Hi Darcy,

Your best source of information would be to talk with the local wildlife biologist. Give your local Fish and Wildlife office a call and they should be able to get you in contact with him.

TJ

Hi Mark,

Great to see you getting back into hunting again. Here's a link to all the conservation sites you were referencing:
www.ab-conservation.com/go/default/index.cfm/discover-guide/search/.

You can also get some very detailed information on AFGA properties at: www.afga.org/content.html?identifier=WTFproperties

Good luck this season,

TJ

Hey Wes,

From my experience and from speaking with some very knowledgeable antelope hunters, I'd say right around September 15 is primetime.

Good luck on your hunt.

TJ

Elk numbers are good in Alberta right now and most of the western WMUs have good populations. I'm not overly familiar with WMU 355 but I do know that most of the 300 and 400 zones from Hinton north to Peace River offer excellent opportunities. If it is an area you are familiar with, I'm sure you could find some elk with a little hard work.

Good luck,

TJ

Big pike are lovers of cool water and head into the depths during the summer months. Without a depth finder, you are virtually fishing blind during the summer months. You could try trolling some deep-running bait around points but big pike can be in depths of 40 feet or more during July and August. I hope this helps,

TJ

Hi Gareth,

Coyotes are found virtually right across Alberta so I'd suggest seeking out some areas close to home. Most landowners are quite receptive to having coyote hunters on their place.

Good luck,

TJ

Hi Steve,

My absolute favourite perch set up is a tiny perch-coloured jigging spoon tipped with a meal worm. If there are perch below you, jig this very subtly in their face and they can't resist it.

Good luck,

TJ

Hi Frank,

Gaining information on sheep hunting spots is definitely not the easiest thing. It seems most sheep hunters are fairly closed mouthed about their favourite hunts. I'd suggest picking up a copy of People and Peaks of the Wilmore Wilderness. It gives a lot of insight into this incredible area. You should also contact the Willmore Wilderness Foundation as I'm sure the folks there could offer some suggestions. www.willmorewilderness.com

Good Luck,

TJ

Hi Troy,

Your best bet is to consult the hunting regulations. They are available on-line at www.albertaregulations.ca/huntingregs. If you are speaking about hunting within the Edmonton City limits, you should check out www.edmonton.ca/bylaws_licences/bylaws.aspx

Thanks,

TJ

Hi Ed,

Alberta's on-line hunting regulations can be found at:
www.albertaregulations.ca/huntingregs/ but no, other than in a couple specific areas, Alberta has no colour requirements when big game hunting.

TJ

Hi Austin,

My experience fishing the Red Deer River is somewhat limited but I know the best fishing is in the late fall. I'd suggest visiting the fishing forum on the Alberta Outdoorsmen website and asking your question there. I'm sure a few of the very knowledgeable anglers there could help you out.

www.outdoorsmenforum.ca

Good luck,

TJ

Hi Cory,

Quite truthfully, I just decided one day to try my hand at writing for outdoor magazines and I managed to sell a few articles right off the bat and that gave me the confidence to continue on. It was a long road to get to a point where I was actually making a living but I kept working hard at it and finally it all paid off. If it's something you are interested in, I'd highly recommend the North American School of Outdoor Writing:
http://www.nasow.com/.
You should also check out the mentor program offered by the Outdoor Writers of Canada: http://www.outdoorwritersofcanada.com/

There's no doubt that market is rapidly changing and making a living is becoming more difficult but I think there will always be a place for good writers and outdoor magazines like Alberta Outdoorsmen.

Good luck,

TJ

Hi Cory,

Your best bet would be to contact the Alberta Hunter Education Instructors Association (AHEIA) and sign up for a Hunter Education and a Firearm course. Once you have completed those, I'd suggest joining your local Fish and Game club.

AHEIA can be contacted through www.aheia.com

Alberta Fish and Game Assciation information can be found at www.afga.org.

