Crown land bow hunting help

[topknot]

Hey boys
I have been hunting the crown land around Sundre for Whitetails and Mulies for as long as I can remember, but unfortunately I grew up mainly road hunting and was never taught the finer points of scouting and getting close to wild animals on there terms, so I am sort of teaching myself as I go. it’s been probably 4-5 years since I’ve bagged a deer with my bow. And working on the rigs leaves me little time to scout or even hunt, so the time I spend scouting or hunting needs to be spent efficiently. Any tips I can get on scouting or hunting on crown land would be greatly appreciated, or how to find private land worth Hunting on.

Thanks a lot

[SageValleyOutdoors]

Hey - i think you’ll catch a lot of flak on here for having this type of post as your first one. I think there’s a lot of animosity towards new guys in general, which in my opinion is silly - we should be helping guys do things the right way, instead of leaving them to figure it out on their own.

Anyway - search for the iHunter app on your phone, and download it. Also download the county landowner maps that are optional within the app. It will point you to crown land, crown grazing lease land as well as private, deeded land... that’s a good place to start.
Get off the roads and away from easily accessible areas. Those will naturally be hunted by more people. There’s no “easy” way to get access to private property- but the best way I’ve found is to be respectful, and straight up. A lot of landowners i know like to get to know the people they allow on their place - so don’t ONLY show up the day before the season opens. Come by after the season, maybe bring a share of any meat you harvest, or a bottle of their favourite booze - but DO NOT give them ANYTHING before you ask permission. That can be construed as paying for access or bribery. You CAN offer small thank you gifts though, AFTER access has been granted. I go back at Christmas time with a card, and a bottle of liquor. More often than not, I’m invited in for a drink and short BS session. That definitely greases the wheels and sets me apart from other hunters.
If you’re driving a big, loud smoke-spewing diesel, and spitting gravel and fishtailing all over their driveway, they’re likely going to tell you to **** off. Again - it goes towards respect.

When it comes to scouting - you’ve just gotta get out there and hit the trails, burn boot leather and see what’s moving where. Look for food sources close to cover, away from pressure. You’ll find animals. Keep the wind in your face on the way in, and go slow and quiet.

[Smoky buck]

Walk pipelines with good game trails look for good spots to set stands or blinds by following cross trails into the bush. Setting cams is a big help to find good locations or you gamble on the spots with the best sign. This can work well for Whitetails but can give you a chance at anything else that comes down the trail

Give it a try

[sharpstick]

As mentioned above, get out of the truck and go for a walk. To really find out if there are the critters you're looking for, set up a trail camera or 2 deep in the bush away from main trails or you will risk losing them. For private land, Sage hit the nail on the head. Picture yourself as the landowner and the type of person you would allow to hunt on your property. Best of luck to you this fall.
Cheers,
SS