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Alberta Outdoors Hunting Outfitter Directory Any person accessing this site agrees to the terms of agreement |
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Hunting Alberta Canada | Black Bear Hunts | Whitetail Deer Hunts | Mule Deer Hunts | Moose Hunts | Elk Hunts | Winter Wolf Hunts | Cougar | Coyote & Wolf Hunts Antelope | Bison (Buffalo) Hunts | Big Horn Sheep Hunts | Trapline Tours Hunts | Mountain Goat Hunts | Waterfowl Hunts | Upland Bird Hunts | Hunting Outfitters | Home |
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Whitetail Deer Hunting 
Mule Deer Hunting
Black Bear Hunting
Moose Hunting
Elk Hunting
Cougar Hunting
Wolf & Coyote Hunting
Antelope Hunting
Big Horn Sheep Hunting
Bison Hunting
Trapline Adventures
Goose & Duck Hunting Guides
Big Game Hunting Outfitters
Waterfowl Hunting Guides
abhunting's channel
A small, trim animal, standing about
90 cm high at the shoulder, the pronghorn is the fastest North
American mammal. It is capable of speeds estimated at 80-95
km/h in short bursts. Pronghorns travel in small herds, and
signal each other by raising the white hair on their rumps which
flashes in the sunlight for long distances on the prairie. They
can see long distances and have very keen eyesight. Male and
female have branched or pronged horns of approximately 3-7 cm
horns. The outer sheath or horn is hair that is shed each fall.
Thus making them not a "true" antelope. Aside from
their identifying horns, they also have 2 white bars across
the throat, white markings on rump and underparts and the bucks
have black patches behind the jaw. Hunting the pronghorn antelope
is now restricted to adjacent southern corners of Alberta and
Saskatchewan consisting of some 40,000 square miles of pronghorn
habitat. The Alberta prairie is the northern limit of pronghorn
range. There were six antelope that were killed in the past
couple of years that scored over 80 (Boone and Crockett). and
some of these were taken by bow hunters! 82 is the Boone and
Crockett minimum, and records show that more antelope are making
the book now then in the past. Antelope hunting has always been
by spot and stalk. The trick to hunting antelope is remembering
how good an antelope's eyes are! Hunting pronghorns with binoculars
and then stalking them works well since you can spot them before
they spot you. The best time of year to hunt them is during
the breeding season because they will be too caught up in their
mating displays to notice predators. On an average day a hunter
may see over 100 antelope. Most of those will be in herds from
half a dozen to twenty or more and at least half a dozen bucks
will score 70 Boone & Crockett or better! A person who takes
his time looking over the bucks (and can shoot straight) should
go home with an antelope on the good side of 15 inches.
Once
you've been black bear hunting in Alberta you won't want to hunt
anywhere else. Approximately 74% of the province is inhabited
by black bear and much of it is largely undisturbed, the color
phases range from dark chocolate brown to blond, many bear harvested
in Alberta have made the Boone & Crockett and Pope & Young
record books. If this isn't enough to convince you, then the 2
bear limit in most areas should! Where else can you have the opportunity
to harvest two black bears in one hunt! Contact the outfitters
directly to book your black bear hunting trip in Alberta. Spring
and Fall black bear hunting provides the hunter with a variety
of opportunities. Your hunt will be productive and you will have
a great chance of getting trophy black bears. The average male
black bear will weigh anywhere from 250-450 pounds and are between
5 - 5 1/2 feet from nose to tail. Many outfitters have harvested
black bear above the average ranging from 6 - 8 feet nose to tail
and up to 600 pounds. Alberta is estimated to have over 36,000
black bear!. Baiting black bear is allowed in most areas as is
spot and stalk and either method will be productive. Hunting black
bear over bait will give the hunter the opportunity to get close
enough to see the quality of the hide, this is perfect for the
archery or muzzeloader hunter. Spot and stalk hunting can be very
productive as well. It's almost a certainty you will get a shot
at a trophy black bear no matter what method you use. 
Free
ranging wild bison are one of North America’s most unique
and impressive trophies. One of the few places you can hunt
wild, free-ranging bison is in Alberta, Alberta offers one of
the very few opportunities to hunt these magnificent animals
in a truly fair chase situation. Alberta's population of buffalo
was an area of boreal forest, parkland and open wetlands along
the Peace, Athabasca and Slave Rivers in northern Alberta. These
bison were designated as a separate subspecies, based on several
perceived characteristics such as larger size and darker coloration.