Good luck,

TJ

Hi Peter,

Good to see you getting back into hunting.

The properties listed in the Discover Alberta book also have the conditions of access listed so just follow the instructions there and you will be fine. Most of the properties do not require advance permission but check before you go. You can also find those properties online with more detailed info at www.ab-conservation.com or www.afga.org.

As for hunting licences, some species require you to draw for them and other are available as over-the-counter tags. As always, you best source of information is the hunting regulations. They can be found online at www.albertaregulations.ca/huntingregs

Draws can be done on-line, at a licence vendor or over the telephone and information for the 2010 draws should be available in a few weeks. Another good website to find information about the draws and general hunting information is www.mywildalberta.com

Good luck,

TJ

A lot of people don't realize it but big pike love cool water and in the summer, they head deep, often to depths of 40 feet or more. Big jigging spoons seem to work very well if you can find a point that extends out into deep water. Sylvan is definitely a sleeper for big trophy pike. I've had some good days there over the years.

Good luck this summer.

TJ

Well first off, I really envy you. You should hit some phenominal angling for pike, walleye and lake trout. The lake trout really seem in tune with spoons and the Len Thompson Five of Diamonds and the Mepps Syclops are two of my favourites. Depending on the water temperature, the lake trout should still be fairly shallow so I'd start searching the gently sloping, boulder-strewn shorelines. The pike will likely still be close to their spawning bays. Look for large, dark-bottomed bays with new weed growth. Large crankbaits like the Swim Whiz would be my choice. The walleye can be a bit scattered on Leland but last time I was there, we found some humps that came up into three feet of water and the walleye were stacked on them. They were a few miles north of the camp, closer to the east shore. They were easy to catch on jigs cast up on top of the humps.

Have a great trip.

TJ

Hi Kelly,

Elk populations are very good in southern Alberta right now and opportunities to harvest elk exist right along the east slopes. Access to private land can be challenging but with enough door knocking, you can usually find a good ranch or two to hunt. The 400 zones offer some great opportunities as well for those willing to get out there and do some exploring and they offer the added benifit of loads of public land. I'd suggest concentrating on one area and spending the time getting to know it.

TJ

Yikes, that is a tough question. What I think might be the best WMU could be the worst for you. A lot of it comes down to how much public land is there. Can you get access to private land. Do you know the area. Quite honestly, I wouldn't say there is a bad area for antelope right now. I know some of the more central zones didn't produce that well last year as antelope were slow to migrate south but populations are good right across their range right now.

The same can be said of mule deer. If you are looking for a wall hanger, I'm pretty high on the mountain zones right now but populations are scattered and finding mule deer can be tough if you aren't familiar with the area. The Peace Country is still recovering from some tough winters so it's a bit hit and miss. Southern zones are lousy with mule deer but the increased number of tags in most zones has hurt trophy quality.

Ten years ago, I'd easily have picked a half dozen WMUs as being the best but that isn't the case right now. Tough winters, CWD and increased tags have all hurt populations badly. I'd pick a WMU you are familiar with and that you have good access in and hunt hard and you'll likely find a good buck.

The government stats on draw priority are bang on and I suspect their success stats are pretty reliable as well. Draw priority stats can be found at
www.mywildalberta.com/Hunting/HuntingDraws/DrawsSummaryReport.aspx

Sorry I couldn't be more specific but I'm not sure "best" exists right now.

TJ

Dear Anthony,

The rules regarding the hunting of coyotes are outlined fairly clearly in the 2009 Hunting Regulations. In regards to seasons, some areas are subject to closures and others are open throughout the year. The regulations state:

"Coyote
A Resident may, without a licence and on land to which he or she has the right of access, hunt (but not trap) coyote at all times of the year throughout the province, except as follows:
1) on public lands in the Green Area, only from October 1, 2009 to February 28, 2010, and
2) in Camp Wainwright (WMUs 728 and 730), only from January 4, 2010 to February 28, 2010.

