Desktop research on possible hunting areas

[IrritatedSalmon]

Hey all,

Just joined the forum minutes ago. Located in Edmonton, this is my third hunting season, so pretty green and lots to learn still. First season around I went with some older, more experienced folks (friend's uncle & aunt), and last season went to the same location on my own with a friend. I figure it's time to explore new areas to hunt, but having a hell of a time nailing down possible areas to go without physically going there to determine if it is/isn't possible.

I do not know any land owners for permission, so I am primarily looking at Public Grazing Reserve land (PGR's) and other public areas to hunt. Government of Alberta has a mapping tool to use in conjunction with information from albertaparks.ca... but I still don't have confidence that I am finding acceptable places to go hunt white tail on a general tag. Tried calling multiple offices and all just go to answering machines, haven't had a single one call back.

We could just fall back on going to the same place we've been at for the past few years (one buck and one wild boar in ~20 days of hunting total over the two seasons, probably moderate to higher pressure in that area), but it would be nice to go explore new areas further north.

Thoughts?

[Dewey Cox]

Where was the wild boar?

[freeride]

Originally Posted by Dewey Cox

Where was the wild boar?

Lol I was waiting for that.
As well he will have a tonne of pms

[CDN offroader]

Get the Ihunter App and then buy the in-app landowner map for the area you want to hunt. Will show you public and private land. Look at the ACA sites. Most are open for hunting and the descriptions on the website will even tell you the animals you might find there.

I moved to Alberta last year and have found a bunch of good places to hunt using these tools.

[Hawkhills]

Second vote for ACA property.

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[Smoky buck]

You can start your scouting with google earth and sat photos but the only way to confirm is get boots on the ground and check for sign. I have walked into areas that look amazing habitat wise only to find them void of life

Overtime you will realize the good concentrations of deer are in pockets. You can only narrow down good pockets by putting in the time learning an area. I am sitting in a stand in an area I would say mostly sucks but this pocket is good. I found a few really good pockets amongst km’s of really poor deer numbers from lots of scouting.

Research good deer habitat and start exploring burning boot leather. Don’t worry about physically seeing deer but look for sign. I start late spring and don’t stop till winter.

I am hunting public land out west and there is deer but you have to find them in km’s of bush

[IrritatedSalmon]

Originally Posted by CDN offroader

Get the Ihunter App and then buy the in-app landowner map for the area you want to hunt. Will show you public and private land. Look at the ACA sites. Most are open for hunting and the descriptions on the website will even tell you the animals you might find there.

I moved to Alberta last year and have found a bunch of good places to hunt using these tools.

Thanks for the recommendation. So it is my understanding that iHunter just provides you with copies of free county maps. If you cross reference county maps with the government of Alberta Rec Access mapping tool, it's essentially the same thing but free (just more leg work). No?

I didn't know about the ACA resources though, that looks like a really good one to add. ACA sites plus the PGRs seem like a decent place to start laying out areas of interest.

[freeride]

You will still need to buy the county maps for ihunter after.

If you looking for a deer then I would suggest picking a spot that has a general tag and learning it well. There are lots of places I can think of that are big and show little deer sign... unless you know exactly where to look. Then it's full of deer.

As stated hit the thick bush for whitetail and not too high up on hills. Learn their habits and you will find them.

I know it sounds like a cop out, but quite honestly when you know the deer then I could send you into a wmu you have never been to and you could find them.

[IrritatedSalmon]

Originally Posted by Smoky buck

You can start your scouting with google earth and sat photos but the only way to confirm is get boots on the ground and check for sign. I have walked into areas that look amazing habitat wise only to find them void of life

Overtime you will realize the good concentrations of deer are in pockets. You can only narrow down good pockets by putting in the time learning an area. I am sitting in a stand in an area I would say mostly sucks but this pocket is good. I found a few really good pockets amongst km’s of really poor deer numbers from lots of scouting.

Research good deer habitat and start exploring burning boot leather. Don’t worry about physically seeing deer but look for sign. I start late spring and don’t stop till winter.

I am hunting public land out west and there is deer but you have to find them in km’s of bush

That's the next step in my "desktop review" - from "Where am I allowed to hunt?" to "Is this location suitable for hunting?" Essentially making a list of places, studying them from numerous maps, then visit in person to physically observe and make it to where you are one day with really knowing the area(s) by putting the time in.

With your presence in the area of which you hunt nearly all year round, do you feel the animals might become accustomed to you being there and accept it? Likely spook off to never return? Or some combination of both?

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by IrritatedSalmon

That's the next step in my "desktop review" - from "Where am I allowed to hunt?" to "Is this location suitable for hunting?" Essentially making a list of places, studying them from numerous maps, then visit in person to physically observe and make it to where you are one day with really knowing the area(s) by putting the time in.

With your presence in the area of which you hunt nearly all year round, do you feel the animals might become accustomed to you being there and accept it? Likely spook off to never return? Or some combination of both?

You can push them out and I try not to over do it on an area both scouting and hunting. I have found if you walk on their trails too much they clue in. After I first locate a potential area I avoid walking on the trails. You can spook a deer more than once but do it too often they move. Stay out of bedding areas. If you stumble on a bedding area don’t go back in there but instead find the trails they use to get in and out away from the bedding area. Bedding area is a deers safe place

I try not to go into a location more then twice a month scouting but when I talk spot I am talking a couple 100yards not KMs.

[IrritatedSalmon]

Originally Posted by Smoky buck

You can push them out and I try not to over do it on an area both scouting and hunting. I have found if you walk on their trails too much they clue in. After I first locate a potential area I avoid walking on the trails. You can spook a deer more than once but do it too often they move. Stay out of bedding areas. If you stumble on a bedding area don’t go back in there but instead find the trails they use to get in and out away from the bedding area. Bedding area is a deers safe place

I try not to go into a location more then twice a month scouting but when I talk spot I am talking a couple 100yards not KMs.

Understood, Thanks for sharing that experience. Something I certainly have never done before, but intend to once the season is over - get out and begin observing early on; friend has some trail cams that can be put out too.

Also, off topic - is there a minimum post # before the image verification prompt goes away? In order to post or reply to messages, I need to correctly type these six letters in an image...

[Robins36]

Backroads Mapbooks are good for determining where crown land is located.

[35 whelen]

I have back roads and the ihunter on my computer and my phone and my GPS I find the ihunter really good other than the maps are a little outdated as far as satellite maps

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[Smoky buck]

The image verification goes away but can’t remember how many posts