Bison utilize scattered pockets of grass/sedge habitat along
beaver ponds, sloughs and bog lakes. Bison may be hunted anywhere
they are found in northern Alberta, except within the Wood Buffalo
National Park and within a new Bison Protection Area in northwestern
Alberta, where they have been recently re-introduced. Contrary
to the popular perception of a bison hunt, this may be one of
the toughest hunting experiences on the continent! Most of this
region can only be travelled in winter when the creeks and muskegs
are frozen. A tent camp in temperatures as low as -30 is the
norm. Hunters may travel up to 100 miles in a day by snowmobile
searching for fresh tracks, which if found must be followed
up on foot. The rewards for the dedicated hunter can be great
however. Studies have shown that many of the bulls in this area
are positively ancient, and trophy potential very high. As well,
there is the satisfaction of having hunted one of the rarest
and most awesome trophies, a true free ranging bison on its
northern range!
Alberta
is home of the bighorn sheep with a good number of them over
200 points! Sheep hunting in Alberta has gained a worldwide
reputation. Anyone who has ever dreamed or yearned of hunting
the most prominent & revered bighorn sheep should come to
Alberta! Alberta Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep have always been
a premier trophy for sportsmen from around the world. Many trophy
size sheep are found in the northern part of Alberta as well
as in the south. No matter where you hunt, sheep hunting is
tough, but add snow, high winds and sub-zero conditions, and
the hunt becomes ultra-extreme. Sheep hunting is done with packhorses.
The exception is an archery-only zone, where much of the hunting
is easily accessed on foot. This hunt occurs in the late season
and provides a wonderful opportunity to see trophy rams. The
best outfitters will carry spotting scopes and binoculars as
spotting the sheep can be difficult. Many sheep can be found
in rocky gorges and in the timbered foothills as well as the
highest mountain peaks. There is no predicting where you will
find rams. This is truly a hunt of a lifetime, for the rugged
hunter that is looking for a challenging pursuit of the premiere
big game trophy. Bighorn sheep grow up to six feet in length,
live up to 12 years and can weigh as much as 300 pounds. (Females
weigh only 60% of the males, typically.) Rocky Mountain bighorns
live in the grassy alpine of the Rockies, usually at altitudes
of 5,000 to 10,000 feet. Alberta Environment estimates the provincial
population to be about 5,800 animals. This estimate is based
on population counts in selected areas and hunter harvest information.
The cougar, also known as mountain
lion, puma, or panther, is North America's largest member
of the cat family. This alert, secretive animal is rarely
seen which makes cougar hunting a real challenge. Cougar hunting
is a rugged adventures and a unique hunting experience. Growing
up to 10 feet long and weighing in at close to 200 pounds
gives the hunter an opportunity to harvest a real trophy.
The cougar lives in ragged, forested
areas, canyons and dense swamps at altitudes as high as 13,000
feet. In Alberta, a hunter will usually find cougars primarily
in southern mountains and foothills, but occasionally they
may be seen in other areas. Cougar hunting is regulated in
Alberta. This is an effort to preserve these cats for the
future population. Cougar
hunting begins the first of December and continues through
the end of February. Cougar seasons are quota seasons that
close early for resident hunters if the quota is reached in
any given zone. The population has been very well managed
which allows for better cougar hunting opportunities. The
best way to cougar hunt is to use hounds. The hounds will
follow the cougar track and with alot of hard work and a little
luck you will find a treed mountain lion at the end of the
trail. The dogs will corner them up trees and hold the cat
there. This gives the hunter an opportunity to get a good
look at the animal and decide whether or not to let it go.
This method gives the hunter an excellent chance of taking
home a trophy cougar. 
Bull
moose can weigh over 1000 lbs and stand 7.5 ft.at the shoulder
with antlers that can measure as much as 6 ft.from tip to tip.
Outfitters in Alberta have harvested moose that range in size
to 1500 pounds or more and yield antlers in the 45-50 inch range
with the top end of mature bull moose in the 60 inch class.
Canada moose hunting is amazing due to Alberta's new moose management
program ensuring that overharvest is not a problem. What this
means for the moose hunter is better quantity and quality -
many of which have made the Boone & Crockett record book!
Most of the prime moose hunting
in Alberta is along the foothills in central Alberta heading
north to the Northwest Territories border. In Alberta, moose
are common throughout the foothills, mountain and boreal forest
zone and have been increasing in the parkland and prairies.
Moose prefer muskegs, brushy meadows and small groves of aspen
or coniferous trees, particularly where such habitat adjoins
lakes, ponds or streams. Moose hunts can take place in feeding
areas, logged blocks, natural mineral licks, lakes, cutlines
and riverbanks as well. The habitat for moose is plentiful.
Those who have experienced it will
tell you that calling a trophy bull and watching him approach
you is a real adreniline rush! Alberta is a moose hunters paradise.