Subject to the exception (*) below, a Non-resident or Non-resident Alien who holds a valid Non-resident/Non-resident Alien Wolf/Coyote Licence may hunt coyote on lands to which he or she has the right of access at all times of the year throughout the province - except on public lands in the Green Area where the season is from October 1, 2009 to February 28, 2010.

*Exception: if a big game season (other than a cougar season) is open in the area he or she is hunting, then the Non-resident or Non-resident Alien who holds a big game licence may hunt coyote only in the WMU or area where their big game licence is valid."

In regards to the use of calls, the regulations state:

"Electronic calls can now be used to hunt crows, magpie, coyote, red fox and wolf (using sounds that mimic the animals or rodents)."

As for all specific questions regarding regulations, however, your best option is to contact Fish and Wildlife directly for clarification.

Information Centre
Alberta Sustainable Resource Development
Main Floor, Great West Life Building
9920 108 Street
Edmonton Alberta Canada T5K 2M4

Hours of Operation, Mon-Fri: 8:15 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Tel (Edmonton local): 780 944-0313
Toll Free: 1 877 944-0313
Fax: 780 427-4407
Email: srd.infocent@gov.ab.ca

Thanks,

TJ

Hi David,

There is no specific regulation in the Wildlife Act addressing food plots specifically that I'm aware of but the Act is very clear that baiting for deer is illegal. I personally would consider hunting over a food plot planted specifically to attract deer as baiting but as with all legal matters such as this, you should contact Fish and Wildlife directly.

Information Centre
Alberta Sustainable Resource Development
Main Floor, Great West Life Building
9920 108 Street
Edmonton Alberta Canada T5K 2M4

Hours of Operation, Mon-Fri: 8:15 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Tel (Edmonton local): 780 944-0313
Toll Free: 1 877 944-0313
Fax: 780 427-4407
Email: srd.infocent@gov.ab.ca

Thanks,

TJ

Yes, the winters of 2006 and 2008 were tough ones on the deer populations in the north and numbers are definitely down but as with anywhere in Alberta, if you put your time in, there is always a chance of scoring on a good buck. You will have to work hard to find one though.

TJ

I've always enjoyed spot and stalk hunting for bears in the country west of Fox Creek and Valleyview. The area is full of roads, trails, pipelines and cutlines so there are loads of places to catch a bear out eating. Good luck with your hunt.

TJ

Hi Jason,

The rules regarding baitfish can be a bit confusing but the definition below from the regulations should clear up the use of smelts.

"Bait Fish means any of the following:
a. suckers (family Catostomidae)
b. sticklebacks (family Gasterosteidae)
c. trout-perch (Percopsis omiscomaycus)
d. Iowa darter (Etheostoma exile)
e. minnows (family Cyprinidae), except carp, goldfish and the western silvery minnow.
Note: Pet store fish (tropical fish) or crayfish cannot be used as bait fish.

Bait Fish may be used in waters that do not have bait bans or bait fish restrictions. Where fishing with bait fish is prohibited, other baits including smelts, herring, gammarus shrimp and dead fish eggs (e.g., preserved “salmon eggs”) may be used, provided a bait ban is not in effect for that water body.
NOTE: Smelts and herring are of the saltwater families Osmeridae and Clupeidae. Use of the freshwater species cisco (Coregonidae), also called tullibee or lake herring, is prohibited from use as bait."

Many people fish a smelt on a jig head with a stinger hook anywhere from a few inches to several feet of the bottom. Others suspend the smelt on a single or treble hook a foot or so below a weight. The lake trout are very light bighters at Spray and typically require a fast hookset. Either way of fishing a smelt works well and the key is to keep it off the bottom. I usually find it works well to jig it up and down occasionally but most bites come when it's sitting motionless.

