeat customers, I think that speaks well of the experience that most have had during his hunts.
From what I see during my time spent in the area, there is a very good moose population, but few really big moose. If you are not after "record book" antlers, I think you will have an enjoyable and successful moose hunt. The little I have heard of his goat hunts have also indicated good success, but I don't know much more since I mostly inquired about moose. hope that helps!

general big bull moose season is about 6 days long in late october , can be a real gong show as lots and lots of people with no limited entry draws gravitate to the Region 6 area which has burns lake about the middle.

Thanks guys. I appreciate your feedback.

Chet

One more note, Nanika offers both road access and fly-in hunts. f you are flying in to a hunt, you will certainly avoid the hunting pressure that the moose get in the logging road country around there. Almost all of of the local hunting is by people driving on the logging roads with trucks or ATV's or walking a short distance off of the logging roads. A fly - in trip will yield more opportunities for undisturbed moose and better trophy size.

castnblast;
Thanks very much for stepping up and supplying that good information, I'm sure the OP appreciates it and as a fellow Canuck I just wanted to say I appreciated it as well.

My brother from the Yorkton area just rolled in last night and said they've really not had much winter yet. Are you folks the same?

All the best to you and your family in 2012 sir and thanks again.

Dwayne

Best wishes to you too Dwayne!
As your brother said, we have not had much winter yet. It looks like it is shaping up to be a good winter for the deer population in the forest fringe area, they could use a nice mild winter for a change.

I guide a little bit to the north and west of his area.

A few tips.

Decide what you are looking for, a Mt Goat or a moose. Depending on what you decide will determine the best time to go. Earlier in Sept, the mountains will (should be...)snow free, the goats will be just getting their winter coats and billies will be by themselves. The downfall for moose, is they are not rutting, so it is spot and stalk. However, you are limited to where you can go and if the moose are in the thick stuff, it can be a hard hunt.

If you go later in Sept/early Oct, you are beginning to play with the weather. Last year we had lots of snow and rain by Sept 25th, goat hunting pretty well stopped then. Just too dangerous. However, it is prime moose rut and they are much more active and come to the call readily.

By mid Oct, the goat hunting is done and the moose rut is winding down....pretty well done. Also, depending on elevation, the lakes will start to freeze up.

If you fly-in, ask about the flight back out with your meat. You are usually limited to a certain # of bags and weight, so make sure that you are not surprised by an extra cost for a meat flight.

As has been said, ask for references that have been to the fly-in lakes for both species, and make sure you ask for hunters who were not successful. Ask the references how the food was, who the guide was and how were they, the accommodations, the hunting method, quality of the overall hunt and would you go back again, if not why??.

In a fly-in hunt, remember that you are limited to the area around the lake, you cannot move if there is no animals, so always be prepared to accept that as the guide cannot control the animals....or weather.

I can help you with anymore info, just send me a PM w/you email addy and I will try to answer any questions you may have.

Cheers

SS

Sitkaspruce;
Thanks for the excellent post sir, there is a ton of good information there for anyone who might be considering a hunt in our north country.

Although I have no clue how to do it, the information you put up should be a "sticky" here in the Canada section.

It is good to hear from you again and I hope this finds you well.

Thanks again for being so helpful and all the best to you in 2012.

Regards,
Dwayne

Thanks for all the great information gentlemen. I really appreciate your well thought out replies and the time it took to make them.

Chet

Thanks Dwayne

All the best to you and your family in 2012.

I can add a lot more to this and will at a later date.

One thing I would like to add, find out who your guide is before hand and give them a call. Talk to them, ask some of the same questions that you have asked the outfitter, ask what they expect of you while in camp and out in the field. This can go along way to starting things off right and being comfortable in camp and the field.

Cheers

SS