Mule
deer are found throughout Alberta. Several bucks harvested in
Alberta are in excess of 240 Boone and Crockett points and the
world record for non-typical buck was taken in Alberta and scores
an impressive 355 2/8 B&C points and in 75 years has yet
to be beat. The provincial record for typical mule deer scores
206 B&C points. Mule
deer bowhunting seasons in the boreal forest and foothills zones
begin in late August and runs through late October; in the mountain
zone the archery mule deer hunting season begins in late August
and ends in late September; In the Parkland and Prairie zones
archery for mule deer hunting begins in late September and runs
through November. Rifle mule deer hunting begins in mid September
and runs until the end of November in the Boreal, Foothills
and Mountain zones and in the Parkland and Prairie zones, mule
deer hunting rifle season runs through November . The rut takes
place in early to mid-November and typically continues until
the end of the season. Mule
deer prefer a more open, less tree-infested type of terrain.
The coats of mulies are gray brown for the winter months and
reddish brown for the summer. They have white patches of hair
on their rump and a tail that is mostly white with a black tip.
Their ears can be over a foot long and provide excellent hearing.
Reaching adult size at around three years and living to 16,
bucks can weigh up to 250 pounds (does are smaller).
Mule Deer can leap up to ten feet
in the air, run up to 40 mph and change direction almost instantaneously.
They have excellent hearing, keen senses of smell and a superb
sense of sight in both daytime and nighttime conditions. These
animals usually feed during the day and don't move too much.
This makes mule deer hunting a real challenge.
The
large fields, lakes, puddle lakes, wetlands, and major flyways
will give you the waterfowl hunting experience of a lifetime.
The rolling fields of peas, barley, and wheat are home to a
variety of ducks and geese which make waterfowl hunting in Alberta
some of the best in North America. Thousands of mallards and
pintails are found in every puddle, slough, and lake. It is
not uncommon to hear daily reports of large groups of hunters
all limiting out even with the liberal limits allowed in Alberta.
Each area of alberta provides excellent
waterfowl hunting. In the boreal zone there are thousands of
migrating geese and ducks headings south from the Arctic. The
Parkland zone is home to the highest population of mallards,
Canada geese, snow geese and white-fronted geese. There is a
long season and very liberal limits. The migration is in full
swing by mid-September and lasts until the end of October (sometimes
later). The Foothills zone has excellent opportunity for waterfowl
hunting especially late in the season. The prairies are known
world-wide for it's migrating ducks and geese, the flyways,
thousands of acres of staging waters with low hunting pressure.
No matter where you plan your waterfowl hunting trip in Alberta,
you will be impressed - and you will reach your daily limits!
If
you want a real challenge and the opportunity to harvest a record
whitetail deer, Alberta is the place to hunt. Add your whitetail
deer to the Boone & Crockett Record Book! Alberta's whitetail
deer are one of the most sought after trophies in North America
and have become world famous. Alberta has one of the highest
percentages of trophy-class bucks. Spend a week whitetail deer
hunting in Alberta and chances are you'll have an opportunity
to put your sites on the largest whitetail you've ever seen.
Whitetail deer hunting in Alberta is a real challenge! Generally
it takes a hunter to be patient and in good physical condition.
Whitetails have adapted to the varied terrain in Alberta. In
the prairie zone, deer have learned to be elusive even in the
smallest cover area. In the parkland zone whitetails live in
the aspen forest where they can find many places to go unnoticed.
In the boreal forest and foothills zones, deer have the safety
of spruce and aspen forests. Trophy whitetails are found regularly
in all of these zones. Alberta whitetail deer has the largest
bodies and largest antlers of the many species of whitetails
across North America. A mature buck can weigh in excess of 300
pounds and bigger. Stand hunting, rattling, grunt calling, still
hunting and stalking, ground blinds and treestands are all effective
methods for whitetail deer hunting. Another technique for rooting
out midday bucks from cover is deer drives, "pushing bush"
as it's most commonly referred to in western Canada. This tactic,
while certainly challenging the shooting skills of the hunter
on post, is a highly successful method for creating opportunities
for harvesting huge deer that might otherwise never show themselves.
In Alberta, the rut, or mating season usually occurs in November.
November is traditionally the best time for whitetail deer hunting
but late August and early September can be productive to the
bow hunter in search of these whitetail bucks. 
If
you are up to a challenge wolf hunting is for you.Many outfitters
will add a wolf hunt to their big game hunts and will offer
winter wolf hunting trips, when the pelts are at their best,
and no other hunting seasons are open. Wolves may be hunted
by the holder of a wolf license from the opening of any big
game season until the end of the spring bear season. A great
method for wolf hunting is using heated blinds over bait, stalking
and calling. Baiting wolves is legal and effective and there
is no limit on wolves. In Alberta, wolves are found in mountain,
foothill and boreal regions and cover approximately 60 percent
of the provincial land area. Wolves are not considered rare
or endangered in the province.