TJ

Hi Ian,

Boy, that is a question with many answers. A lot would depend on how much he has shot, what your budget is and what type of grouse you'll be hunting. The biggest factor with a young hunter is a gun that fits well and that often means a shorter stock which in turn means a shorter barrel for better balance. I'd likely head to your local gun shop and try several of for size but I'd be looking at a 20 gauge in either a single shot or pump action. It may be worth looking for a good used gun as well as he will likely want to upgrade in the future so making a big investment in this shotgun may not be the wisest thing.

TJ

Dear Mike,

I haven't hunted moose very much in south-central Alberta and certainly the word "best" is a subjective term. Some WMUs have high populations of moose and others have lower populations but higher quality trophy potential. Other things to consider are how easy access is to obtain. It really depends what you are looking for in your hunt. If forced to choose one, I'd say WMU 728 as it offers some great opportunity and trophy potential and obtaining permission isn't an issue.

TJ

Hi Len,

I use Treebark Cameras and they have served me very well, even in the extreme cold.

TJ

Hi Mike,

My experience on Carson is limited but the couple times I've fished it in May and June, we did extremely well trolling nymphs on a sinking fly line. My most productive fly was a 52 Buick. I'd highly suggest that you visit the Alberta Outdoorsmen Messageboard and I'm sure there are some anglers in the fishing forum that could offer far more advice than I can.

TJ

Hey Kelly,

Hunting cougars without hounds is a challenge for sure. Your best bet would be to locate fresh tracks and then try mouth calling with a predator call. I'd suggest a fawn in distress or dying rabbit call. Just be careful though as cougars are big toothy predators that can come in fast.

Good luck,

TJ

Hi Fred,

Providing it's legal to shoot coyotes and legal to discharge a firearm where you live and you follow all the rules of gun safety, there is nothing wrong with shooting a coyote with a .270 or .30-06 although I suspect damage to the pelt will be extensive.

Thanks,

TJ

Hi Shelly,

I've yet to do the helicopter trip to Coral but it's most definitely on my bucket list. What a great birthday gift that will be. I do know several people that have fished it though and yes, fly fishing definitely stacks the odds in your favour. The golden trout in these lakes can be very spooky and in the sterile high-mountain lakes, they are used to eating a diet of insects, so fly fishing definitely fits the bill.

TJ

Hi Lee,

I'm not certain there is a large population but there are definitely some hunters harvesting them. The Barrhead area seems to be one of the hotspots but I've heard about them from Grande Prairie to east of Edmonton. There have been some great threads on the Alberta Outdoorsmen Messageboard recently about wild boar hunting that you should check out. Just do a search for wild boars in the hunting forum. There is no season for wild boars but caution must be taken not to confuse domestic pigs with the feral ones.

Check out http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca for more information.

TJ

Hi Tim:

Rather than starting with websites, I'd highly recommend that you start with your local archery shop and get properly set up by a professional. After that, there is loads of information out there on hunting elk with a bow. I'm a big fan of the Alberta Outdoorsmen Messageboard (http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca) and the archery forum is filled with knowledgeable bow hunters and I've always respected Wayne Carlton's knowledge of elk. Here's a link to an article about him but I'm sure a Google search will turn up countless more. http://www.camowest.com/elksec1.htm

Good luck in the upcoming season,

TJ

Hi Tyler,

Big bucks are typically quite secretive breeders and will usually hide away with a doe for a few days while they are breeding. If the area you are hunting has a high doe to buck ratio, it's quite easy for the dominant bucks to find receptive does and is the reason you aren't seeing them out in the open. The smaller bucks don't get much opportunity to breed and are much more active chasing does that aren't receptive. The most likely time to see the big boys out on the hunt is right at the end of the rut when most of the does have been bred and they are searching for those last few receptive does. The last few days of November are your best bet to catch a big buck in the open. It's also a great time to try some rattling and calling.

