Hunting Tactics

Hunting tactics are highly variable in Alberta.

This is due to a wide diversity of circumstances including weather, fitness of the hunter, timing of your hunt in relation to the rut, habitat type and personal preferences of the outfitter.

While ground blinds and treestands continue to be effective choices, a spot and stalk approach can be highly productive for trophy deer, as can still-hunting when ground cover conditions are favorable. Another time-tested technique for rooting out midday bucks from cover is deer drives, “pushing bush” as it’s often 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 bucks that might otherwise never show themselves.

Alberta white-tailed deer are a far cry in terms of size from some of those common to the southern and eastern U.S. The dacotensis subspecies native to Alberta is the largest bodied and largest antlered, of the many recognized subspecies of whitetails across North America. A mature buck in excess of 300 pounds is not at all uncommon, and some grow to be substantially bigger.

In Alberta, wherever there are whitetails, there are big whitetails!