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02-15-2018, 09:43 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Calgary
Posts: 8
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Deer Hunting Help
Hey all,
I'm relatively new to hunting, I've been hunting for 2 seasons now. I was able to tag a whitetail my first year, and a mule deer this season. Largely with the help of a mentor and he graciously allowed me to use his private land up near Athabasca and some land he has permission on in 162. I live in Calgary and am willing to drive.
I was wondering if anyone had any tips or advice they would be willing to share with me to try and find a place of my own to hunt either public or private,
I have been up around the Waiparous forest reserve area and have seen some deer.
Appreciate your time.
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02-15-2018, 10:12 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Airdrie
Posts: 2,411
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Either pick an area and ask for permission on private land or start hiking around looking for sign on public
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02-15-2018, 10:21 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Calgary
Posts: 8
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appreciate the reply, any recommendations for WMU's to start with?
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02-15-2018, 10:27 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Airdrie
Posts: 2,411
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They all have animals, it’s all about getting to know the area you hunt, that will determine your success far more than asking for a specific wmu
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02-15-2018, 10:29 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Calgary
Posts: 8
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sounds good, thanks again.
Last edited by Savs; 02-15-2018 at 10:36 AM.
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02-15-2018, 10:39 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 540
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Pick an area. Drive around a few times not during hunting season, usually I like the last hour and half of daylight. See where there’s deer. Find out who owns the land or leases it. Ask permission in a respectful manner. Repeat.
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02-15-2018, 10:42 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 540
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Wmu
Start doing the above in the WMUs closest to home and work your way farther out if unsuccessful finding a spot. No point driving 3-4 hours to start your search if you haven’t explored close by.
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02-15-2018, 10:47 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Calgary
Posts: 8
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good insight, I appreciate it. I'll spend more time this spring scouting.
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02-15-2018, 10:50 AM
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Join Date: May 2017
Location: Didsbury
Posts: 123
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I listened to a Meateater podcast recently on getting permission to hunt private land. I say its worth a listen as you can pick up tips on approaching landowners and the typical exchange of services (ie. hunting his land and helping him out with a chore or two). Would really help if you are knocking on doors, meeting landowners for the first time! Also of course, the iHunter app combined with relevant county map purchases is a great tool. Look on google earth for great habitat and correlate that with county maps, and ask for permission!
http://www.themeateater.com/podcasts...6-permissions/
For public land, google earth and iHunter can once again be your friend. There are many videos on Youtube for how to find habitat on google earth. I tend to mark many waypoints in an area that I can realistically visit in a couple days of scouting. This can include south facing slopes, cutline intersections, wetlands, vegetation changes, basically anything that fits the habitat of the species your targeting.
One tip I learned quickly, be sure to look at your google earth waypoints before the hunting season. When I began looking a google earth a few years back, I made the mistake of not checking out the potential hunting spots. Lost a lot of valuable time as the waypoints were not what I was expecting. But over time you can learn to pick out good habitat and visit it in person, and it turns out to be a great spot!
You can also look at the ihunter aerial layer, but I like to look at google earth on the computer! Bigger screen!
At the end of the day, nothing beats boots on the ground, but its enjoyable and can be a time saver find potential areas on google earth during the slow winter months! Good luck!
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02-15-2018, 10:59 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Red Deer, AB
Posts: 1,177
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dustinjoels
No point driving 3-4 hours to start your search if you haven’t explored close by.
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They (he or she) live in Calgary. There is nothing "close" that isn't over-run with every Tom/Dick/& Harry from September to November.
You pretty much need to drive 3 hrs in any direction to find some kind of solitude while hunting big game.
Savs - if you want to PM me, I may be able to help you out. No promises...
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02-15-2018, 11:14 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Calgary
Posts: 8
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Great info Caddisfly7!
I do use the app, that has made things way easier for sure.
I am a regular listener to the Meatater podcast and your are right that is a good one. All great info thanks again.
You are right nothing will beat boots on the ground.
Fishoutofwater - really appreciate the offer, you are very right every time I have been out hiking/scouting the areas around Calgary it has been very busy.
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02-15-2018, 11:19 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 71
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get I hunter app, research google, takes alot of work mentally but then it makes so much more sense. So much info from ihunter- leased land, crown, private (buy landowners map) topo, terrain, etc etc. Do alot of finger walking first b4 u hit the roads. I had no idea what I was doing when I started but u figure it out as u go but research is involved, no one will just give u the easy answer, gotta earn it. Go east or northeast young man, road warrior's are less of a nuisance.
Then pick a few spots, I drive around in early evenings / spend alot of idle time and glass and can spot them coming out of.bushes, any other time forget it, most of the times they tend to come back if the cover is good. Once u can figure out where u see them coming out u are getting close and that's half the battle won. Then approach land owners. I found a 1/2 section of private land by doing just that and I am amazed how little bush and trees are there but I tag out 2 deers every year, only looking for meat. And it's only 2 to 3 hours drive from Calgary but I feel safety without all the road warrior's.
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02-15-2018, 11:30 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Calgary
Posts: 8
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Willowayin - great advice, just figuring out how to start is half the battle, I'll spend some time with the app and google earth and see what I can come up with.
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02-15-2018, 12:19 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 207
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If you dont mind walking a bit there is some areas in water valley area wmu316, that you can get peace and quiet. Its almost entirely crownland. Ive only been hunting the area since 2012 so im no expert. I did see alot more wolf tracks then normal out there this past season. And more moose than deer this season as well. Ive seen enough deer to go back every season.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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02-15-2018, 12:24 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Calgary
Posts: 8
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Buckhorn2 - thanks for the tip really appreciate it! I have been to 316, not sure if I have been around the water valley area, really appreciate you pointing me in the right direction.
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02-15-2018, 12:41 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 71
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Pm sent
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02-16-2018, 08:32 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 175
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Ya I'm on my third year, and their right. I spent a lot of weekend evenings just before dark driving around on grid roads, (I'm in the SE) with my binoculars, to find out some good areas. half hour before sunset, is usually when they all start popping up. And I found some areas just full of deer. That was key to finding my areas. Then just knocking on doors. And being extremely polite, and well spoken. That got me a couple spots to hunt.
Good luck.
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02-16-2018, 11:02 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 735
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I am getting ready for my first season, if you ever want some company scouting an area early on a Sunday morning, let me know. I am planning to go check out crown land over the next 7 months, do some hiking, and maybe hunt some rabbits if the opportunity arises. I have no experience, but I am a keener and comfortable in the woods.
(in Calgary)
Matt
Sent from my SM-G920W8 using Tapatalk
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02-18-2018, 09:17 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Calgary
Posts: 8
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Thanks everyone
I would definitely be interested in heading out.
I've gotta say, in the past I've hesitated to post anything. I'm really glad I did, thanks to everyone for the help, amazing to see how supportive the Alberta hunting community is.
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02-18-2018, 10:59 AM
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Banned
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Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 1,338
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330 and 324 and 326 are not far from you and done great hunting to be had there. Get off road where all the warriors are in these zones and you will see every thing come to life. Lots of crown land in these zones
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02-18-2018, 05:49 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 253
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not sure where your at with your draws or if you bother with them but you could start applying for 404/406/408 close to calgary . and if you are going two or three hours north you could also go south the same, porcupine hills and west of chain lakes .
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