TJ

Hi Sean,

I'd highly recommend that you contact the Alberta Fish and Game Association. There are many benefits to affiliating your club with them and the local AFGA zone director will be a huge help in getting you set up. They can be contacted at 780-437-2342 or www.afga.org.

TJ

Wild boars are quite literally the proverbial needle in a haystack, especially now that more hunters are targeting them. The Barrhead/Mayerthorpe area is definitely one of the more consistent producers but a lot of scouting is required. You might want to check out the hunting forum on the Alberta Outdoorsmen Messageboard. There have been several recent threads about wild boar hunting in Alberta. Check it out at www.outdoorsmenforum.ca

Just do a search for wild boar on the messageboard and I'm sure you'll find loads of info from hunters across theprovince.

TJ

Hi Fred,

For legal matterrs such as this, I would suggest that your best option would be to contact the Sustainable Resource Development Information Centre. They can be contacted at

Information Centre
Alberta Sustainable Resource Development
Main Floor, Great West Life Building
9920 108 Street
Edmonton Alberta Canada T5K 2M4

Hours of Operation, Mon-Fri: 8:15 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Tel (Edmonton local): 780 944-0313
Toll Free: 1 877 944-0313
Fax: 780 427-4407
Email: srd.infocent@gov.ab.ca

Thanks,

TJ

Hi Joe,

Questions regarding hunting and fishing regulations are best directed to your nearest Fish and Wildlife office but if you check the regulations out, you'll see the definition of antlerless is as follows:

Antlered - A white-tailed deer, moose or elk having an antler exceeding 10.2 cm (4 in.) in length.

Antlerless - A white-tailed deer, moose or elk that is not "antlered" (as defined above)

An on-line version of the regulations can be found at
http://www.albertaregulations.ca/huntingregs/

TJ

Hi Barrett,

Yes, there does seem to be increasing wolf activity throughout much of Alberta and undoubtedly they, combined with a number of other factors, are working to keep ungulate numbers down in some WMUs. I'm not sure anyone is really working to preserve wolves as they may be shot throughout most of Alberta. Also, the government just legalized the use of electronic callers this year which should aid those that are interested in hunting them have greater success. Your best bet would be to contact the area biologist to get his take on things and I would highly encourage you to become a member of the Alberta Fish and Game Association and join their voice in matters such as this.

TJ

Hi Gregory,

It sounds like you've found some good information in the reading you've done. Most hunters concentrate on the head, with the females typically having a longer, more tapered snout but one trick I picked up while hunting with Darren DeLuca on Vancouver Island was to pay attention to the ankles. On sows, the ankles will be quite obvious and much smaller than the rest of the leg whereas on a boar, the ankle will not taper but will be the same diameter as the rest of the leg. Boars also tend to walk much more pigeon toed than sows.

While there is no way to 100% determine sex on a black bear at a distance, paying attention to the head and ankles will give you a pretty good idea.

TJ

Hi Glenn,

I've never used a trail camera with an external 12-volt battery for power but I do know that both Stealth and Wildview offer models with an external battery jack.

TJ

I think one of the most common mistakes that people make when outfitting a youngster with a rifle is figuring that one of their old hand-me downs will work. In some cases this may be true but for the most part, adult-sized rifles don’t fit youth that well. A rifle needs to fit before you worry about anything else and this typically means a shorter stock. A number of manufacturers offer “youth” models for just this purpose. One danger with a shorter stock is a rifle that isn’t balanced properly so if a shorter stock is required to fit your son properly, either consider a wooden stock or a shorter barrel to aid in balance.

Recoil is obviously the next concern. How much shooting experience your son has and his physical size will determine an appropriate cartridge. If this is to be a big game rifle, then a .243 would be the minimum to look at and with lighter loads, many youth do very well with rifles up to .270. The addition of a quality recoil pad should be considered a must regardless of cartridge.

The best advice would be to visit a gun shop and try some various brands for fit or if you are looking to hand down a rifle, be prepared to shorten or replace the stock.

TJ