| It was interesting, I
recently saw a post on a hunting message board asking where people would go if they could
hunt mule deer anywhere in North America. The list, of course, included the Paunsaugunt in
Utah, the Kaibab Plateau in Arizona, the east slopes of the Colorado Rockies and New
Mexico. And, while all of these are definite "must dos" for any serious mule
deer hunter, it seemed to me that there was one glaring omission, the Canadian province of
Alberta. Alberta has quietly become one of North
America’s premier destinations for big trophy bucks. Only a short 10 years ago it was
rare to see a 4x4 muley in this western province, let alone a trophy buck, but in 1991 the
government undertook an intensive management program that saw most management units in
south-eastern portion of Alberta go on limited-entry draw for resident hunters.
Previously, mule deer were on a general season and a three-point minimum rule was in
effect. The majority of deer were being killed as two-year olds. With the reduced hunting
pressure, the superior genetics in these bucks were allowed to reveal themselves and by
the mid 1990s, Alberta was kicking out bucks that hadn’t been seen since Ed Broder
shot the world record non-typical mule deer back in 1926. With the success the draw units
were enjoying, the government placed several more of the wildlife management units,
scattered throughout the province, on draw. The result has been hunters killing more
trophy bucks than ever before.
While mule deer can be found throughout Alberta, it is the
southeastern portion of the province that is the most consistent producer of big bucks.
This does not mean that other areas are not giving up big bucks too, as they are. It was
just that bucks in the south-eastern region were the first to receive protection through
the limited entry draw.
Alberta residents are issued approximately 90 percent of
the permits in most management units through a limited-entry draw. The permit allows them
to harvest any antlered buck. Non-residents are not required to draw a tag but must hunt
with a licensed outfitter that is allocated tags in that area. Hunts typically range from
$3,000 to $5,000 and can be combined with whitetail deer, elk, antelope and moose,
depending on the area hunted. Alberta has a quirky law that only permits hunting on
Thursday, Friday and Saturday in many of the southern zones, so hunts is these areas
typically only last three days. In western and northern units, hunts are usually six days
in duration. Unfortunately the price varies little and with the limited number of
non-resident permits available most outfitters book up quickly.
The majority of hunting is conducted on private ranches in
the deep coulees along creeks and rivers. While this is flat prairie country, the rugged
terrain along these river bottoms provides ample cover for big bucks. The archery season
begins in early September and lasts until the end of October. The rifle season runs
through the month of November and coincides with the mule deer rut, which typically occurs
during the first couple weeks of the season. Most of the hunting is spot and stalk, and
the abundance of deer and variety of terrain ensures that hunters of all physical
abilities have a good chance to take a decent buck.
 How
big are the bucks in Alberta? Plenty big! While Alberta’s mule deer don’t
typically get the extreme width of their southern cousins, they grow tall and heavy. The
opportunity to harvest a 170-plus muley is very real and each year bucks grossing close to
200 points are taken. Of the top four typical bucks killed in Alberta, three were taken
between 1996 and 1999 and the fourth was taken in 1989. This truly is a case of the good
old days being right now. The current Alberta record for typical mule deer is 206 0/8.
Alberta is also known for producing a large number of non-typical bucks, including the
number-one Boone and Crockett deer: A buck taken by bow hunter Shane Pentelescu in 2000
stretched the tape to over 251 inches. There have been several others in the 240-260 range
taken in the past decade.
Canada gun owners have recently had some draconian gun laws
forced upon them but they have little effect on visiting hunters other than a permit must
be obtained prior to bringing your gun into the country. Outfitters should handle all of
the paperwork for you and it is advisable to get these permits in place well before your
hunt dates. For more information on hunting mule deer in Alberta, contact the Alberta
Professional Outfitters Society, P.O. Box 68167, Edmonton, Alberta, T6C 4N6, 780-414-0249,
http://www.apos.ab.ca.
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