Alberta waterfowl hunting

[mcmullmar]

Has anyone here made the trip to Alberta for waterfowl hunting? I'm thinking of going this fall. Any general area to try would be appreciated.

Thank you

[Chessieguy]

Went to Spirit River a couple of years ago for some geese. It was decent, we were with a guy that played around with outfitting, so I think if you had the right set up you could do quite well up there. Not much in the way of ducks if that's what you were after.

For us it was more of a road trip than trying to fill a freezer while we did succeed at both, all in all a good time was had.

[dak0ta]

Too many birds, bring enough ammo.

[barklee]

Great place to hunt waterfowl. If you are only going for a few days it can be pretty tough to find the birds and get permission to hunt the land they are feeding on. There are lots of lakes that you could set up on. I would suggest you go to the Alberta outdoorsman website and ask a few of the guys on there. There are a lot of water fowlers on there and they might even be kind enough to take you out hunting with them which would save you on scouting and then getting permission.
If you are not into that then I would look out near the Saskatchewan boarder as there are less hunters and it would be easier to get permission. The closer you are to a big city the harder it is to find land to hunt. Start scouting he area you will be going to on Google map to see if there is water near by that would hold them on the migration.
Other than that bring lots of ammunition cause if you find them it can be an amazing day.
They just don't stop coming.
Good luck. let me know how it goes for you.

[northernsculler]

I know this is an older thread but worth a bump. North Central Alberta is bar none the best waterfowling in North America. Full stop end of story. Most large lakes are are closed to hunting. Endless pea fields and two flyways. 30 years of waterfowling and my first day in Alberta made me want to weep for all the wasted time.

Get a WIN card, a wildlife certificate and a bird liscence and drive up there you wont regret it. Aim for Mclean and adjust according to local help/hints. Mid to late oct. If your not a dickhead you will find lots of local grain growers to point you in the right direction. I hunt the water so never availed myself of invites but generally everytime I met someone they offered a place to shoot.....

Only danger is that you will never again be fully satisfied with any where else. FYI Alberta will send you a set of regs in the mail for free.

here is a teaser vid. Note the high flocks of geese.

http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b636/northernsculler/th_waitingtolandonthebow-Computer_zpse58e539c.mp4 (http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b636/northernsculler/waitingtolandonthebow-Computer_zpse58e539c.mp4)

[mcmullmar]

THanks for the video. I now have to wipe the drool off my computer. Need to get over there. Thanks for the info

[northernsculler]

Just go you wont regret it. Lot of the small towns up there have full hook-up RV sites with warm showers for 10-15 bucks a night, also can find dirt cheap hotels at silo cross roads. If you go and the sky is not full of birds your in the wrong place. That video could have been shot in a 1000 places at that time. early nov/late oct. Basically every bird from hudson bay to alaska passes thru and stays till the snow is too deep to eat thru. Outfitters in that area charge approx 5 K for 3 afternoon and 2 morning shoots!

[barklee]

This was two years ago. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPc24d6yUZ4
Was hunting Ducks and Geese on September 10th there in the snow storm limited out on ducks and even called 4 geese in. So my Advice to you is get away from the city's. The farther away you are the better chance of getting permission on a farms land that is holding a ton of birds.
Oh and I am sitting out here right now looking up at flocks of 200-500 geese fly over my office on the rig.
Can't wait for days off.

[lorneparker1]

Ive hunted +/- an hour of red eer twice. once just a few years ago. It is wicked hunting forsure, never got turned down once for permission and didn't see any other hunters...

[mcmullmar]

Gotta go, just need to convience wife that I need to go away for another week

[tripleseven]

Ive hunted +/- an hour of red eer twice. once just a few years ago. It is wicked hunting forsure, never got turned down once for permission and didn't see any other hunters...

I had lived in Calgary for 10 years, and the areas I deer hunted (about a 2 hour drive east of the city) didn't have much for waterfowl. I spent a couple days trying to get permission on more promising land in the same area, and it was absolutely maddening. Rather than tell you "no" people would lie about who's land it was. In one case we got sent to 5 different houses...the fifth referred us back to the first house we started at! After wasting a couple days doing that, I just gave up on birding there and focused on the farm I was deer hunting on. I guess that's a long way of saying "stay away from the cities"!

[northernsculler]

Did you show up bearing a homemade fresh baked pie? Fresh loaf of bread? Bag of chocolate chip cookies?

That was your first error, your second was speaking in the plural. "We" means two strangers alot different then one stranger with a pie and a cheery disposition.

If you got that frustrated something was wrong with your technique. Even if the land already has hunters it seldom means that an owner is not open to the possibility of liking you more!

Had alot of people ask permisssion for deer hunting and 70% came off entitled and not likeable. Used to just tell em that I needed a few feet of ditch dug. ( 2 feet soft earth:wink:) Only ONE guy ever said "great where is the shovel" I said " If you find one while your scouting a tree stand location bring it back" I assume he is still killing deer there.

[lorneparker1]

I had lived in Calgary for 10 years, and the areas I deer hunted (about a 2 hour drive east of the city) didn't have much for waterfowl. I spent a couple days trying to get permission on more promising land in the same area, and it was absolutely maddening. Rather than tell you "no" people would lie about who's land it was. In one case we got sent to 5 different houses...the fifth referred us back to the first house we started at! After wasting a couple days doing that, I just gave up on birding there and focused on the farm I was deer hunting on. I guess that's a long way of saying "stay away from the cities"!

IF you go to the township and get the maps of who owns what that takes away the whole running around. The ones we got even had the farmers phone numbers. Call them up, tell them the block you want to hunt. go kill stuff. Never knocked on a single door. Just phone calls.

[Dodo23]

Reviving an old thread, WE have permission on lots of land around Lloydminster, AB. I just moved to BC recently. I would be glad to help if someone wants to plan a trip. And I agree, bring lots of ammo.

[dak0ta]

I hunted east of Edmonton just past Sherwood Park 3 years ago, too many ducks/geese, not enough ammo. Knock on the doors, ask politely, and they usually grant you access. Bring lots of ammo, I'm not kidding...

[walks with deer]

Gents,

I am in red deer for october i brought decoys looks like i should have brought more shell the price out here is crued for a box.

and tips would be appreciated.

[walks with deer]

Well no tips yet went for a drive tonight saw 8 moose and a few thousand birds..gained permission and did some successful pass shooting..first place I tried said yes good start.