Deer and Grouse Hunting Around Fort McMurray

hockeyhero_8 · #1 09-25-2010, 11:10 AM

Title pretty much says it all haha. Just lookin for some spots around Fort Mac with some Deer or Grouse, also, any places with good duck hunting around here? All help is much appreciated being a new hunter. Thanks.

GooseHunter 667 · #2 09-25-2010, 11:50 AM

Not from fort mac, but do have a cousin that works up there for suncor, hes a hunter and there should be no troble for you to get a few grouse any of the lease roads up there are full, he always did well when he went out for a quad ride or w/e. Deer i would think would not be that difficult either seeing as ft mac area is a wooded area, with tons of cutlines. Just have to get out and take a look around,

A county map would be a good start anf then go from there.

woods_walker · #3 09-25-2010, 02:14 PM

Just head south on hwy 881 to anywhere inbetween Anzac and Conklin. Many cutlines, lots of bush, lots of deer (and good ones too if you get off your quad once in a while) and lots of grouse in that area too. There are a good number of aspen stands with decent access to them.

hockeyhero_8 · #4 09-25-2010, 03:41 PM

Thanks for all the help guys, hopefully will be able to check out some spots soon!

elkhunter11 · #5 09-25-2010, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Deer i would think would not be that difficult either seeing as ft mac area is a wooded area, with tons of cutlines.

And likely more hunters than deer.

beermilk · #6 09-25-2010, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hockeyhero_8

Title pretty much says it all haha. Just lookin for some spots around Fort Mac with some Deer or Grouse, also, any places with good duck hunting around here? All help is much appreciated being a new hunter. Thanks.

hey hockey i just respond to your pm. but i just read this one and a thing i forgot to mention was in that same area i was telling you about for grouse are a couple small ponds that duck hunting is half decent in the only problem is on the weekends theres almost always someone allready there. one thing about fort mcmurray is theres more hunters then places to hunt. thats why i try and go on the week days

Sparx · #7 09-26-2010, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

And likely more hunters than deer.

One would think! However, never seen so many deer in my 30 yrs of life living up here! Even with the 2 supplemental doe tags and starting on Sept 1 for rifle season the population is holding well. I would believe that all the expansions of the plants and oil & gas industry clearing pipelines & cutblocks are supplying the deer with the habitat they require to maintain the populations. Just like anywhere else I hunt in Alberta, it's hit or miss when and where everybody chooses to hunt. There's been weekends up where I hunt packed solid, and the next not a soul in sight, and completely the same even in the middle of the week.

Deer and grouse are everywhere up here. Find some nice small quad trails cutting between sections of good forest and you'll be sure to find grouse. The deer like the pipelines and cutblocks. Good luck and be safe!

hockeyhero_8 · #8 10-02-2010, 03:32 PM

Any fox or coyotes either?

beermilk · #9 10-02-2010, 09:29 PM

have seen lots of fox and yotes around McMurray

actaully just got back from grouse hunting. got 9 ruffies today probbaly seen about 15 alltogether. Found a awesome new spot duck hunting and might go back there tomorrow with the little boat. never seen so many ducks in one spot in mcmurray befor.

and hockey this is all in the area i PM you about.

Bennettcw · #10 10-08-2010, 11:51 AM

Heading out tomorow morning, hoping to shoot a fwe ruffies for dinner tomorow night, any suggestions?

southernman · #11 10-08-2010, 12:56 PM

I have been picking up the odd grouse on the high ground between stony mountian and Conklin, very wet in any low areas. Havn't seen much for ducks thought.

Bennettcw · #12 10-09-2010, 07:16 PM

Well one Grouse and 3 hours stuck on the La Loche winter road... hopefully a better run tomorow

diesel fixer · #13 10-09-2010, 07:51 PM

Id stay away from that La loche winter road area unless you have a winch if you go back far enough and it rains u will be in for a long night. Are you looking for deer or just grouse?

beermilk · #14 10-09-2010, 08:09 PM

La Loche winter road is where i do all my grouse hunting and there are lots. just stay to dry trails. and have a good winch lol. also dont forget about the road that goes into that small CNRL station. (the road off to left befor you go down the hill and across small bridge) there alot of trails off of that road that produce good numbers of grouse everytime i go there.

last weekend seen about 15-16 grouse in the la loche area. 2 moose and 3 deer and a ****load of ducks

drake · #15 10-09-2010, 10:17 PM

i heard the tailing ponds are good for ducks this time of year.......good luck and god bless.

Sparx · #16 10-15-2010, 07:13 AM

Good year for grouse around McMurray. Find they are mostly coming out in the afternoon and evenings more than the mornings though. If I really tried I'm sure I could bag my limit on the good days in one afternoon alone. Almost at my possession limit now, better eat some up

Gave up the .22 for the 20 gauge single shot, pretty happy with that decision, and best of all not scaring the grouse off as much as I thought. Shot two grouse 5 ft apart with the 20 gauge and woulda swore the blast would just scare off the other birds in the group, very impressed!

Sparx · #17 10-15-2010, 07:17 AM

Oh yeah, and for the guys looking for rabbits, there's quite a few in the right areas. I hit one spot and they were litterally running all over the place! Saw 20 in one evening alone. Not really my thing, so I let them all go for the next guy! This was around the House River area that I noticed this.

ozy · #18 10-17-2010, 10:50 AM

If anybody is looking for deer in fort mac there is a lot on tower road but u need
a quad..there is also moose and etc..main thing u need a quad to get in to the small roads....

ozy · #19 10-17-2010, 10:54 AM

just tyring to find good spot for rabbits and grouse right now and black bear

I was with my buddy pass anzac found no bears little bit of grouse..anybody knows a good spot for bear or buck or rabbit on 881 .?tx

ozy · #20 10-17-2010, 11:02 AM

Tower road..you need a quad..there is lots of deer and moose there not sure about ducks

elkhunter11 · #21 10-17-2010, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Tower road..you need a quad..there is lots of deer and moose there not sure about ducks

There are some deer and moose on tower road,but compared to other areas of Alberta,the population is much less dense.And just about everyone in Fort McMurray has a quad,so the cut lines can get crowded at times.

Sparx · #22 10-17-2010, 11:15 AM

Depends how far you want to travel? Hour and a half south near House River there's a good number of grouse, rabbits in spots and black bear.

ColeEvans · #23 10-31-2010, 11:03 AM

Just curious if someone could give me some directions to the entrance of la loche winter road, cant find anything on the net?? or directions to any other spot hot with grouse, thanks!

Bennettcw · #24 12-01-2010, 03:19 AM

Well after the first go out and being stuck for three hours on the CNRL road that was spoken about, I had there more trips down there, 19 grouse out of there, 16 of the stoney mountain road and another half dozen here and there. All and all a good chicken season, Thanks for the advice guys. Time for ice fishing now.

Bennett

Flight01 · #25 12-02-2010, 08:59 AM

been hunting around fort mac for 6 years now...south on 881 is the best so far and of course mariana to wandering river is great if you have the time or are setting up camp. for black bear hit up the alpac road south of janvier, lots of spring bear. for grouse pretty much any lease road or cutline, deer are pretty good on the alpac road aswell, i'll post pics of the deer i shot in that area over the last few years.